May through September, it never crosses my mind to open a can of fruit to make a pie. But as soon as October rolls around, it never crosses my mind not to open a can to make my favorite pies and quick breads and muffins. Is this odd?
I hadn’t thought about it till last week, and the truth is that I had no intention of mastering pumpkin pie from scratch — using canned pumpkin never bothered me. Besides, last Thanksgiving I made Ina Garten’s pumpkin pie from Foolproof, and everyone, high on punch or otherwise, raved.
And I would have made it again had I not read The Dirty Life and been directed by one of you (thank you, Laurie!) to Ronnie Hollingsworth’s Most Excellent Squash Pie, one of four recipes printed at the back of the book. In the preface to the recipe, Kristin Kimball sold me: “Pumpkin shmumpkin, winter squash has more flavor and better texture.” She likes butternut best.
Again, I’ve never tried roasting pumpkin but from what I’ve read online — that it’s watery, fibrous, bland — I’m happy I’ve been using the canned stuff for all of these years. And I’m not surprised by Kimball’s note because none of these characteristics apply to squash, whose cooked flesh makes the silkiest soup, the creamiest pasta sauce. And, it turns out, a damn good pie.
Look, I’m not trying to create more work for you, but if you think about it, roasting a butternut squash is as easy as — can I say it? — pie. How many times do you roast a squash over the course of a winter? You can do it in your sleep. This one is for all of you from-scratch types. Forget the pumpkin this year — you won’t be disappointed.
oopsidasies…may have left these in a little too long:
One 2 lb. 10oz butternut squash yielded about 3 cups purée:
Thanksgiving ideas:
A few staples:
Philadelphia Fish House Punch (lethal but delicious and always a hit)
Alice Waters’ Potato Gratin
Red Wine Cranberry Sauce
No-Knead Thyme Dinner Rolls
The Prettiest Pink Apple Sauce
Many more ideas can be found on this Pinterest board.
A few ideas for what to serve with this most excellent squash pie: 1. Calvados: Last weekend, a few friends made brunch and served small glasses of this Calvados with homemade pound cake, and the combination was lovely. Calvados is a nice complement to pumpkin pie as well and I imagine so many desserts on the Thanksgiving Table:
2. Freshly whipped cream: If, and only if, you have a tiny kitchen lacking a blender or food processor, know that you can make whipped cream using a mason jar. I saw a little recipe in the back of the latest Saveur that called for a 15-minute freezing of a 1-qt mason jar filled with 1 cup of heavy cream, two tablespons confectioners sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. After the brief freezing, you shake the jar till your arms fall off, and with any luck you will open the jar to find…
luscious whipped cream. Good luck.
Ronnie Hollingsworth’s Most Excellent Squash Pie
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Prep Time: 25 minutes -
Cook Time: 1 hours 45 minutes
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Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
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Yield: 10
Print Recipe
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Notes:
- Dough yields two 9-inch rounds, enough for 2 pies. Dough can be frozen and stored for weeks.
- For a more visual guide to making the pie dough, watch this video.
- I’ve used a variety of squashes, but typically use butternut squash.
- I no longer blind bake the crust. It doesn’t seem necessary. As soon as I make the dough, I divide it into two portions, roll it out, fit each into two pie plates, and chill them wrapped in plastic wrap or wax paper until ready to use them. Because I always make this for Thanksgiving, I use one of the rounds for this No-Corn Syrup Bourbon Pecan Pie.
Ingredients
For the pastry:
- 2½ cups (11.25 oz | 320g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ tsp. table salt
- 16 T. (8 oz | 227g) unsalted butter
- ½ C. + 2 T. (4 oz + 1 oz) ice water
For the pie:
- 1 medium butternut squash, about 2.5 lbs or enough to yield 2 cups of purée
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground or powdered nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (I omit)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar and salt together (or pulse in food processor). Cut butter into flour and using the back of a fork or a pastry cutter, incorporate butter into flour mixture until butter is in small pieces. (If using food processor, pulse at 1-second intervals until butter is the size of peas.) Add ice water and continue to stir with fork until mixture comes together to form a mass. Add more ice water if necessary, one tablespoon at a time. Gently form mass into a ball, divide in half, and flatten each half into a disc.
- If you are making a pie immediately, roll out one disc, place in a 9-inch pie dish and chill until ready to use. Wrap remaining disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, halve and clean the butternut squash, rub the flesh lightly with olive oil, and bake at 400ºF on a parchment-lined baking sheet, until very soft, about an hour (but start checking after 45 minutes). When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Measure out 2 cups. It a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, sugar and spices. Whisk in the squash.
