Processing Pumpkins to Make Pumpkin Pie ~ Recipe Included!
A few years ago, my friend brought a pumpkin pie to our Bible study meal. It was delicious, so I asked her for the recipe. She gladly handed me a handwritten recipe the next time I saw here and I am sure she would be happy knowing I am now sharing it with you!
We bought some of these zapallo (pumpkins) at our Friday market a few weeks ago. The seller was asking $2, and when we weighed them, they were around 12 pounds each! What a deal.
The pumpkins sat on my counter for a few weeks as decoration. Ha! Then it was time to cook them so I could use them in recipes. I cut them in half, throw them in the toaster oven on a pan, and cook them around 400 degrees until I can insert a fork easily in the skin.
Sometimes I leave the seeds in while I cook them, and sometimes I take it out before putting them in the toaster oven. Either way, I usually end up trying to plant the seeds!
After I remove the inside from the skin (which goes to the chickens), I puree it in my blender. I then freeze what I am not going to use in about 1.5 cup bowls for later use.
The other morning, I told the kids they would have pumpkin pie for breakfast and they were excited! They know how good it is, even if they have to wait a little while to get it!
I follow Este's recipe for the most part. I usually don't make as much, so I cut the recipe in half more or less. I also sometimes add ground cloves or ground nutmeg. The other morning, I decided to make it in silicone heart molds just for fun. They actually came out pretty well.
I also like adding zapallo to multiple other recipes - like banana bread (with or without bananas), pancakes, and a yummy pumpkin French toast casserole I will have to share sometime!
Here is the recipe for easy pumpkin pie from Este. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
| 1 cup sugar | 2 ml cinnamon |
|---|---|
| 1 t baking powder | 3.5 T melted butter |
| 5 t flour | 750 ml cooked pumpkin |
| 3 eggs | 250 ml cream |
- Sift all dry ingredients together.
- Add the rest and mix well.
- Put in 9x13 dish.
- Bake at 150C for 1.5 hours.
I generally do not bake that long, but I also don't do a full recipe. I only make items that are pretty easy to prepare! If you give this a try, let me know!