Pumpkin Pie (Happy Thanksgiving!)

Great people, Great conversation, Great food = The Perfect Canadian Thanksgiving.

It’s the simple things in life which bring the most happiness. Sitting around the table with my loving,gorgeous husband , our happy, creative daughter (who just happens to be beautiful), our family, our friends, sharing laughs and a fine meal. It’s these times that I treasure most.

On the menu for our Thanksgiving feast:

Pork loin stuffed with dried peaches

Peach stuffed pork loin, carrot souffle, stuffing, shredded brussel sprouts with bacon and hazelnuts, cranberry sauce, and last but not least, pumpkin pie with calvados ice cream. The adult cocktail was a mix of pear vodka, ginger simple syrup, pear nectar, and a splash of sparkling apple cider. Topped with a few frozen cranberries it was a real fall treat. The little one was more than happy with a glass of egg nog (non alcoholic, of course).

Pumpkin pie is one of those desserts that we only seem to have once a year, but then you wonder, why? It really is so good, it should get more respect on the pie ladder. Maybe this year it will.

PUMPKIN PIE

Makes One 9 inch pie

Filling:

2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
zest of 1 small orange
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons corn syrup
1 1/2 Cups (12 ounces) canned pumpkin
In a large mixing bowl, mix everything together until completely smooth and blended. Cover and place in the fridge overnight to let the flavors meld and mellow.

Pie Crust:

1 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup toasted, ground pecans
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tablespoons shortening
4 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
3-5 Tablespoons ice-cold vodka or water

In a food processor, place the flour, ground pecans, salt and shortening. Whirl until the shortening is in fine bits and evenly distributed. Add the butter and now pulse the machine just until the butter  is mixed in but still in fairly big bits |(that = flakey pastry). You do not want to overwork the dough or it will become tough. Add the cold liquid and pulse just a few times more. Dump it out onto a clean work surface , gather it into a ball, flatten it slightly into a disk shape and wrap in plastic. Chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out the into a 12 inch circle and transfer to the pie plate, trimming any excess away. You can use this for leaf decorations like I did, if you wish. Crimp the edges and place the dish back in the fridge for 30 minutes.

 Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 450 F.

Take the crust out of the fridge, pour in the filling, and bake on the bottom rack at 450 for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 F, switch the pie to the middle rack,  and continue to bake for another 35 minutes. If the crust starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a bit of foil. Let cool completely. Enjoy!

Advertisement