- Add squash mixture to chilled shell and bake at 350ºF for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven and how much squash purée you ended up using, until the center is barely set. Let cool completely before serving.
Sara says
I hate when people do this but…I love that 4-cup measuring cup. Where is it from?
alexandra says
Sara, this is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets! It’s a Catamount Flameware measuring cup. Here it is on Amazon. I’ve written about it various places on the blog, like here, but you can place it directly on a burner — isn’t that amazing?
Sara says
Awesome, thank you! Just added it to my wish list.
Maryann says
Alexandria, I made this pie for Thanksgiving. Everyone said it needed more sugar.
Well, I liked it. Trying to lessen the amount of sugar I eat.I guess everyone is used to eating food lots more sugar.
Natasha says
I love all these variations on pumpkin pie! I also just roasted all the gourds I had at home, and now have acorn butternut pumpkin delicata puree all up in my freezer. Beautiful pie, all those crackles in the top make it look so tasty!
alexandra says
What a treat! You can have homemade soup at a moment’s notice. Thank you for you kind words.
Liz says
Love the look of that pie and so true what yoi say about timned fruit. I imagine there will be no going back. That lovely color of the baked squash pie to start with–golden not that dreary dull pumpkin color.
alexandra says
I don’t think I can, at least not for pie 🙂
Rebeca says
Hi Ali!! random thanksgiving q–would you use the peasant bread recipe to make stuffing?
alexandra says
Hi Rebecca!
OK, I don’t know. I feel like I tried to use the peasant bread for bread pudding once, and I wasn’t that happy with it, but I might not have dried it out enough. I hate to discourage you from using it — would make me so happy! — but I also don’t want to lead you astray. I have a friend who uses it for the Zuni Cafe bread salad recipe, but that’s a little different. I think if you use it, you just have to be sure that it is really dried out. Wish I could give you a better answer!
Rebeca says
hmmm..i might hold off..its just so easy and sooo good!! its for a stuffing recipe using brioche or challah.
alexandra says
I know, it is, and I wish by now I had mastered recipes for stuffing, bread pudding, French toast, etc. using the peasant bread…one day I’ll get there. I have a stuffing recipe from Food52 made with challah that I am seriously contemplating for next week. If I make a stuffing with the peasant bread, I will be sure to report back!
Tracy | Pale Yellow says
I’ve roasted my own pumpkin once. It was fine, but not better than canned and therefore not worth the effort. Love the idea of a beautiful butternut squash in a pie!
alexandra says
Thank you Tracy!
Laurie says
I so love this pie and love even more that you made it! I’m making one for Thanksgiving…..man, did this year go by fast! <3 XO!
alexandra says
Seriously, how does it happen?! So excited to introduce my family to this pie next Thursday!
Sophie says
Awesome jarred-whipped cream trick! Just in case like, the power goes out 🙂 Oh my gosh — last night I was making a lasagna dinner for 7 (to be served tonight) and I heard a POP, and my front-right burner, the one I use most often, blew out. I hope our landlord has some spare time today!! ahhh
LOVE that you used squash in this pie! It looks so wonderful. And doesn’t really seem like much extra work, not for the payoff, anyway 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
alexandra says
Oh no! That is the worst. Why do these things always happen when you are expecting company? Sophie, I need your lasagna recipe — I signed up for this meal train thing at my kids’ school, and I have like 4 dinners to make this next month, and I always feel like lasagna is the best gift in the world. I will email you. Happy Thanksgiving!!
Ileana says
I love pumpkin pie made with butternut squash! Libby’s, the popular brand for pumpkin, actually uses a variety of pumpkin that is very much like butternut. I wrote a post about this last year if you’re interested: https://alittlesaffron.com/2013/11/20/pumpkin-pie-now-with-butternut/
Happy Thanksgiving!
alexandra says
So interesting Ileana! I am going to read your post immediately. Happy Thanksgiving!
Ernesto Caldera says
I made it last night… It turned out perfect and everyone liked it, flavor was amazing and it actually looked quite similar to yours (cracks and everything)… THANK YOU!!!
Rev. kristyne says
What an excellent way to use up the last of my butternut squash from this year’s garden. The one thing I did not do with this recipe is the heavy cream-to minimize fat content I used evaporated milk (I also think coconut milk would work for a dairy free version) and was still fantastic. Not one piece left for today ;( but I guess that’s a compliment! Will be making this version rather than pumpkin from now on. It is also great in individual ramekins w/out any crust at all-my grandson’s favorite dessert. Bake those about 20 minutes or until just firm.
