Ahh, the variety! The colors. The shapes. The sizes. Pumpkins are perhaps the top food item we purchase during the fall season. Whether you buy them strictly for decorating purposes or to whip up a wonderful dish, pumpkins are a delight!
You might think, “oh god, not another pie recipe!” I’m sure by now you’ve come across a ton of them, especially those handed down from grandma and every other family member that swears theirs is the best. But you’ll just have to add mine to your repertoire as well. Mind you, I’m no Martha Stewart, although I WORSHIP her, and I don’t claim mine to be the best, even though my kids think so, but I do have a couple tips that can make a difference in flavor. I am thrilled to be able to share them with you, so here we go.
The ingredients: 
- 2 large room temperature eggs (already whisked in a small bowl)
- 3/4 cup regular sugar
- dash salt
- 2 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground Cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated Nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (the real thing)
- 1 can (15 oz.) 100% pureed Pumpkin
- 1 can (12 oz.) evaporated Milk
- 1 pie crust or store bought ready-made crust
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients with a whisk, including the Nutmeg.
- Next add the already whisked eggs, the pumpkin puree, the milk, fresh ginger and vanilla extract. Whisk well to blend.
- Pour into the pie pan already layered with the crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
- After the 15 minutes are up reduce the heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 40-50 minutes.
- Once done baking let it rest for at least an hour, (I put my pies on a table in the garage to cool off quicker). Enjoy!
By adding fresh Nutmeg and Ginger you bring the taste level up a notch. As you can see this is a very basic and easy recipe to follow and you can definitely adjust it to your preference. Using an already-made pie crust cuts down on the preparation time. I always try to use my own crusts that I’ve prepared ahead of time and kept frozen, (we’ll go over that one at some other time soon).
For those of you who have a sweet tooth, you can also add whipped cream to your serving. Whipped cream is insanely easy to do, and I assure you, once you make it you’ll never buy the stuff that comes in the canister! I personally prefer to eat my pumpkin pie without the extra stuff. I rather enjoy the flavors I put into it.
Ingredients for Homemade Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 tablespoon regular sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (again, the real thing)
Get your trusty electric handheld mixer and a medium bowl. If you happen to have a little one at home like I do, have him/her stand there with the beater, they’ll love it! Beat all the ingredients until soft to semi firm peaks form. Make sure to not over beat as this will cause the cream to turn into a butterlike consistency. That’s it! You’re done! Now go dress your pie!
I hope you enjoyed learning my version of the Pumpkin Pie. If you get a chance to try it please let me know, I would love to hear what you think. I will be posting other popular recipes soon for you to try. Buon appetito!