Once again, Thanksgiving has come and gone like a flash in a pan. The bird has been carved, the dishes washed, and there is a refrigerator stacked with multiple Tupperwares of thanksgiving dishes. The left over sandwiches are soon to come.
I am not sure if your Thanksgiving experience is anything like mine, but here, getting ready to feed 27, we did some prep work on the Wednesday before T-Day, but regardless of how much was prepped, it was still a mad dash on Thursday. The kitchen was full from eight in the morning, and as it got closer to turkey time, it got more hectic. Yet somehow, even though you are not sure how it will all get done, it always does, and it is always an amazing spread.
The funny thing is that we spend so much time preparing for the meal, and the actual meal lasts all of 30 minutes. And then it's the mad dash for the couch. But I suppose the real gem of thanksgiving isn't the actual meal, even though the meal is stupendous, but the fact that everyone comes together, and works as a team to make a meal together. It's a beautiful thing.
But if you did not get to the pumpkin pie fast enough, or if it was forgotten from your table, or if you simply have not had enough, here is a recipe for delicata squash pie of which pumpkin can easily be substituted. This pie is a cinch to put together, the only real effort being the time. You have to wait for the squash to roast until soft, and then you have to patiently wait for the pie to cook, which is the most difficult part, as the sweet aroma that fills your kitchen will beckon you to open the oven door for a peek at the pie more often than you should.
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Delicata Squash Pie
3 medium delicata squash
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp cardamom
1 pate brisee, you can find a good recipe at smitten kitchen (how-to video coming soon!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the delicata squash in half, de-seed, place in a roasting pan with a pat of butter in each half and roast until soft, about 30 mintues. While the squash is cooking, roll out your pate brisee and line a tart or pie pan. Set aside, preferrably in the fridge, until ready to fill.
Once the squash has cooked and cooled, spoon the flesh out and purree. The purree should equal about 2 1/2 cups.
In a large bowl add the delicata purree, and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Beat 2 eggs plus one yolk, until homogenized, and add to the mixture. Then mix in 1-1/4 cup heavy cream. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for about 1 hour, until just set. Half way through, turn the pie 180 degrees to ensure even cooking. Allow to cool, and serve along with whip cream or vanilla ice cream.
