Roasting Pumpkins For Baking Recipes

Food Mama here!  Fall is finally upon us and that means yummy fall seasonal baking recipes!  One of my favorites?  Pumpkin Pie!

As you begin to decide which Fall recipes featuring Pumpkin that you are going to cook....(im going to share my favorite recipe below) here's a great tip to enhance that Pumpkin flavor... Roast that gourd first! 

Yup, take that extra step and roast your Pumpkin before you puree or chop into your recipe!  I know canned is easy but trust me, you don't want to sleep on this flavor enhancer! 

It's very simple.

-  Oven at 400°

-  Cut your Pumpkin in half or quarters, rub with a little bit of olive oil, no spices. 

-  Place on a baking sheet face up

-  Roast for 40 minutes, remove and let cool. 

-  Scrape out the meat away from skin with a fork. 

-  Place into a blender

-  Blend until smooth and voila!

-  Use within 3-4 days or freeze (freeze up to 4 months) 

* This can definitely be made ahead and frozen for future use. 

Delicious Pumpkin Pie 

• 2 large eggs
• 15 ounces Pureed Pumpkin
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp cardamom 
• 1 single unbaked deep dish pie crust, see below for recipe

Pie crust (makes 2 crusts)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup ice water
• Splash of white vinegar

Instructions

1. Oven 425°
2. Whisk eggs well in a large bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin, all milks, salt, and spices. Mix until everything is completely combined.
3. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie crust and place on a baking sheet to make moving to oven easier. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350F and bake for another 50-60 minutes, or until set around the edges and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
4. Cool on a rack for 2 hours before slicing. If you aren't serving the pie after 2 hours, then refrigerate it loosely covered.

Pie crust (this recipe makes 2 crusts)

1. Pulse the flour and salt a few times in a food processor to mix. Add the cold chunks of butter to the bowl and pulse about 20 times until the mixture is grainy.
2. Add the ice water, a little at a time, while continuing to pulse add a splash of vinegar, then run the machine just until the dough comes together in a clump. This will take less than a minute. NOTE: you may not need all of the water, but you may also need a little more, feel free to adjust.
3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring it together into a ball. If there is still any remaining dry flour, make sure to knead that into the dough to get it all incorporated. If your dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
4. Cut the ball of dough in half, form two flat disks, and wrap each one in plastic. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours (or overnight) before rolling it out. You can freeze the extra disk of dough for later.