I started this blog several months ago and then - stopped -. Lots just started happening in my life and hadn’t quite mastered the whole blog thing, mostly the technical side of it. Then came summer and so much started to happen at once.
My 30th high school reunion
I lost my father-in-law
Had a bid on our appartment then lost said bid
Discovered that my brother has ALS
We lived through the most exciting, passionate Presidential election of our time
My best friend fell off the wagon
Hard times, emotional times. The Ups extremely high, the Downs so so low. Trying to confront and deal with it all. I am still passionate about food, baking is still my love, my joy, my solace. I turn to baking when I am happy and excited, when I am stressed and sad. I love the peaceful, sensual quality of baking, I love making those for whom I bake sigh with pleasure.
Needless to say, the direction my blog has taken will slightly veer off track sometimes from now on. I have so much more to say, so many more feelings to express through word and through food.
I apologize for this slightly boring interlude, but felt that I needed an explanation for my disappearance and reappearance. Today, I have a rich, deep orange slice of pumpkin that is just begging to be turned into pie, so here we go, back on track, the rest will follow accordingly...
PUMPKIN PIE, sweet and simple
Pumpkin pie reminds me of autumn, the chill outside, the warmth and the pervading scent of cinnamon inside. Dark afternoons and gold and red leaves on the trees. Piles of apples and citrus and deep orange wedges of pumpkin at the market. Roasting chestnuts and pulling on our rubber boots Sunday mornings and heading deep into the forest to hunt for mushrooms. We have no Thanksgiving decorations in store windows here in France, no turkeys or pilgrims. All Saint’s Day slides into Armistice Day and we start seeing the city trucks move in, hard-hatted, yellow-vested men sprouting from cherry pickers, hanging electrical wires and then the Christmas lights. All of this lends to the overpowering urge to dust off the seasonal recipes and start adding to the pre-holiday magic .
I never liked pumpkin pie growing up. I think it was because it was always made with canned pumpkin and evaporated milk. I don’t remember where I got this recipe from, but I love it. I make it with fresh, deep orange muscat pumpkin that can be found in any market or fruitseller’s in France for pennies. It makes a fabulous, sweet pumpkin soup, as well. Then add lots of maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger - I actually double the quantities of these spices found in the original recipe.
My pumpkin pie is best eaten warm or room temperature with whipped cream - fresh whipped, barely sweetened is best, but canned spray chantilly cream is just fine in a pinch - or vanilla ice cream. Morning, noon or night.
SWEET PASTRY PIE CRUST
1 1⁄4 cups flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
7 Tbs (100 grams) unsalted butter*
1 egg, lightly beaten
Stir flour and sugar together in a bowl. Add the butter cut into cubes and, using thumb and finger tips, rub the flour and butter into each other vigorously until it resembles sand on the beach and there are no more large chunks of butter.
Pour the lightly beaten egg over the flour-sugar-butter mixture and stir vigorously with a fork until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and it starts to clump. With fingers, press together into a ball and place on a floured surface. With the heel of one hand, smear the dough forward quickly, a little at a time (a tablespoon maybe) until all the dough has been "smeared". This blends in the last of the butter. Scrape the dough together and work briefly, just enough to form into a smooth, homogeneous ball.
Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge until needed or, if making your pie right away, just until it is firm enough to be easy to roll out without sticking to your rolling pin.
*most pie crust recipes call for the butter to be chilled. I have found that butter at room temperature is easier and quicker to work into the flour and the dough seems to be fluffier. If it is too sticky to roll out right away, 5 to 10 minutes in the fridge should do the trick.
PUMPKIN PIE
Uncooked sweet pastry pie shell
2 cups fresh pumpkin purée
1 1⁄2 cups milk (I use low fat)
1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbs flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp ground nutmeg + 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
1⁄2 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Lightly butter a pie plate and line with the uncooked sweet pastry pie dough, trimming off any excess dough. Prick lightly with a fork.
Purée pumpkin by cubing the pumpkin flesh and putting in a large pot with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover tightly and let steam until soft. Pour into a collander in the sink and let drain really well, allowing it to cool at least slightly. Purée and measure, draining any excess water if necessary.
Put the purée into a large bowl. Add the flour, spices and salt and stir until well blended. Add the eggs, or if the purée is still hot, add just enough milk to cool it a bit then stir in the eggs quickly. Add the milk and maple syrup and stir everything together until very well blended. Pour into the pie shell until filled about half way. Transfer the pie onto the rack of the pre-heated oven and then carefully pour the rest of the filling into the shell (this should avoid sloshing it onto the floor while carrying it to the oven. Just a trick.)
Let cook about 40 minutes or until the center is just set and the shell is browned around the edges and underneath.
If you have leftover dough, you can roll it out and cut out shapes (like a pumpkin or leaves) and very carefully place on the pie about 10 minutes before the pie is finished baking.
Mmmmm...it smells like the holidays! Enjoy!
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