Adapted from BBC recipe
Ingredients
For the pastry
use your favourite pastry recipe or a packet of ready made sweet short crust pastry with 40g/1½oz crushed pecans mixed in
For the pumpkin pie filling
450g/1lb pumpkin, cut into chunks (OK to leave skin on)
2 large eggs/ 3 medium eggs
75g/3oz soft dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves (I put in a couple of whole cloves then scooped them out before blending)
½ tsp ground ginger (I used finely chopped crystalised ginger)
275ml/10fl oz double cream
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
If using a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, use one that is 23cm/9in diameter and 4cm/1½in deep. If using your own pastry, roll it out and use it to line a 23cm/9in pie plate (not loose bottomed). Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes.
To make the filling, place the pumpkin chunks on a baking tray, cover with foil and roast until tender. This will take about 20-30 minutes, depending on your pumpkin. Scoop flesh off skin into a sieve and press to extract any excess water.
Put pumpkin in a blender and when cool add eggs and blend.
Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then add to blender and whizz all together.
Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.
Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some chilled créme fraïche or whipped cream.
