A traditional Thanksgiving dishes —— Pumpkin Pie

The origin of pumpkin pie

The pumpkin is native to the continent of North America. The pumpkin was an early export to France; from there it was introduced to Tudor England, and the flesh of the "pompion" was quickly accepted as pie filler. During the seventeenth century, pumpkin pie recipes could be found in English cookbooks, such as Hannah Woolley's The Gentlewoman's Companion (1675). Pumpkin "pies" made by early American colonists were more likely to be a savory soup made and served in a pumpkin than a sweet custard in a crust.

It was not until the early nineteenth century that the recipes appeared in American cookbooks or pumpkin pie became a common addition to the Thanksgiving dinner. The Pilgrims brought the pumpkin pie back to New England, while the English method of cooking the pumpkin took a different course. In the 19th century, the English pumpkin pie was prepared by stuffing the pumpkin with apples, spices, and sugar and then baking it whole. In the United States after the Civil War, the pumpkin pie was resisted in southern states as a symbol of Yankee culture imposed on the south, where there was no tradition of eating pumpkin pie. Many southern cooks instead made sweet potato pie or added bourbon and pecans to give a southern touch.

Today, throughout much of the United States, it is traditional to serve pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner. Additionally, many modern companies produce seasonal pumpkin pie-flavored products such as candy, cheesecake, coffee, ice cream, french toast, waffles and pancakes, and many breweries produce a seasonal pumpkin ale or beer; these are generally not flavored with pumpkins, but rather pumpkin pie spices. Commercially made pumpkin pie mix is made from Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata (Libbey Select uses the Select Dickinson Pumpkin variety of C. moschata for its canned pumpkins).

How to make a classic Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving?

INGREDIENTS

1 unbaked pie crust

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

EQUIPMENT

Food processor

1 9 1/2 to 10-inch deep dish pie plate

Pie weights

Saucepan

Parchment paper

Baking sheet

Whisk

Cooling Rack

STEPS

1.Prep the pie crust. Arrange a rack to the lower-middle position in the oven and heat to 425°F. Roll out the pie crust and transfer it to a 9 1/2 to 10-inch deep dish pie pan. Crimp the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while the oven heats.

2.Blind bake the crust. Line the pie crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges just start to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the weights and lining, and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and keep near the stove.

3. Prepare the purée. Place the pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves or allspice in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender. Blend until the brown sugar is completely mixed in and the purée looks glossy.

4.Cook the purée mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Stir frequently until you see wisps of steam rising from the purée, then stir continuously until the mixture is very steamy and "plops" when you pause for a second. The mixture will also start to smell like spices and cooked pumpkin. Cook for no more than 5 minutes.

5. Whisk in the milk and eggs. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the milk and cream. To warm the eggs and ensure that they don't cook when you add them to the pumpkin mixture, whisk them together in a separate bowl, then whisk in a few spoonfuls of the warm pumpkin mixture. Slowly whisk the eggs into the saucepan with the pumpkin mixture until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.

6. Fill the pie crust. Place the partially baked pie crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set it near the stove. Carefully pour the warm pumpkin mixture into the warm pie crust. If it looks like there's too much filling for the crust, stop when you come close to the edge of the crust.

7. Bake the pie. Carefully transfer the baking sheet with the pie to the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 375°F. Bake until the pie is puffed in the middle but still jiggles when you gently shake the pan, 50 to 60 minutes. You'll also see small cracks form in the outer part of the pie and some bubbling around the edge. Check the pie every 15 minutes or so and cover the crust with a ring of aluminum foil if it becomes the deep brown.

8. Cool the pie. Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving — it will continue to set as it cools.

Hurry up to learn to make it and share it with your family!