Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Pumpkin is so versatile that it is a natural for our rich heritage of regional cooking. The varieties of pumpkin pie are seemingly endless. The following recipes are a sampling of some of these American favorites.
- From the dairy region of the Midwest, pumpkin is combined with ice cream for a light, frosty, no-bake pie. It is frozen and is removed as dinner begins so that it can soften slightly.
- From the Pacific Northwest apple country, comes a special recipe for Pumpkin Apple Pie. A pumpkin custard serves as a foil for the juicy apple slices.
- Cheesecake lovers will delight in the rich and glamorous California Pumpkin Pie.
- The Pumpkin No-Crust Pie is from a basic New England recipe where simplicity is a virtue. There is no crust to make, roll out or cut. Granola cereal offers the crisp topping for this simple, foolproof pie.
- All-American Pumpkin Pie remains a classic. In the South, a topping of roasted peanuts is the natural topping for pumpkin pie.
Take your choice of one of these great pumpkin pies. They are all, delicious and you are sure to find a pie to please most everyone.
Make your own mashed pumpkin
You can use the convenient canned pumpkin in these recipes, or prepare your own mashed cooked pumpkin. If you get a fresh pumpkin, look for one that has a rich orange color, is well-matured and not broken or cracked. It should be free from soft rot and from excessive scarring.
To prepare fresh pumpkin, cut the pumpkin into large chunks. Remove the seeds (but save them for roasting separately) and stringy portions. Place the pumpkin in a large saucepan or kettle. Pour in about one inch of water. Cook, covered until flesh is very tender, about one hour. Drain and cool.
Cut rind from the pumpkin pulp. Mash the pumpkin with a potato masher and then turn the pumpkin into a strainer. Let it drain about one hour, stirring occasionally. One five-pound pumpkin will yield about four cups of mashed cooked pumpkin.
Midwest pumpkin ice cream pie recipe
Ingredients
1 package (3-3/4 ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (16-ounce) pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 pint vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker crumb pie shell
Whipped cream and chopped nuts, optional garnish
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, pumpkin, milk and spice. Mix with an electric mixer at low speed for about 1 minutes, until well blended. Add ice cream, about a fourth at a time, and beat until well mixed. Spoon into pie shell. Place in freezer. When frozen, wrap tightly for freezer storage.
For easy slicing, remove pie from freezer 30 minutes before cutting. For best flavor, let stand at room temperature another 30 minutes before serving or in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
ALSO TRY: Fluffy Pumpkin Pie recipe (1971)
Northwest classic pumpkin-apple pie recipe
Ingredients
3 medium-size apples (Use any baking apple or, for a sweeter taste, use Red Delicious apples)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar (divided)
2 teaspoons flour
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell with stand-up edge
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1 can (5-1/3 ounces) evaporated milk
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pare, quarter and core apples; slice about 1/8 inch thick. Toss in bowl with lemon juice, 1/3 cup sugar and flour. Arrange slices in overlapping circles in pastry shell; cover loosely with foil. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes; remove foil.
Meanwhile, beat eggs slightly in medium bowl; stir in pumpkin, 1/3 cup sugar, evaporated milk, butter and nutmeg. Pour slowly over apples.
Continue baking for 10 minutes; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (or a mixture of 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon). Continue baking 10 minutes more or until custard is almost set. Cool on wire rack at least 2 hours before cutting. Serve warm or cool.
California pumpkin pie recipe with orange & coconut
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 can (30 ounces) pumpkin pie mix
1 can (5 and one-third ounces) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell with high stand-up edge
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat 2 eggs slightly in medium bowl; stir in pumpkin pie mix and. evaporated milk, mixing thoroughly. Pour into pastry shell.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and egg yolk until smooth; stir in orange rind. Spoon evenly over partially baked pie; sprinkle coconut over top, if desired.
Continue baking another 20 to 25 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle the toasted almonds. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.
MORE: Libby’s pumpkin cheesecake recipe (1994)
New England classic pumpkin “no crust” pie recipe
Ingredients
3 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly-packed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin
1/3 cup biscuit mix
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granola
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except granola in blender container; cover, whirl at low speed for 3 minutes. Pour into well-greased 9-inch pie plate; let stand for 5 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes; sprinkle top with granola and continue baking another 20 minutes or until center feels firm to the touch. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or cool. Yields one 9-inch pie.
NOTE: If you don’t have a blender, beat eggs and sugar with electric mixer until light; melt butter and beat in with milk and pumpkin. Add biscuit mix and cinnamon; beat at medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Proceed as above.
YOU MIGHT LIKE: Pumpkin Dream Pie no-bake recipe (1959)
Southern pumpkin pudding pie recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (13 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin
3 eggs
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
Peanut glaze (recipe follows), optional
Whipped cream, optional
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, sugar, spice and salt; mix well. Stir in evaporated milk and pumpkin. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Beat eggs in a medium bowl; very gradually beat in about half the hot pumpkin mixture. Then gradually pour back Into saucepan; mixing well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, until mixture thickens. Pour into baked pie shell. Cool completely; spread with Peanut Glaze and serve with whipped cream if desired.
Peanut glaze: In small skillet, combine 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter or margarine and 1 tablespoon cream (or milk). Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture melts and bubbles for 1 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup coarsely-chopped peanuts. Spoon over pie at once. Tops one 9-inch pie.
