Pie crust is really easy - cold butter, flour, sugar, salt, and a little ice-cold water; cut with a pastry knife (it' resembles a dull ulu). Place in fridge for a bit, then roll out and place in a pan, bake @ ~420'F for ~15 minutes.

I used this recipe last year to make pumpkin pies from scratch, and people were melting into pools of orgasmic ecstasy, so I guess it was pretty ok. And there are pictures! Have fun.

I've got to warn you, pumpkins used for carving are not very good eating. You've got to get your hands on a pie pumpkin or a sugar pumpkin. Alternatively you can use a hubbard squash, which is, as I understand it, what's in the can's one buys anyway.

Man, I love me some real-pumpkin pumpkin pie.

BTW, the Joy Of Cooking has an excellent recipe. Natch.

No pie recipes, but my favorite part of autumn are my wife's roasted pumpkin seeds. Just seeds, olive oil, and plenty of salt and fresh ground pepper. Lay 'em in a pan and roast 'em till they turn a nice caramel color. Absolutely fanstastic. Worth buying a pumpkin just for them.

I too love me some pumpkin pie. I've been known to eat multiple pies all on my own, even after a full thanksgiving dinner. But especially the next day. My family has been known to get extra pies just for me, otherwise I end up eating all of them.

I didn't even think about the whole concept of a "pie pumpkin". We bought this pumpkin for carving, and it's certainly a carving pumpkin, and not one of the small, cute little pie pumpkins in iconomy's link.

It didn't get carved, 'cause we're slackers. But that's fine because apparently they don't celebrate halloween in our ghetto-ass neighborhood. (Not a single knock or trick-or-treater! WTF?)

Pumpkin seeds it is, then.

Thanks for the advice. *bookmarks iconomy's link for later when he finds pie pumpkins*

mmmm Pumpkin seeds.. roasted and lightly salted. mmmm They'll give you the scoots, though.


Pumpkins is pig food. (IMHO)

Substitute cooked mashed yams, and use a smidge more liguid (yams are dryer than pumpkin flesh).

You'll never know unless you try it, and you'll thank me forever once you do.

Makes 2 pies

1 Sugar Pie pumpkin (about 3#)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 cups dark corn syrup
1 3/4 cups half and half or whipping cream

2-9 inch pie crusts at least 1 1/2 inches deep. Most purchased pie crusts
in pans are too shallow.

1. Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise and set cut side down in a 10x15 inch
pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven until very soft when pressed. About 1 hour.

2. When cool enough to touch, scoop out and discard pumpkin seeds. Scooop
pumpkin flesh from rind and discard rind. Smoothly puree flesh in a blender
or food mill; you need 2 cups.

3. In a bowl, beat to blend the 2 cups pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar,
cinnamon, salt, ginger, and cloves. Stir in corn syrup and cream.

4. Fill pie shells. Set pies on foil lined baking sheet.

5. Bake at 350 degrees until pie centers barely jiggle when shaken gently,
50-55 minutes.

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My sister grows her own pumpkins ("Sugar Pie" variety.) Last nite she baked 10 pumkin pies. Pictures to follow.