Pumpkin pie

A pumpkin pie, or pumpkin tart: spiced autumn baking on a shortcrust base.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• wheat flour — 350 g
• sugar — 50 g
• salt — a pinch
• butter — 180 g
• cold water — 100 ml

For the filling

• pumpkin purée — 500 g (from 700 g pumpkin, butternut is best)
• cane sugar — 100 g
• white sugar — 50 g
• ground cinnamon — 1–2 tsp
• ground ginger — 1–2 tsp
• nutmeg — 1/4 tsp
• double cream 33% — 150 ml
• eggs — 3 (2 whole + 1 yolk)

Method

1. Roast the pumpkin: peel and chop it, spread on a baking tray, dust with a little cinnamon and roast at 180°C until soft, about 30 minutes. Blitz with a blender, adding a little cream to help it blend.
2. For the pastry, combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter and rub it in. Add the water, quickly bring the dough together into a ball and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Grease the tin and line it with the pastry.
4. Make the filling: combine the sugar with the spices, add the pumpkin purée and stir with a spatula.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking. Pour in the cream and stir. Taste and add more spices if you like.
6. Pour the filling into the pastry case.
7. Bake at 180°C for one hour.
8. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for at least 3 hours.
9. Decorate with whipped cream and cinnamon if you like.