I finally decided to try making a pumpkin pie using a real live pumpkin as opposed to canned pumpkin. I picked up a nice sized pie pumpkin at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market, found a recipe, and set out to make the pie. It was simple, easy, and required very little effort. All redundant statements- just to underscore how crazy easy it us to use a fresh pumpkin. I’ll never buy a can of pumpkin puree again!

Due to the variability of the pumpkin pulp, sometimes you end up with a lot more filling than anticipated. As opposed to using a traditional 9" pie pan, I usually opt for a 9" round cake pan with high sides- this allows room for the variability. However, if you do go with the more traditional pie pan… I’ve poured the extra product into crème brûlée ramekins: set in a water bath and bake at 350°F till set.

Recipe Source

I picked this recipe mostly because I had the ingredients on-hand. Of the most exotic were evaporated milk.

Special Equipment

  • 9x11 rimmed baking sheet
  • 9" pie pan –OR–
  • 9" round cake pan with high sides

Ingredients

  • 510 grams (2 cups) of pumpkin pulp purée from a sugar pumpkin
  • 1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
  • 130 grams (½ cup) packed dark brown sugar
  • 75 grams (1/3 cup) white sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg
  • 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamon

Preparation

Preheat Oven

If blind baking a pie crust, heat oven as directed, prepare crust, and then…

  • Preheat oven to 425°F

Roast Pumpkin

  • With a small-medium sugar pumpkin, cut out the stem and scrape out and discard the fibrous strands. Save the seeds and roast them later.
  • Cut the pumpkin in half and lay cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with silpat or aluminum foil.
  • Fill with ¼" water.
  • Bake at 350°F until fork tender, about an hour to an hour and a half.
  • Remove from oven, let cool.
  • Peel skin and/or scoop out pulp with spoon.
  • If you want the pulp to be extra smooth, put it through a food mill or chinois.
  • I’ve also had good outcome by microwaving the pumpkin puree for 10 to 15 minutes to evaporate excess water.
  • Adjust oven temperature to 425°

Pie filling

  • In a large bowl, mix sugars, salt, and spices.
  • Add beaten eggs.
  • Stir in the pumpkin purée.
  • Stir in the evaporated milk.
  • Whisk until well incorporated.
  • Pour into pie shell

Bake

  • Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the temperature to 350°F.
  • Bake 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool

  • Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.