Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time:  35 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total: 1hr 15 min

Serves: 8

Ingredients for Crust
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup shortening
½ tsp salt
3 ½ tbsp cold water

Ingredients for Filling
2 cups mashed, cooked pumpkin (directions below)
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
¾ packed brown sugar
2 tsp pumpkin spice or ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt

Directions for Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Prepare the pie crust by mixing together flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour; add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time (you may need only 3 tablespoons, or up to 4 tablespoons). Mix dough and repeat until dough is moist enough to hold together.

With lightly floured, hands shape dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. With a sharp knife, cut dough 1 1/2 inch larger than the upside-down 8- to 9-inch pie pan. Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it right-side up onto the pie pan. Unroll, easing dough into the bottom of the pie pan.

Directions for Mashed Pumpkin

Use 1 1/2 pounds of skin-on, raw pumpkin to yield 2 cups of mashed. Halve pumpkin and scoop out seeds and stringy portions. Cut pumpkin into chunks. In a saucepan over medium heat, in 1 inch of boiling water, heat the pumpkin to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain, cool and remove the peel. Return pumpkin to the saucepan and mash with a potato masher.

Directions for Filling

In a large bowl, beat mashed pumpkin with evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin spices or (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon & cloves) and salt with an electric mixer.

Mix well and pour into a prepared crust. Bake for 40 minutes or until when a knife is inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.  Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!