Ingredients

• sweet short crust pastry case (or a packet of ready made sweet short crust pastry with 40g/1½oz crushed pecans mixed in)
• 450g/1lb prepared weight pumpkin flesh
• cut into 1in/2.5 cm chunks
• 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish)
• 75g/3oz soft dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 275ml/10fl oz double cream

Directions

• Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• If using a shop bought sweet crust pastry case
• use one that is 23cm/9in diameter and 4cm/1½in deep. If using your own pastry
• roll it out and use it to line a 23cm/9in pie plate (not loose bottomed). Bake the pastry case blind for 20 minutes.
• To make the filling
• place the pumpkin chunks on a baking tray
• cover with foil and roast until tender. This will take about 20-30 minutes
• depending on your pumpkin. Press the cooked pumpkin in a coarse sieve and to extract any excess water. Set aside to cool before blending in a food processor
• or mashing by hand to a pureé.
• Lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.
• Place the sugar
• spices and the cream in a pan
• bring to simmering point
• giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly. Now add the pumpkin pureé
• still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes
• by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.
• Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve warm or chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some chilled créme fraïche or whipped cream.