Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

Serves: 8 slices

Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 sugar pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold water
• 2 eggs
• 12 fluid ounces evaporated milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• 1 dollop whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F

2. Wash and dry sugar pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds.

3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Place the pumpkin halves face down on the sheet. Bake in oven for 40 minutes.

4. Cool the pumpkin to room temperature and use a spoon to scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel.

5. Mash or puree the pumpkin flesh in small batches with a fork.

6. Prepare the pie crust by mixing ½ cup shortening, 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium mixing bowl with a fork until crumbly. Slowly add cold water until the crust sticks together. Amount of water will vary.

7. Use a fork to lightly mix the dough.

8. Roll the dough on a floured surface and form a circle about an inch bigger in diameter than the pie plate. Lift the dough and press it into the plate, then use a small knife, or kitchen scissors, to trim the edges of the dough and pinch the dough around the rim.

9. Crack two eggs into a large mixing bowl and slightly beat them. Add two cups of the pumpkin puree and 12 fluid ounces of evaporated milk. Stir well.

10. Mix 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ⅛ ground cloves in a small bowl.

11. Add the dry ingredients from step 10 to the wet ingredients from step 9, slowly, while mixing.

12. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pastry shell and wrap a strip of aluminum foil around the crust edge to keep it from burning.

13. Bake for 10 minutes at 450° F. Then reduce the temperature to 350° F and bake for about 40-50 minutes. Remove the strip of aluminum foil about 20 minutes before the pie crust is done baking so the crust will a light golden brown.

14. Cool the pie to room temperature before serving. Whipped cream, or other toppings, can be added as desired.

15. The pie can be stored in the refrigerator, covered loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, for up to 3-4 days.