I’m in Chicago - it’s new, exciting, scary all at the same time! Chicago is big and exciting just like you’d expect it to be. Tall buildings, beautiful lake, the works. But Evanston - the suburb where I really live - is a tiny, cute little town where things close early and buildings are old and creaky (at least, my apartment building is). It’s literally one Luke’s Diner short of being exactly like Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls binge watchers will know).
Last week I went to a baking class. I feel like I need to share this pumpkin pie recipe with you all because it is amazing. Disclaimer: I’m a shameless, proud, pumpkin lover - in this old post, I might have mentioned that I would use pumpkin spice candles, bath salts, whatever you give me. But even if you are one of those pumpkin loathing people who think the internet has blown the pumpkin fad out of proportion and cringe at pumpkin shower cream variety of consumers like me, you will still love this recipe. Enough said.
PIE CRUST:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup all vegetable shortening
3 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water
Blend flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture using pastry blender or fork. Stir in just enough water with fork until dough holds together.
Test dough for proper moistness by squeezing a marble-sized ball of dough in your hand. If it holds together firmly, do not add additional water. If the dough crumbles, add more water by the tablespoonful, until dough is moist enough to form a smooth ball when pressed together.
Shape dough into a ball for single pie crust. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes or refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll dough from center outward into a circle about 2-inches wider than pie plate on lightly floured surface. Transfer dough to pie plate. Trim edges of dough leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Fold edge under. Flute dough as desired.
FILLING:
One 15 ounce can of pumpkin
One 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
One 9 inch unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven to 435 degrees F. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean. Cool. Garnish with whipped cream. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.
