Pumpkin Pie From Scratch

From the garden

• 3 lb sugar pie pumpkin, halved and seeded · one small dense-fleshed pumpkin, to yield 2 cups of thick drained puree

From the pantry

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour · for the crust, plus more for rolling
• 8 tbsp cold butter, cubed · for the crust; a store-bought 9-inch shell also works
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream · plus a little more, softly whipped, to serve
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ¾ tsp salt · half for the crust, half for the filling

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lay the pumpkin halves cut side down on a lined sheet and roast 40–50 minutes, until a knife slides through the skin with no resistance. Cool until you can handle them.
2. Rub the cold butter into the flour and half the salt until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces, then stir in ice water a tablespoon at a time (about 4) until it just holds together. Press into a disk and chill 30 minutes.
3. Scoop the cooled flesh into a sieve set over a bowl and let it drain 20 minutes, pressing gently. Puree until completely smooth and measure 2 cups. A watery puree makes a weeping pie, so drain longer if it looks loose.
4. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round, fit it into a deep 9-inch pie plate, crimp the edge, and chill 15 minutes. Line with foil and pie weights and blind bake at 400°F for 18 minutes, then lift the foil out.
5. Whisk the puree with both sugars, the spices, and the remaining salt, then beat in the eggs, cream, and milk until the filling is smooth and pourable with no streaks of egg.
6. Pour into the warm shell and bake at 350°F for 45–55 minutes. The edge should be set and slightly domed while the center still wobbles like loose jelly when nudged; it firms as it cools.
7. Cool on a rack at least 3 hours before slicing so the bottom crust stays dry and the custard sets. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream.