Susie’s Butternut Squash Pie More Autumn Recipes! From Hobby Farm Home, Country Fare’s Lynda King |
This simple, wholesome pie is ideal for a holiday meal, and the squash tastes much fresher than pumpkin from a can.
You can purchase the butternut squash, local sorghum, butter and eggs from your local farmers market.
~ Susie Quick (cookbook author and owner/founder of Honest Farm ‘Pure Kentucky’ Market)
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch flaky pie crust (recipe follows)
- 1 (2-lb.) butternut squash
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 T. sorghum
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 T. unsalted butter, melted
- Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish
Preparation
Prepare pie crust as directed below, and line the pie plate. Crimp edges and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Lightly spray or brush a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking oil. Place squash cut side down on sheet.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until soft. Cool until warm enough to handle. Scoop out flesh, and refrigerate to cool completely. You should have about 3 cups cooked squash.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the squash and remaining ingredients (except whipped cream) in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Pour into prepared pie crust.
Bake 45 minutes, until a knife inserted between the crust and the center comes out clean. (Check pie after 20 minutes; if necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent over-browning.) Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Flaky pie crust for a single, deep-dish pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Weisenberger Mills all-purpose flour
- 1 T. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 T. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 T. cold vegetable shortening or lard
- 1 large egg yolk, beaten
- 2 to 3 T. ice water
Preparation
This recipe provides enough dough for a 10-inch deep-dish pie plate. Save leftover dough for another recipe (wrapped in plastic, it freezes well).
Food processor method: Place all ingredients except the yolk and water into a food processor and pulse at 1-second intervals, until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the egg yolk, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the flour-butter mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to clump together (add a little more water, if necessary).
Hand method: Stir together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and shortening, and using your fingertips or a pastry blender, blend the fats into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the yolk, and sprinkle water over the flour-butter mixture; stir with a fork to incorporate the water (it will seem rather clumpy but should hold together).
Turn out the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. With your hands, gather the dough together to form a ball. Press it with your palms to form a 10-inch disk. Wrap the disk in the plastic and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 15-inch circle. Place in a 9-inch (preferably glass) pie plate. Trim away all but 1 inch of the overhanging dough. Turn it under the rim, and flute the edges. Chill pie crust 30 minutes, until firm. Proceed with recipe as directed. Makes one 9-inch pie. Serves 6 to 8.
Recipes courtesy of Susie Quick, Honest Farm ‘Pure Kentucky’ Market, P.O. Box 3937, Midway, KY 40347; (859) 846-4155More Recipes
What’s REALLY in the Can?
The scoop on squash from Susie Quick
The canned pumpkin we buy is actually made with the cushaw type squash (I was told this by the Libby’s folks) not the orange pumpkin we’re all accustomed to.
Many fall squashes will do the same trick, but it’s best to puree it after cooking in a food processor or food mill to get a smooth consistency. Sometimes they’re a little fibrous. Also, you want it pretty thick so you can let it stand in a sieve lined with a coffee filter over a bowl to let some of the liquid drain out (basically, you want a Libby’s consistency or that of mashed potatoes).
Some Squashes that Work Best
- Butternut (my overall preference)
- Sweet baby pie pumpkins (these are the smaller orange pumpkins you see; they have a lot more flesh than a jack-o-lantern pumpkin) — these you can roast whole; just jab some nicks in it with a knife.
- Cheese pie pumpkins, which some people call a Cinderella pumpkin
What about Jack-o-Lanterns?
Jack-o-lanterns in my opinion have a shreddy type of flesh and are watery, though I do know of people who make pies from them. It’s just a lot of work for not as much flesh.
How Do You Prepare the Vegetable?
I prefer roasting the squash or pumpkin but you can peel and cut it into pieces. You’ll need a very heavy, sharp knife and if you’re a novice you really need to be careful not to cut yourself!
~ Susie Quick
