Pumpkin pie

• serves

  8

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 175 g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, plus extra, to sprinkle
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 425 g can pumpkin purée (see Note) or 750 g pumpkin (see Note)
• 375 ml (1½ cups) evaporated milk

Shortcrust pastry

• 200 g plain flour, plus extra, to dust
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 150 g cold unsalted butter, chopped
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp lemon juice

You will need a deep 23cm pie dish.

Instructions

To make pastry, process flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor until mixture resembles crumbs. Add 1 tsp iced water, egg yolk and lemon juice, and process until mixture just comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200˚C. Lightly grease a deep 23 cm pie dish. Dust work surface with extra flour, then roll disc into a 31 cm round. Trim edges, place over pie dish, then press to line base of dish. Fold any overhanging pastry back onto rim to form a double crust and crimp edges using a fork. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm.

Line pastry with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove weights and paper, cover the edge of pastry shell with foil to prevent browning, and bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is dry and golden. Remove from oven, leaving foil intact. Cool slightly.

Reduce oven to 180C. Combine sugar, flour, spices, eggs and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin purée and evaporated milk and stir to combine. Pour mixture into pie case and sprinkle with extra nutmeg. Bake for 50 minutes or until filling puffs and a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove foil and serve.

Note

Canned pumpkin purée is available from selected delis; Frances Walsh uses the American Libby’s brand. You can substitute mashed steamed pumpkin. Cut 750g kent pumpkin or Queensland blue into wedges. Remove seeds and steam, skin-side up, over a pan of simmering water for 30 minutes or until tender. Scoop flesh into a strainer over a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to drain any excess liquid. Discard liquid and mash pumpkin.

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 16, pg94.

Photography by Alan Benson

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.