Ingredients
Method
Prepare the puree and crust
- If using homemade puree, spoon about 2 1/4 cups of it into a sieve lined with a clean cloth or a double layer of paper towels, set over a bowl. Let it drain for 30 to 60 minutes, until it is as thick as canned pumpkin, then measure out 1 3/4 cups. Canned pumpkin needs no draining.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Fit it into a standard 9-inch pie plate (about 1 1/4 inches deep) without stretching it. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch, fold it under and crimp the edge so that it stands up above the rim.
- Freeze the shaped crust for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower third.
- Line the frozen crust with a sheet of parchment paper or foil, pressing it into the corners, and fill it to the top with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Set the plate on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edge is set and just starting to color. Lift out the paper and weights and bake for 5 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry. Take the crust out and lower the oven temperature to 375°F.
Fill and bake
- While the crust bakes, whisk the 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Whisk in the 2 eggs, then gradually whisk in the 1 cup evaporated milk or cream until the filling is smooth and evenly colored.
- Pour the filling into the warm par-baked crust, stopping about 1/4 inch below the crimped edge.
- Bake at 375°F, still on the baking sheet, for 45 to 55 minutes. Start checking at 40 minutes. The pie is done when the outer 2 to 3 inches of filling are set and slightly puffed and the center still wobbles slightly, like gelatin, when the plate is nudged. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 175°F. If the crust edge browns too fast, cover it with a ring of foil.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for 2 hours, until close to room temperature. Then refrigerate it, loosely covered, for at least 1 hour more before slicing. It slices most cleanly after several hours or a night in the refrigerator.
Notes
In place of the four spices, use 2 teaspoons homemade pumpkin pie spice. For a deeper flavor, replace 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar with packed light brown sugar.
The recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups of filling, which fits a standard 9-inch pie plate. If the crust has shrunk and a little filling is left over, bake it in a buttered ramekin alongside the pie for 20 to 25 minutes.
These par-baking steps are the partially baked option from the crust recipe. The base is left unpricked so the liquid filling cannot seep underneath it.
Pumpkin pie is an egg custard. Move it to the refrigerator after the 2-hour cooling period and keep it there, loosely covered, for up to 4 days. Serve it cold or let slices stand at room temperature for a few minutes.
Make-ahead: the pie can be baked a day in advance and refrigerated. The pie dough keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days, and drained puree keeps for 3 days.