If you want to make a plain old pumpkin pie. . .go check the back of a can of Libby’s canned pumpkin. I am a pumpkin pie bigot, I admit. But this particular pie was so good, I had to share it. It came to me via my e-mail from those lovely folks at the Food Network. . .and then I started playing with it. I know you really wouldn’t think that cranberry and pumpkin go together. . .but trust me. You want to try this pie.
For the pastry, check out this blog on making a perfect pie crust.
When you’re finished with the pie crust, refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.
For the filling, you will need:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
For the crunchy topping you will need:
1/2 cup pecans
4 ounces frozen cranberries
1 (2.3-ounce) package amaretto cookies
Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Puree the pumpkin in a food processor with the butter and a pinch of salt. Measure 1 1/2 cups puree into a bowl.
In another bowl beat the eggs and sugar until the sugar has melted. Add the eggs to the pumpkin puree and whisk well. (It should be a little frothy.) Add the cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg white to lend it a glossy, bakery like finish. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake until the pie is set but still jiggles slightly, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, put the pecans on a baking sheet and bake them with the pie for about 10 minutes to toast them. Remove them from the oven and let them cool. Thaw the cranberries in a strainer set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Put the cookies, pecans, and cranberries into a food processor and pulse them a few times until they are coarsely chopped. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cooled pie and serve immediately. Refrigerate leftovers.
Note: I couldn’t find frozen cranberries. So what I did instead was cook fresh ones. . .without the sugar. Cover them with boiling water until they pop. Then I strained them and refrigerated them. (Or you could freeze them too.)
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Variations on the Traditional Pumpkin Pie