"Pumpkin" Pie

This recipe is one I've adapted from a couple of different recipes. My husband loves pumpkin pie that uses cooked pumpkin not the canned variety. I love getting away with lower calorie ingredients that don't sacrifice flavor. Here's my favorite "pumpkin" pie recipe. You can use canned pumpkin if you insist but I use whatever flavorful winter squash I can get my hands on. I usually roast squash in my oven to cook it. This particular pie was made with butternut squash. It was cut into fairly even chunks drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt. I baked it at 425 for 20-25 min until it was fork tender and browned on some of the edges. It is very easy to scrape out of the skins and eat as a side dish for dinner or let it cool and use it in this recipe.

"Pumpkin" Pie Recipe
1 3/4 cups cooked squash
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk


I find the easiest way to combine these ingredients is in my blender. The squash must be pureed anyway because home-cooked squash can be somewhat chunky and that is not desirable in this pie!
Bake 15 min @ 450. Reduce heat to 300. Bake until knife inserted near center comes out clean. This usually takes around an hour for me but check at 45 min. 

I couldn't remember what size pie plate this recipe fits so I did it in my spring form pan.

After I poured the filling in I folded down the crust to give some room for the pie to swell a little as it does but not be too tall. Now after making it again I will make a note that it fits a normal 9" pie plate.

Here it is unformed. I do like the tart-like look of it.

A word to the wise, for those who tend to get heavy-handed with the spices, I rounded up all of them and the result (my husband gently pointed out) was a little too flavorful. It was good after the first couple bites but after eating a whole slice it was just too much. I will follow the recipe more exactly next time! The method is a winner, though, I have made this recipe many times and the result always has a good "set up" texture and is smooth and velvety in your mouth.