White Pumpkin Pie

To make the white pumpkin puree - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Quarter the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds in the center.

Sprinkle the top of the pumpkin with the cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

Arrange the quarters on a baking sheet, and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft and tender.

Allow the pumpkin to fully cool, then scoop it out of its peel. (For a smoother texture, you can puree the cooked pumpkin in a blender or food processor).

Excess cooked pumpkin freezes well for up to 6 months.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the pie dough in a 9” pie dish; crimp the edges as desired, and place in the freezer while you work on the filling – this will help the crimping hold its shape.

To a large bowl add 1¾ cups of the white pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, heavy cream, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Using a handheld mixer or whisk, combine until smooth.

Sift in the cornstarch over the top, and mix until it is just combined.

Pour the filling into the pie crust and make sure not to overfill; depending on the depth of your pie dish you may have a little extra filling.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F, then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the center just barely jiggles and is firm on top.

Allow the pie to fully cool on a rack, then refrigerate until ready to serve. Pie keeps up to 5 days in the fridge.

When using a food processor:
1. Add 1½ cups flour, salt, and sugar (optional) to a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until combined. The remaining cup of flour will be added later.

2. Scatter butter cubes over the flour and process until a dough or paste begins to form, about 15 seconds.

3. Scrape the bowl, redistribute the flour-butter mixture then add remaining 1 cup of flour. Pulse 4 to 5 times until flour is evenly distributed. (Dough should look broken up and a little crumbly).

4. Transfer to a medium bowl then sprinkle ice water over mixture — start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until the dough comes together.

5. Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut the ball in half then form into 2 discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it).

When making by hand:
1. Add 1½ cups flour, salt and sugar (optional) to a medium bowl. Stir 2 to 3 times until combined.

2. Scatter butter cubes over flour and mix briefly with a fork or spatula to coat the butter with flour.

3. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender, working the mixture until the flour has a coarse, mealy texture similar to fresh bread crumbs. About 1 – 2 minutes.

4. Add the remaining 1 cup of flour. Work butter and flour with the pastry blender until flour is evenly distributed. About 20 seconds. (Dough should look crumbly with pea-sized pieces).

5. Sprinkle ice water over the mixture — start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until the dough comes together.

6. Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut the ball in half and form two discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using).