This Autumn has seen the markets overflowing with all kinds of pumpkin and squash, so I have jumped on the pumpkin pie bandwagon. The varieties here are virtually all new to me, so I randomly chose two little “potimarron”. The name comes from the French words “potiron” (pumpkin) and “marron” (chestnut) because the taste is vaguely reminiscent of chestnuts. They are about the size of a large grapefruit. Super cute!

For the pumpkin purée

Ingredients

2 x 500g potimarron or other little pumpkins, or 1 larger one

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment or foil (makes clean-up easier).

Slice the stems off and halve pumpkins and scoop out the seeds. Place them cut-side down on the tray and bake them for about 45 minutes, until very soft. The baking time will depend on the size.

Let cool enough to handle, then scrape out all the flesh.

Use a food processor or blender to purée until smooth.

You can use it straight away or freeze it for later use. You should have roughly 2 cups of purée.

The pie

I adapted this pie recipe from a couple I found online, here and here. I used store-bought pastry because I was short on time that day… that’ll teach me for trying to juggle too many things at once! Also, every recipe I found includes ginger, which my pumpkin-pie-loving Miss D is allergic to so there’s none in here. The result was pretty spectacular and fit the bill perfectly 🙂

Ingredients

3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups pumpkin purée
1 cup double cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
14 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
shortcrust pastry dough, rolled out to fit 28cm pie dish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Press the pastry dough into the buttered pie dish. Prick bottom all over with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk everything together until well blended. Pour into the pastry.

Bake for around one hour, until the filling is set and the crust is golden around the edges.

Cool completely in the dish on a wire rack.

Serve on its own or with whipped cream.