He split the pumpkin, scooped out the seeds, and baked it (steamed it, basically) for about an hour. Here are the halves:
After they cooled a bit, they were very easy to peel. They were extremely tender.
Adam took the pumpkin pulp and mixed it thoroughly, trying to make it smooth enough to give a truly creamy pumpkin pie. Does it look like Libby's?
The pies are not as attractive as ones made with store-bought pumpkin. The little white patches are from water dripping on the pie. He also said there were many bubbles that he had to pop. Now, Adam likes a highly-spiced pie. I can't spice my pies (I'm sure it's the ginger) hot enough for him. These are a bit too spiced for me :) The consistency? They were not stringy at all, but Adam says next time he will put the pumpkin in the food processor to really chop the pulp, so it will be even smoother. The mixer doesn't do that. The color looks more like a sweet potato pie, but the flavor is DEFINITELY pumpkin.
He made 2 pies! I think autumn may truly be here!!
2 comments:
Good for Adam! And yummy comfort food for you all. As I write, the wind is blowing a gale and I'm thinking of baking an apple pie myself. Thanks, M.K.
I make pumpkin pies from scratch, too. I had to in France where I couldn't buy little cans of puree.
Suggestions for Adam:
One, the food processor is definitely the way to go. Toss the pulp in and puree the life out of it; then add everything else and blend it smooth. Super easy and a great texture.
Two. Roast those pumpkins HOT! The more caramelized flesh you can get (without burning, of course) the tastier your pie (or soup, which is also wonderful.)
Three. Martha Stewart suggests roasting the pumpkins with the seeds still inside. She claims it gives them a better flavor. I have never tried doing it both ways at the same time to test, but I think it's a little easier to remove the seeds after roasting, so I usually go with that. You can't toast the seeds when you do it this way though. OK by me.
Four. If you turn your pumpkin halves upside down after roasting, as if the shell were a bowl, you can scrape out the flesh with a big spoon, after discarding the seeds. It's easier and there's less waste, I think, than trying to peel off the shell.
I have an old Martha Stewart recipe that I like a lot. If Adam wants it I can send it to you. It won't be as spicy as he wants, but the texture is good, and spices are easy to add. I think you may want him to try several different variations--the more pies to taste the better. :)
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