Turkey Day, Minus the Turkey...

Okay,

So last week I gave you a preview of our menu.  I wanted to take some time to go over each item as a separate post because they are all individual dishes and I didn't want to overwhelm myself and others by posting three detailed recipes on one single post.  So, let's start with the most important one, the pie.

Yes, everything was done from scratch.  I have this great recipe for pumpkin pie that I just love.  The crust is a recipe that I received from my dad.  The crust goes as so:

2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold butter
ice water

Alright so you start by putting the first four ingredients together in a bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, mix the ingredients together until it is flakey.  You want all of the shortening and butter mixed in well with the flour.
*Note: DO NOT soften your butter.  It will not work this way*
After it is all mixed well, you will begin adding the ice water (tablespoons at a time).  I did not specify how much ice water it will take because I don't know.  It has been different for me every time I have made crust.  This is where you have to trust yourself.  I start by filling up a half cup measuring cup with water and putting an ice cube in it (to make sure it is actually ice water).  If I need more, I get more.
You will want to add enough ice water so that the dough sticks together and you can form a ball with it.  This should not be a dry ball.  It should have a slight stick to your hand; but should not be slimy and sliding out of your grip.  *This is very important.  It is all about the feel of the dough*

After you have your desired consistency, you will want to wrap the dough in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  If you do not have time for this, you can put it in the freezer for a shorter amount of time; but make sure you add just a little more water to your dough because the freezer will dry it out. (I have made that mistake A LOT)

When it has been at least an hour you will want to turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Coat both sides and your rolling pin lightly with flour and begin rolling the dough out until you get a thin, flat, circle of dough.  *If you do not flour your surface, your dough will stick to the table and then you are SCREWED*
You will want your dough to be about 1/8" in thickness.  That's pretty thin.  You could go a little thicker; but not much.
After your dough is rolled out, you will need to transfer it to your pie plate.  To do this you will need to fold the dough in half and then half again (quarter).  You can then easily transfer the dough onto the pie plate and unfold it.  It should look like this:

Okay, the next part is fun.  You will want to cut the scrap edges off.  You will want to leave about 3/4-1" of crust along the outside.  After you have your scraps, put them aside to use them later.  Then you can begin designing your rim.  This can be your own personal design.  Mine looked like this:

   
After you finish with your rim, you will need to put the crust back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  This is when you start heating your oven to 375.
When the 30 minutes have passed, you will need to cover the entire crust with foil (even the edges).  Then, fill the inside of the pie plate with rice to weigh down the foil and crust.
*The reason why you are doing this is because we are baking the crust before we add the pumpkin pie filling.  We do not want the filling to seep into the crust.*
**Also, the purpose for the rice is to weigh down the crust.  It will puff up as it bakes.**

Now you are ready to bake your crust.  Place crust in the oven for 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes are up, remove the foil with the rice and bake the crust, uncovered for about 3-4 minutes just to crisp it up a bit.  Once it is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a baking rack.
While your crust is cooling is the perfect time to make the filling.

Pumpkin pie filling is a custard.  It is such a tastey custard too.  :-D  Here is my recipe for the custard (which I have modified ever-so-slightly from www.epicurious.com):

1- 15 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
3/4 scant cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt


There is no specific order in which you need to incorporate these ingredients to make the custard.  I just put it all into a bowl and whisked it together until it was very smooth.
Once your crust is cooled enough (warm but not hot to the touch), you can pour the custard filling into the shell/crust and bake, again at 375, for about 45 minutes.
*Mine only too slightly over 40 minutes to bake*

Here are some specific things to look for to make sure your pie is done:
1. Make sure your crust is browned on the rims
2. When you tap the side of the pie plate, the middle of the pie should tremble; but the outside should not.
3. The outside of the filling should be set and even slightly cracked


Here is what mine looked like:

 

 

As the pie cools, the middle will set itself.  If you do not let this happen naturally, your pie will be overcooked.  If all goes right, you should have a tastey, creamy, flakey pumpkin pie to serve to your family for your next holiday get-together.

I hope this was helpful.  Let me know if you have any questions!

Let us talk basic kneeds!