Perfect Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Pie. One of my all-time favorite breakfasts. Ah... er... I mean... desserts. With whipped cream, of course.
Victor actually prefers his pie without cream. I don't get it. I am of the opinion that the pie is merely a vehicle to bring the whipped cream to the mouth.
But it's a win-win for me. I get all the whipped cream!
I've been making this particular pie for a while. Secret ingredient is a 1/4 cup of maple syrup. It really adds a subtle flavor. I like.
And the pie crust is homemade, of course. This is enough for two crusts.
Crust:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup pastry/cake flour
- 2 sticks butter, frozen
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup ice water
Using a food processor, add flours, salt, and sugar. Pulse to mix.
Chop up frozen butter and add. Pulse until butter is incorporated and mixture looks grainy.
Slowly add ice water and pulse until mixed.
Turn out onto counter. Press and form mixture into two disks . Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about an hour to allow the flour to properly absorb the water and to relax the gluten.
Roll out crust and place in pie plate. Crimp edges and fill.
The filling can be made with a can of pumpkin, but it really is better with fresh.
Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree (or 1 15 oz can)
- 1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 425°. Beat eggs, sugar, maple syrup, and spices in large bowl. Add pumpkin amd mix well. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425° F. for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Top with whipped cream before serving.
It is so easy to make and so good you may just be tempted to have some for breakfast!
Linguine con Asparagi
I know I keep saying this every week, but OMG! This was fantastic! It's hard to believe that week-after-week-after-week, the meals just keep getting better.
This has been one of the most wonderful culinary adventures I have ever had the pleasure to partake of. Pastas of every imaginable style in every imaginable sauce. This is gastronomic heaven on earth.
Tonight's feast was another simply-prepared with simple ingredients found in most any home. Nothing exotic. Nothing hard to find.
The beauty of most of these recipes has been just that - locally-available ingredients. Granted, guanciale is not going to be something one finds easily, but pancetta can be used as a substitute - and that can be found almost anywhere.
The goal of this endeavor has been to recreate the recipes exactly as written. That has not been easy, as both of us are instinctive cooks - adding a bit of this or a bit of that and making a recipe our own along the way. It's actually difficult at times to read a recipe and know that a certain ingredient would compliment the dish - and not use it. But...
Victor chose linguine tonight, but any pasta would work - especially a broad noodle such as papardelle or tagliatelle.
Linguine con Asperagi
Ingredients
- Fine sea salt
- 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 14 ounces linguine
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut 1½ inches of asparagus tips from stalks. Steam tips for 3 minutes, then cut in half lengthwise. Cut stalks crosswise into ¼-inch rounds.
In a medium saucepan, combine asparagus rounds, shallot and butter; cook over medium heat until butter is melted, then add 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
Add cream, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer pan contents to a blender and purée until smooth.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente (about 3 minutes for fresh pasta). Reserving ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and transfer to a large bowl.
Pour purée into a skillet; bring to a boil. Add asparagus tips, cheese and parsley; return to a boil, then add to bowl with pasta and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning and moisten with a little pasta cooking liquid, if desired.
Serve immediately.
I tasted every ingredient. The asparagus added a fresh flavor with just the right crunch. The cream and cheese added a richness that worked perfectly. The linguine held the sauce perfectly.
Victor has now made 14 of the 20 pasta recipes in the magazine. I need a plan for when he hits recipe 20.
This can't end.
Pumpkin Butter
I know that I can buy pumpkin butter at the store. I can buy canned pumpkin at the store, too. And canned, packaged, and/or prepared just about anything else.
But buying something pre-made is just not the same as making it myself. Yes, it is easier to open up a jar. To me, it's not nearly as rewarding. There is something mystical and magical about cooking. About blending flavors. About taking something and making it different. About watching eyes light up and smiles on faces as people see and try different foods.
Pumpkin.
Most people know it as something that comes out of a can that says Libby Libby Libby on the label label label. Or as a frozen Mrs Smiths pie. Or carved into a jack o'lantern on halloween.
I don't think a lot of people even know what to do with a pumpkin other than carve it or use it as a fall centerpiece on a dining table that never gets used.
It's too bad, because besides tasting great, pumpkins are actually good for you, too. It's low-calorie, high in beta carotene, potassium, fat-free, sodium-free... And really versatile.
From soups and stews to pies and flan, salad dressings to a sauce for meatballs, sweet or savory, it can go with just about anything.
My Uncle Dick - half Irish and half-Mexican - made a Jalapeño Pumpkin Soup that was outstanding. I made a pie last night.
And Pumpkin Butter, today.
I have to admit I had no intention of making pumpkin butter, today, but I was perusing David Lebovitz' blog and followed a link to Hedonia and that became my inspiration. Two guys in San Francisco cooking? Sounds like Victor and me before we moved east.
The fun guys at Hedonia got their inspiration from About.com.
The only difference was About.com called for "pumpkin pie spice" and Hedonia made his own blend. As did I.
This is the recipe I used:
Pumpkin Butter
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cooked and pureed pumpkin
- 1 (1.75-ounce) package powdered pectin
- 4-1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter
Preparation:
Place pumpkin in a heavy kettle. Stir in pectin. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar, spices, and butter. Continue stirring and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard exactly 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir 5 minutes.Ladle jam into 1/2 pint hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps according to manufacture's directions. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. After cooling, check seals.
Yield: 6 (1/2-pint) jars.
I did get slightly more than what the recipe called for, but I probably used a bit more pumpkin. (You know me and measuring...) It still came out great.
Love it!
**Update
Just got an email from Sean at Hedonia... He says: