Oh boy!  I think I have just created my newest most favorite pumpkin pie!  It came about because we have a lot of pumpkin in the freezer and I had a container of ricotta I had picked up last week with a vague idea of making something – and never did.

We have a no-regrets rule at home.  If it is purchased, it is consumed.  I just hate wasting food.  So knowing that ricotta probably wasn’t going to be used for something savory any time soon, I decided to go sweet.  We have cut back on the desserts – and sugar in general – dramatically, but fall has come and pumpkin in one form or another calls my name daily.

I decided to give this one a go.  I knew instinctively that it would work, but it worked so much better than I anticipated.  it was a great surprise.

I know this will be gracing our Thanksgiving dessert table.

Pumpkin Ricotta Pie

Pie crust for single-crust pie

• 2 cups pumpkin puree (1 15-16oz can)
• 1 16oz container ricotta
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• pinch salt

Preheat oven to 425°.  Mix pumpkin and ricotta. Add sugar, then eggs, maple syrup, and spices.

Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425° . for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°  and bake for 45  minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

This is definitely a keeper.