Favorite Pumpkin Pie

I am getting a little bit pumpkined out. But this post is for you, Mary E. - it's my family's favorite pumpkin pie. It's actually called "Favorite Pumpkin Pie" and is the first recipe in this cookbook my parents bought in the early 1980s:

Because this pie is perfect, we have never made it past the first recipe in this book. 

When I make pies that only have crust on the bottom, I often cheat by using these:

They are pretty good. Prebake the crust according to the instructions. Be sure to cover the edges of the crust when you prebake it because it tends to burn. 

Then cook a pumpkin like this, and put 2 cups of cooked pumpkin in a food processor.

Add 3/4 of a cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Using pumpkin pie spice is not cheating, by the way. I've tried it both ways, and it tastes the same. But for your benefit, I'll put the breakdown of the spices below.

Blend.

Then add 1 cup of half and half as you continue to blend.

And add three eggs, slightly beaten. 

Blend until smooth.

And pour into your crust and cover the edges.

Bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean.

Chill (best if chilled overnight). 


Favorite Pumpkin Pie

1 deep dish 9-inch pie shell, prepared according to instructions

2 cups cooked pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. ground cloves. I increased the amount of spices by 1/4 teaspoon to make it an even 3 teaspoons.)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half
3 eggs, slightly beaten

Combine pumpkin, sugar, spices, and salt in a food processor and blend. Blend in half and half and eggs. Pour into pie shell. Bake in a 400 degree oven until knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes. (Warning: this pie can take more than 45 minutes, so check it periodically after 40 minutes. It may take up to and hour and a half.)

Serve with canned whipped cream or make the spiced whipped cream seen here.