So, it’s baked in a pastry case with spices, eggs, sugar, a bit of cream, it’s soft, delicious and tastes a bit like custard tart. Use peeled fresh pumpkin or the canned puree
Pastry
• 225g plain white flour
• Pinch of salt
• 110g cold hard butter
• 25g sifted icing sugar
• Grated rind of 1 small lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 3-4 tablespoons chilled water
Filling
• 600g pumpkin flesh
• 110g brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of mixed spice
• Grated rind of 1 lemon
• 3 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons double or whipping cream
PREP
1. Make the pastry: Using a machine, pulse the flour and salt in the processor for 4 seconds. Add and pulse the butter to amalgamate. Add the sugar and pulse again. Add the lemon rind, egg yolk and 3 tablespoons water. Pulse until the dough just comes together. You may need the extra water. The dough should be pliable, not too dry nor wet. Pull it together into a ball. Sit it on a lightly floured board.
2. By hand, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the bits of cold pastry. Rub them in lightly. Sift in the sugar. Add the rind, egg yolk and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a fork until the dough comes together, using extra water if needed. Roll and sit on a board as above.
3. Line the tin: well grease a 22cm x 4cm fluted tart tin. Pat the pastry very lightly into a circle. Roll it out lightly on a floured surface, turning 45 degrees between rolls for even shaping. Continue until the piece will fit the base and sides of the tin with a bit extra to allow for shrinkage.
4. It should be as thin as a pound coin. Roll the pin underneath. Lift it up and over the tin.
5. Slip it down and in. Fit it gently round trying to avoid cracks or tears. Press to mend if you need to. Leave a bit of an overhang but cut off any overlarge edge. Put into the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
6. Steam the pumpkin in a steamer for 15 minutes Remove. Leave it to cool and drain through a sieve for at least 30 minutes. Blend till smooth with a stick blender or processor.
7. Pre-heat the oven to 190C/gas 5. Roll a rolling pin across the top of the chilled pastry case to neaten it up. Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper in the case. Fill with dry or ceramic baking beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove. Remove paper and beans.
8. Raise the temperature to 220C/gas 7. Beat the puree together with the sugar, spices, lemon rind, eggs and cream until smooth. Tip the mix into the tin.
COOK
10. Bake for 15 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly, lay a piece of foil on a higher shelf.
11. Reduce the heat to 180C/gas 4. Bake for another 20-25 minutes or until firm. Remove.
PLATE
12. This is a plain pie, a puritan pie. You may like to eat it as it is with a bit of whipped cream or ice-cream on the side. You may like it hot, warm or it’s good cold.