Pumpkin Pie
This isn’t your mom or nana’s pumpkin pie. Oh sure, they make great pie, no doubt. This pumpkin pie is different. It’s nontraditional. What’s an nontraditional pumpkin pie, you ask? Yogurt, extra spice, half the traditional amount of sugar, and if you have them, duck eggs. Want to shake up the universe? Okay, not the universe but your pie? Use squash. I’ll pause here while the cheering and head scratching subside. Did you know a lot of commercial canned pumpkin is winter squash? If you don’t tell anyone they probably won’t know the difference.
If you’ve grown or purchased pie pumpkins now’s the time to bake them, remove the flesh from the peel, and use it in this pie! When using commercially canned (I do as soon as our stored pumpkins are gone) you’ll need one can. If it isn’t exactly 16 ounces but it’s close, use it. It’s close enough.
How to Cook Fresh Pumpkin and Squash
You can use any pumpkin but pie varieties are so because they aren’t stringy and tend to be drier. You cook fresh pumpkin by cutting it into quarters or thirds, whatever fits in your pan. If the pumpkin is rock solid you can break it by dragging a kitchen chair out to the road, climbing on the chair and dropping your pumpkin to the pavement. Please have someone take photos and then send them to me to share here. You may send your pie pics as well. I’m not kidding. 🙂
Scrape out the seeds, place in a baking dish with an inch of water, and cover with foil. You can also use the slow cooker. Roast the pumpkin or squash in the oven at 350° for 45 to 60 minutes. A knife slides through easily when the pumpkin is cooked. Scrape flesh from the peel. Simmer the flesh until excess moisture is removed.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Gluten is a protein found in cereal grains including wheat, the traditional grain used for flour. If you’d like a gluten free option you can bake the filling as you would a custard. AND! Check the ingredients in Greek yogurt. I’ve been told some varieties contain gluten.
Non-traditional Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin canned or fresh cooked
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbl pumpkin pie spice
- 1 duck egg or 2 chicken eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt Use pumpkin flavored for added taste
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 pie crust bottom only
- 1 tbl cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT cornstarch. Add cornstarch only if your pumpkin is a little watery. Thick pumpkin won't need this ingredient. Pour into a pie shell. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then turn the oven back to 350° to finish, approximately 35 to 45 minutes total time.
Vickie@Vickie's Kitchen and Garden
I love the idea of less sugar and the duck egg. We used to get fresh eggs from a farmer and here and there he would put in duck eggs. I noticed how the duck eggs made everything richer tasting. I can’t wait to try your recipe sounds delicious! I’ll try and remember to send you my pie picture!
Robin
We almost completely use duck eggs. I agree, they are richer, and they make a noticeable improvement on baked goods. And ducks…I love ducks!
mamasmercantile
I have never had pumpkin pie traditional or untraditional, I really must give it a go. I did smile about dropping the pumpkin from a chair to soften it, it would certainly make for a great photo. Have a wonderful weekend.
Robin
Sometimes these pumpkins and squash are so dense we have to take drastic measures! 🙂 If you like pumpkin I think you’ll love the pie. I sprinkled a little raw sugar on top of the one slice (of the whole pie, I got one slice!) I enjoyed with a cup of coffee Saturday afternoon.
Lorrie
When I lived where there were no pumpkins, we always used winter squash and no one could tell the difference.
The yogurt in this recipe would add a bit of pleasant tang, I think.
Robin
Using Greek yogurt definitely cuts the sweetness. It almost tastes like a vegetable instead of a dessert sometimes.