Hey, the autumn is here… so it is definitely the time for a pumpkin pie!

We had guests for dinner last evening. Some very dear friends accompanied us, so the menu included a spicy pumpkin cream soup, that was very appreciated, chicken with garbanzo beans, and for dessert, what else!?… pumpkin pie!

For now, I’m giving you the recipe for the pumpkin pie. The spicy cream soup and the chicken with garbanzo beans will come in a later post.

So, for 8 servings you will need:

For the dough:

• 500 gr. flour;
• 7 gr. dried yeast;
• 1 tbs vinegar;
• 1 egg;
• 10 gr. baking powder;
• 200 gr butter/ or lard/ or margarine;
• 200 ml very cold water;
• 1 tbs caster sugar;

For the filling:

• 1 Kilo pumpkin cut into cubes;
• 50 gr. butter;
• 200 gr. brown sugar cane;
• 3 sticks of cinnamon;
• 2-3 cloves -if you like ;
• 2 tbs of bread crumbs.

First, we will prepare the dough. Sift the flour and mix it with the dried yeast, caster sugar and the baking powder. Add the cold butter, cut into cubes, mix again then add the vinegar and the egg. Work the dough adding a little water from time to time until you have an elastic, soft dough easy to work with. Cover with a plastic film and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. I prepared the dough the night before and it stayed in the fridge over night. I took it out about an hour before assembling the pumpkin pie.

Dough in progress

This is how it should look…

While the dough is resting, it’s time to prepare the filling. Cut the pumpkin into cubes, put it in a pot, sprinkle with brown sugar and let it rest for 10 minutes. The pumpkin will release water and when it does it’s time to  add the butter and the cinnamon sticks. Put it on low heat until the pumpkin gets soft. Now you can choose to puree the pumpkin or just leave it as it is. I mashed it just a bit and I added a hand full of walnuts when the pumpkin cooled a little bit.

Pumpkin and sugar

Add the butter

And the cinnamon sticks

Pumpkin puree

A hand full of walnuts

Add the walnuts and mix well

Now, preheat the oven at 180°C. Brush the tray with butter or oil and cover with baking paper.

Divide the dough into two parts. With a rolling pin spread the dough into a sheet to cover the base of your tray. Sprinkle the 2 tbs of bread crumbs. This will absorb the excess moist. Now, pour the filling in the tray and level it.

First sheet

Bread crumbs for absorbing excess moist

Pour the pumpkin puree

With the same rolling pin spread the second half of the dough and place it over the filling to cover it.

With a sharp knife draw parallel lines and with a fork pierce the dough from place to place. This will prevent the dough from rising too much.

Covering sheet

Bake about 30 minutes… or until it gets a nice golden brown color.

Out of the oven

For serving sprinkle caster sugar and place a walnut on top of every piece of pie.

Pumpkin pie

A section close up

mmm… the dough is so soft…

Pumpkin pie – another close up

After having a piece, my friend Marina said it reminded her of the pumpkin pie that her mother used to bake every time she came to visit her.

I hope it will bring back beautiful memories for you too!

Enjoy!