Recipe: Pumpkin Pie in the Balkans

Making a pumpkin pie was an all-day process this year and at times I mused that it was SO "from scratch" that it included all but milking the cow myself! I roasted & mashed the pumpkin, used homemade extracts, ground my own nutmeg and used my Mom's favorite pastry recipe for the crust. The process began at 10AM and finished around 9PM (though to be fair I did make a berry pie too.) In the US, though, one can simply use canned pumpkin, pre-blended spices and Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts.... 2 hours tops from start to finish!

Now the confession... it being an all-day process was not really that big of a deal... because I've been making pumpkin pies from scratch for years as I've fine-tuned my personal recipe (one I've tweaked since I was 9 years old). :) Now, don't be shocked, but I'm finally going to cut loose with that recipe and share (though still keeping a couple secrets secret. ;) )

Ingredients:
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

The above five ingredients may be adjusted to increase or decrease spiciness of the pie. This year I used homemade spice extracts and found that the overall flavor was more fully blended due to their liquid form. [To make an extract: vodka+whole spice+several months=a really nice extract] Extracts can be substituted 1:1 with the ground ones.

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons dark molasses (grape molasses in the Balkans)
1-1/2 cups, mashed cooked pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
1-2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup cream

Mix all ingredients except pastry. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Bake in preheated extremely hot oven (500F) for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F and bake for 55 to 60 minutes longer until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 6-8 servings. Serve with whipped cream on top (simply a must).

Pumpkin: to make from scratch use an Australian blue pumpkin and/or a butternut squash (don't use the common orange pumpkin as it is basically flavorless). Cut up into large chunks (leaving peel on), cover and roast in oven at 325F until very soft. Scrape out meat from skin while still warm and then allow to cool for about 1/2 hour before blending well with a mixer or in a blender.

Basic Pie Pastry:
2 Cups flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup butter
6-7 Tablespoons ice water

Combine flour and salt then cut in butter and blend well with fork until texture is small and crumbly. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, blending with fork, until the whole mixture is moistened. Form into two balls and turn out on well-floured surface. Place in pan and trim edges to 1/2 inch from top of pie pan. After adding pie filling cover the crust edges with foil for half the total baking time.

Enjoy!