Why do we eat pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, and not in the middle of July? Because once upon a time, long before supermarkets and canned pumpkin puree, people ate what was available to them in any given season, and pumpkins were available in the fall.
Seasonal eating is another great lesson that can be learned from your local family farm market. Pumpkins, squashes, and apples are great fall foods, as peaches, berries, and corn sweeten the summer. Citrus fruits, like my favorite clementines, are at their best in winter. So while you can procure nearly any fruit or veggie year-round, it won’t necessarily taste as good out of season.
You could certainly roast a pie pumpkin, scrape out its flesh, and use that in your pumpkin pie, but thanks to the good folks at Libby’s pumpkin puree is available year-round. This is a quick and easy recipe that works well for busy holiday times.
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
- 1 16-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup milk*
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a 9-inch pie dish with crust; trim edges and place on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and beat with a fork.
Add eggs and beat lightly until combined.
Slowly add milk and mix well.
Pour filling into prepared pie dish.
Cover the edge of the pie with a guard or foil to prevent over-browning.
Bake for 25 minutes, then uncover the edge and bake another 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.
Cool completely.
*Full disclosure: In my flurry of Thanksgiving preparations, I totally forgot the additional 1/2 cup of milk in this pie. It turned out just fine, but next time, I’ll make sure to use both the evaporated milk and fresh milk!
amy bakes in the 'burgh 