So, the local farm market has so many pumpkins they are basically giving them away. I purchased 10 sugar pie pumpkins, locally grown for $4! Yep, you read that right, $4. They are 2 for $4 at the big chain grocery store. And, these are organic and grown locally. It really doesn’t get any better.
I have been wanting to make a clean pumpkin pie for a while and decided to do my homework first. I researched and tested dozens of crust recipes. In the end, I went with the most simple. Its a whole wheat pie crust recipe that I got from The Gracious Pantry. Click here to find the recipe. Its a great simple crust recipe that can be used for so many different things. Kudos to her for the perfect pie crust. I have only made pie crust a few times from scratch, and this recipe is probably the simplest I’d done.
I started yesterday by making my pumpkin puree. I roasted the pumpkins, 3 of them, and made the puree using our recipe. I added the pumpkin pie spices to it and blended it well. I also used our pumpkin pie spice recipe, which you can find here. Then I put it all in the refrigerator in an air tight container. I did this simply to save time, but I think it also helped the spice flavors meld into the pumpkin because this pie was so tasty.
Local Ingredients: Local honey from the farm market. Pumpkins from the farm market. Milk from the local dairy farm.
Kitchen Gadget: I use the hand mixer a lot during the holiday season. No kitchen should be without one. Here is one we like.Proctor Silex 62509R 5-Speed Hand Mixer, White
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour plus extra for rolling and pan lining
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup skim milk (or whatever milk you use)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree - Click Here for Our Recipe Here
1 1/2 cups skim milk (or whatever milk you use)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (if you don't want to use these unprocessed sugars, simply use an extra 1/4 cup of honey)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice - Click Here for Our Recipe Here
4 egg whites
Instructions
- Spray the pie pans with olive oil from the spritzer or with an olive oil cooking spray. Add a small handful (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to the pan and move it around the pan until its coated.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour and salt.
- Measure the milk and oil in a measure cup together.
- Add milk and oil to flour mixture. Combine the mixture with your hands until it forms a ball.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on the work surface. Place the dough on the surface.
- Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough.
- Using a rolling pin roll the dough out until its 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. You may need to live the top parchment paper occasionally as it will wrinkle.
- Cut the dough in half and then add it to the pie pan. Its easiest to turn the pan upside down over the dough and then lift the parchment paper up and flip.
- Be sure the dough is snug in the pie pan. Cut off the excess from the edges.
- Use a the back of a fork to crinkle around the edges of the crust.
- If freezing: Put the entire pan in a large zip top bag and freeze.
- Preheat the oven to 425.
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Use a hand mixer to blend smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crusts about until its just under the edge. It will not rise much.
- Put the pie in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and cover the edges of the crust with foil so they don't burn.
- Reduce the oven heat to 350 and put the pie back in the oven until its no longer jiggly, about an hour.
- Allow to cool on the counter for about 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator, covered until chilled.
- Serve chilled.
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