Spiced Pumpkin Pie

This Halloween gem is a delicious use for all that pumpkin flesh that’s knocking around this time of year! It’s certainly more treat than trick, but pies are the perfect way to share so get some friends together, be wicked and dish up a slice of spiced pumpkin on an autumn evening!
Done and dusted (with icing sugar and cinnamon) in four easy steps.

Ingredients

750g pumpkin flesh
350g sweet short-crust pastry
140g caster sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs
25g butter
175ml milk
A little icing sugar and cinnamon, to dust.

Step One

Cut the pumpkin flesh into even, thumb sized chunks and set them in a pot of water. Bring it to the boil, let it simmer for 15 minutes and then drain.

Tip: when boiling or roasting something as dense as pumpkin – think also of potatoes, carrots or squash – it’s best to bring the temperature up gradually to avoid cooking the outside faster than the middle.

Step Two

Heat the oven to 180C.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm tart tin. Let it chill in the fridge for 15 minutes, then prick the base and blind bake with baking beans for 10. Remove the beans and keep it in the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Tip: if you don’t have baking beans, just use dried peas or rice instead.

Step Three

Take out the tart and turn the oven up to 220C.
Blitz the pumpkin with the caster sugar, add a pinch of salt and the spices. Beat in the eggs, butter and milk.
Pour the mixture into the tart shell and cook for 45 minutes, reducing the temperature to 180C after 10.

Step Four

When you remove the pie, the filling should be just set. Let it cool, then remove it from the tin and dust with icing sugar and a little more cinnamon to taste. Serve chilled.

Tip: if your tin has a removable bottom, push it up gently by resting it on a bowl or something similar when you come to removing the tart.