How to Make the Best Pumpkin Pie ? Do I use a Pumpkin or a Squash?

In this video we will answer a very important question how do you make the best pumpkin pie do I use a pumpkin or a squash?

What makes the best pumpkin pie? A squash or a pumpkin? When I was a boy my grandmother would always make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I would always ask her how she made the pies so good. To my surprise she said it was not using a pumpkin at all but instead using a squash! What? Squash? So for all these years I was eating a Squash Pie not a Pumpkin Pie? May as well call it Gourd Pie, but that does not have a nice ring to it.

Ok Grandma we are putting pumpkin pie and squash pie to the taste test!

The best time of the year is upon us. It is PIE SEASON! More specifically its pumpkin pie season! So to celebrate this amazing time of the year and just in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Rina and I decided to test my grandmothers "Pumpkin Pie" against traditional pumpkin pie made with actual pumpkin the way God intended! Fun Fact: Pumpkins are in the same biological family as squashes so... technically my Grandma is already correct that squash makes the best pumpkin pie because both squashes and pumpkins are in the same family... but that's not the point lol...

Rina and I will make pumpkin pies with test two types of pumpkins (jack-o-lantern and sugar pumpkin also known as pie pumpkin or sugar pie pumpkin) and two types of squash (butternut and acorn). So, to be clear, for this test we will make four pies with exactly the same ingredients except for the the type of pumpkin or squash used. We were going to try canned pumpkin puree to make a pie but experience told us to stay far away from canned pumpkin puree. Then, with fresh pies in hand, we will do a taste test with as many family and friends as possible!

The results were clear and a winner was crowned! Watch the video until the end to see if pumpkins or squash make a better pumpkin pie!

Here are the instructions on how to make this amazing pie!

To begin we cut each pumpkin or squash in half and cleaned out the seeds and other bright fibers from the hollow center. Coat each half of the pumpkin or squash with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle generously with kosher salt and bake in the over at 400 °F for one hour. The pumpkin or squash flesh should be easily pierced with a fork. If not bake for an additional 10 minutes until tender. Once the squash or pumpkin is baked it is critical that you allow it to cool for at least one hour. At this point your entire house will smell amazing and you will want to eat the squash or pumpkin! RESIST this temptation! We need all the squash or pumpkin to make pie!

Once cooled use a spoon and your hands to remove the flesh of the pumpkin or squash and place it into a food processor and blend the flesh of the pumpkin or squash into a puree. If you wanted to you could eat the puree now.... it is really delicious! But wait we are making pie so forget that...

At this point is is time to make the crust. For these pumpkin pies I decided to use a ginger snap crust. To make it take about 50 ginger snaps, ground ginger, brown sugar and salt and pulverize them in a food processor until they have the consistency of sand. At 3 table spoons of melted butter and pulse the food processor 6 to 10 times. the ginger snap mixture should now resemble wet sand.

Transfer the ginger snap mixture to a 9.5 inch glass pie plate and with a clean hand pat the ginger snap mixture until it coats the bottom and sides of the pie plate evenly. Bake the pie crust in a 350 °F oven for 12 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.

While the crust is cooling transfer the pumpkin or squash puree to medium sauce pan. Heat the pumpkin or squash puree, while stirring, until it begins to gently simmer. Add half and half, cinnamon and nutmeg and return to a gentle simmer while stirring. Remove form the heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Now in a large bowl add brown sugar, two eggs and one additional egg yoke. Using a wire whisk blend the ingredients until you get a smooth looking mixture. Add the pumpkin or squash puree to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Trans from this very liquidy mixture into the pie plate containing the ginger snap crust and put in a 350 °F over for 60 minutes. You will know the pie is done if the side of the pie are firm but the center giggles slightly. Allow to cool for a few hours before serving. Personally I allowed all the pies to sit over night in the refrigerator.

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Recipe adapted from the Recipe book Good Eats volume 3 by Alton Brown

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