Jaclyn says
While I can fully agree that this looks fabulous (and I have in fact made butternut squash pies in the past, just substituting the squash for the pumpkin in my usual recipe), I would like to stand up in defense of using fresh pumpkin. Quite a bit depends on what kind of pumpkin you use. Some friends of mine have a pumpkin patch every fall and I usually get one or two of their “sugar” pumpkins–these are smaller and sweeter than a big jack-o-lantern pumpkin. Also, very easy to cook. Just pierce thoroughly (to avoid explosions), put in a large baking dish, and bake at 350 until totally soft–no need to cut it up beforehand at all. (Which is great, because cutting up raw pumpkin is a pain in the rear.)
When it’s done, it’s super easy to separate the flesh from the rind and the seeds and stringy stuff, and then it’s just a quick whirl in the blender/food processor before it’s ready to use. I had 2 different pies made with sugar pumpkins this Thanksgiving and they were both outstanding.
Laurie says
Hard to believe that it’s almost Thanksgiving again! The year just slips by me faster and faster….It’s beautiful here and I got a new camera a couple of weeks ago and have been having a ball playing with it….I got a Canon Rebel 5….I’m already planning dinner and the tablesetting for Thanksgiving…of course those are the easy, fantasy, parts before the big day arrives and the work starts! Hope you and Ben and all the tykes are doing fabulous! Happy Autumn! I’m making the squash pie this year too, your pictures are making me want it right now! That’s funny, you just liked a pic on Instagram as I was typing……lol…..XXOOXX Laurie
alexandra says
Congrats on the new camera!! Very exciting. And very exciting that it’s almost time for squash pie!! I cannot wait. Hugs to you!!
mary says
Great recipe. So, I got condensed milk to make a pumpkin pie. Could I use this in place of the cream in your recipe?
alexandra says
Hi Mary, I worry about the condensed milk — it’s very sweet, and I worry it might make the pie too sweet. But I’m also all for just going for it — what’s the worst that could happen?
Laurie says
This is still my favorite Fall/Thanksgiving dessert! It’s on the menu again this year……I’ve made a garden seating area finally and I’m eating my pie in the garden with some hot cider spiked with something! Tee hee! Happy Thanksging doll! ❤️❤️?❤️❤️
alexandra says
Laurie this sounds like a dream!! Hot cider spiked with something … why have I never done this?! Happy Happy Thanksgiving to you. Sending lots of love.
Bonny says
Thanks for sending the recipe along.
I too have used what ever type of squash or pumpkin I have. Occasionally some are a little watery so after cooking so I let them sit in a colander for a bit to thicken. This will also make a delightful pumpkin/squash cheese cake.
alexandra says
Oooooh! I love this idea for a cheesecake–totally working on this for next Thanksgiving. Thanks for writing in!
Jocelyn says
Could you make and freeze this pie? Would you freeze it pre or post bake – and how would you reheat/cook it after? Thanks!
Taylor says
Spent today cooking through some of your recipes, this was awesome. Such a more delicate flavor and texture than using canned pumpkin- we’ll definitely be having it for Thanksgiving dessert!
alexandra says
Yay! So happy to hear all of this, Taylor. This is one of my favorite holiday recipes. Never would I have thought to go through the effort of making squash (or pumpkin) purée from scratch, but it’s so worth the effort.
Megan says
Any thoughts on why the crust ended up chewy? I’ve made this crust before and no problems, one of the differences was that I froze this dough ball and then put it in fridge the day of use…but didn’t end up using it until the next day, so 2 days in the fridge. Could that be the reason? After I took out of fridge i rolled it out right away and then poured the liquid in and baked.
This is def a first to get a chewy pie crust. Still eating it and love the filling, I added just 1/4 cup of sugar and it is still yummy.
Thank you.
alexandra says
Hi Megan,
I’m not sure why this happened … I freeze the dough all the time, let it thaw in the fridge and use it in the days following, so I don’t think that’s the issue.
Did you use any different ingredients? Different flours? Did you use the food processor? If so, did you pulse it longer than usual? By chewy, too, do you mean tough? The tough pie crusts I’ve had in the past have been a result of either using two much flour or kneading too long. Do you use a scale to measure the flour? Did the dough seem dryer than usual?