Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie

All over the world there are a great many different ways in which pumpkin is cooked and prepared; soups: vegetable dishes and even pudding; but here in America, Pumpkin Pie at Thanksgiving is probably the most popular.

To cook pumpkin, wash and cut it in half. (Use great care when doing this, because pumpkins can be kind of tough. We don't want to have the knife slip.) Preheat oven to 325º. Remove seeds and the stringy part of the center, and place shell side up in a baking dish to bake. Depending on the size of the pumpkin, this will usually take about an hour. When pumpkin is tender when pierced with a fork, remove from oven and let cool. Scrape the pulp from the shell and put it through a ricer, or food processor.

While pumpkin is baking:

Prepare a baked pie shell

In mixing bowl:

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon salt - with a fork blend salt into flour

½ cup butter flavored shortening - with fork cut shortening into flour until flour looks like a bowl of peas

About 5 tablespoons water - blend this lightly into flour mixture. You may lift the ingredients with a fork, allowing the moisture to spread. If necessary, add just enough water to hold ingredients together. When you can gather the dough up into a neat little ball, it is time to stop handling it. It will become tough if handled too much.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. With a flour dusted rolling pin, roll dough out to about ⅛ inch thick. To cut pie dough, allow a piece about 2 inches larger that the pan dimensions, to take care of shrinkage that will occur. You can use a pastry wheel to cut fancy edges on your pie crust, or you can use your fingers and flute the edges. Both ways look very nice.

Prick the dough generously with a fork, after the dough has been placed in the pie plate. If you prefer not to prick the dough, you can weight the bottom of the shell with dry rice or beans.

Bake pie shell in a preheated oven 450º for 10 - 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Filling

In the top of a double boiler, over hot water; mix until thick:

1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin

1 ½ cups undiluted evaporated milk or heavy cream

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon each of allspice, ginger and clover

4 slightly beaten eggs

When thick, take off burner and cool slightly. Add:

2 table spoons brandy or rum (you can use 1 teaspoon flavoring)

¾ chopped walnuts

Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Chill and serve with whipped cream.