My kids and I made this pie for Thanksgiving and my extended family gobbled it up. Usually they’re a pretty tough sell on my alternative foods so I’m sure this one is a good one! I think we’ll make it again for Christmas. This recipe is adapted from one taken from, The Perfect Pie, by Susan G. Purdy, which is one of my favourite recipe books of all time.
Here you go…
Pie crust:
2 cups flour (we used whole grain spelt flour which makes the crust a little heavy. You can use white spelt or all-purpose spelt if you like for 1 cup and 1 cup of whole grain spelt. Our next attempt I’ll use kamut.)
3/4 tsp salt
Optional sweetener: 2 Tbsp granulated sugar (I think the kids threw some sugar in when I wasn’t looking!)
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter (with our next attempt I might use coconut oil instead
3 Tbsp cold vegetable shortening
1 large egg yolk (save the white part to glaze the semi baked crust)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (the kids loved squeezing the lemon)
4-5 Tbsp ice water, as needed
(Egg glaze: 1 large egg white beaten with 1 Tbsp water)
Mix the flour, salt, sugar, into a bowl.
Cut up the butter and shortening and work them into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture is crumbly, with bits the size of rice.
Add the yolk and lemon juice. Toss lightly. Add ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, just until the dough begins to cling together in clumps.
Turn the dough out onto wax paper and form it into a ball, then flatten into a 6 inch disk, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the pastry to and line the 10 inch pan. Be sue the fluted edge is high so it will contain the filling. Partially blind bake for 12 minutes with weighted liner (You can buy fancy liners at specialty stores – we used a smaller pie plate. The liner keeps the pastry from rising and turning into a big puff ball.) Remove the liner and bake for another 5 minutes until starting to look golden. Brush the warm crust with egg white glaze. (In the olden days I used my fingers to “brush” on the egg white. My husband bought me a pastry brush and, well, it’s much better. Go figure.) Cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees F. Place a flat baking sheet in the oven to get hot.
The filling:
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
2 cups cooked and mashed fresh organic sugar pumpkin
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar to taste
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (that’s right! the full fat kind from a can (organic is better to avoid the BPA in the liner but it’s pretty hard to find) (I know, I know, genius, right?!))
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (maybe you could use coconut oil if you’re going totally dairy-free? I haven’t tried it yet since we’re okay with butter in our household)
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
In an electric mixer or in a bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs and yolk, then add the pumpkin and beat well. Beat in the sugar, coconut milk, melted butter, salt, and spices. Set the pan containing the pastry shell on a flat baking sheet for ease in handling. Pour the filling mixture into the prepared pastry shell, and set it on the preheated flat baking sheet in the center of the preheated oven for 40 – 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the custard 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Do not over bake. When the knife comes clean at the custard’s edge, the pie is done even thought the center may not be set; the internal heat of the pie will complete the baking out of the oven. Cool the pie on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature. (You can use whipped cream as a topping if you like and you’re not dairy-free. We ate it on it’s own.) Refrigerate leftovers.
Dr. Kim Callaghan, Naturopathic Doctor 