Seasonal Recipe: Pumpkin Vine to Pumpkin Pie

Nothing is better than fall to me: football, cool air, and visits to the pumpkin patch. I grew up working at Cates Farm, a pumpkin patch in Kentucky. This is where my love for fall began. The farm owner, Amy Cates, taught me everything I know about turning a pumpkin into a pie. I want to share this recipe, so you know how to pick a “pie pumpkin” out of the patch that can be used in your next pumpkin pie!

Ingredients

- 15 oz fresh pumpkin

- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

- 2 eggs, slightly beaten

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- ½ tsp ground ginger

- ½ tsp ground nutmeg

- ½ tsp salt

- 1 (9-inch) unbaked deep-dish pie crust (frozen, refrigerated, or homemade)

- Whipped topping and nuts, optional

Baking the pumpkin

Step 1: Pick a pie pumpkin

A pie pumpkin is flat, tan/orange in color, and should be small enough to fit in the oven.

Step 2: Prepare the pumpkin

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Scrub the pumpkin until clean. Next, use a knife to vertically cut slits in the grooves all around it. Get a deep-dish baking pan and cover the bottom with water. Place the prepared pumpkin in it.

Step 3: Bake the pumpkin

Place the dish in the oven and allow it to bake for about 2 hours. The pumpkin is ready when the shell starts to brown, form bubbles, and the center is slightly sunk in.

Step 4: Allow pumpkin to cool

Allow it to cool until you can comfortably touch it.

Step 5: Extract the Puree

Peel each slit section back, starting at the center until the pumpkin is completely open. Remove the seeds and most of the orange “stringy stuff.” Take an ice cream scoop, remove all the baked puree from the pumpkin, and put it in a bowl.

Baking the pie

Step 6: Mix ingredients

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Step 7: Add mixture to pie pan

Pour the mixture from the bowl into the pie crust.

Step 8: Bake the pie

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. After this, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes. The pie is done when a knife dipped in the center comes out clean.

Step 9: Cool the pie

After the pie is cool, cut and serve it. You can add whipped topping and nuts if desired. Refrigerate any leftovers.