This Thanksgiving, for the first time in my thirty year long pie-eating career, I had a pumpkin pie breakthrough. Each year of my life someone has baked one and I always partake, unable to resist what I’d imagined and build up in my mind as a creamy, airy manifestation of pure pumpkin flavor. And year after year, I’m met with disappointing first bites that are some variation of overly-spiced, too-sweet, oily, or lumpy-textured pies (many of which are made by otherwise great cooks). And so, I’d come to accept that what I hoped pumpkin pie to be was not actually what it was.

But for Thanksgiving this year, the pumpkin pie gods were smiling down on me.  As the only guest at the table who has logged over two months in pastry school and done some time in a real restaurant kitchen, I was put in charge of desserts. In my role as pastry chef of Thanksgiving, I seized the opportunity to create the pumpkin pie of my dreams, with the help of this book.

This pie is simply beautiful for what it is and, just as importantly, for what it isn’t. The recipe is uniquely designed to allow the sweet mellow flavor and creamy, velvet texture of pumpkin to rule, banishing heavy spices and condensed milk trickery that are all too common in the pies that grace our tables each Thanksgiving. This beautiful custard, layered upon a thin bed of ground pecans and gingersnaps and an outrageous flaky, all-butter crust, closes the meal with a reminder of what fall flavor truly should be, a subtle remainder after a meal of over-pronounced flavors.

Great Pumpkin Pie
Adapted (slightly) from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Pie and Pastry Bible

I would probably follow Rose Levy Beranbaum over the side of a cliff if she told me that it would help me make better crust, but there is one point on which she and I do not agree. In her recipe, she urges the use of canned pumpkin, while I am waging a campaign to convert people over to making their own fresh puree for pumpkin recipes. My contention is that there is really no comparison when it comes to flavor and texture – the fresh blows away the canned. Her point, and it is definitely valid, is that the consistency of canned pumpkin is, well, consistent, and as a writer of recipes, this is an important factor. Still, if you make your puree the right way, you can avoid this issue. Click here to go to my instructions for making pumpkin puree, and be sure to follow the part about allowing excess liquid to drain off, which will ensure that you get a thick puree that is closer to canned in consistency. Also, don’t miss Ms. Beranbaum’s note at the end of this recipe concerning pumpkin pie baking time and cracking.

For Crust:

1/4 cup or 1 scant oz. whole pecans
1 Single flaky pie crust (click here for recipe)
4-5 gingersnap cookies, crushed
1/4 cup pecans

For Filling:

1 3/4 cups or 15 oz. unsweetened pumpkin puree (click here to learn how to make this, or use high-quality, organic canned pumpkin)
3/4 cup or 5.75 oz. light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup or 5.6 oz milk
2/3 cup or 5.5 oz heavy cream
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special Equipment: A 9 inch pie plate, preferably the Pyrex or ceramic kind with extra space for a crust set down into the pie a bit, a small cookie cutter for decorating (optional)

On a floured pastry cloth or between 2 sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap, roll the pastry 1/8-inch thick and large enough to cut an even 13-inch circle. Use an expandable flan ring or a cardboard template as a guide to cut out the circle. Transfer it to the pie pan and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. If desired, reroll scraps, chill and cut out decorative designs such as leaves. (Bake them separately at 400°F. for 6 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar in the raw. Remove to a rack to cool.)

Cut the border into a checker board design or use a form or spoon to make a flat but decorative border. If you are using a pie plate that has space for a fluted crust set down into the dish, then this is acceptable (as i’ve done in these photos). Do not make a raised border or extend it over the sides of the pan as it will not hold up so close to the heat source. After pouring pumpkin filling into the crust, push every other checkerboard border well over toward the filling or it tends to flip over against the pie pan. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for one up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. at least 15 minutes before baking time.

***Bake directly on floor of oven or have the oven shelf at the lowest level and place an oven stone or cookie sheet on it before preheating.

Process the gingersnaps and pecans until finely ground. Sprinkle them over the bottom of the pie crust and using your fingers and the back of a spoon, press them into the dough to coat the entire bottom, going about 1/2-inch up the sides.

In a small, heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, sugar, spices and salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick and shiny.

Scrape the mixture into a food processor, fitted with the metal blade, and process for 1 minute. With the motor on, add the cream and milk, processing until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the work bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just to incorporate, for about 5 seconds after each addition. Add the vanilla along with the last egg.

Pour the mixture into the pie shell and set it directly on the floor of the oven. Bake the pie for 50 to 60 minutes or just until a knife inserted between sides and center will come out almost clean. The filling will have puffed and the surface dulled except for the center (The filling shakes like jelly when moved. This will happen before it has finished baking so it cannot be used as a firm indication of doneness; conversely, if it does not have this consistency you can be sure that it is not baked adequately.) If the crust appears to be darkening too much on the bottom, raise the pie to the next rack. After 30 minutes, protect the edges with a foil ring.

Place the baked pie on a rack to cool. When cool, the surface will be flat. If you have made decorative designs, place them on now.

Store: 3 days,room temperature.

Understanding

The crust border should not be too raised, nor extend past the pie plate because baking so close to the heat source, and at the lower temperature required for the custard filling, the border would not set quickly enough and would droop over the edge and break off. Since it does not extend past the edge, it is not necessary to shield the edges until 30 minutes instead of the usual 15 for a one crust pie.

Characteristic star-burst cracking is the result of overbaking. If desired, cover any crack(s), should they develop, with baked pastry cut-outs.

Before I get down to business about this truly dreamy fall salad, I just have to ask – what do you think of the new look on the site? Is it not awesome? Major props and heaps of gratitude are in order for Paul, the gifted designer who was able to take the pages of meandering babble I wrote for him about my vision for the East Village Kitchen and translate them into the clean, beautiful design that you see here. I can’t wait to cook a giant thank you meal for he and his wife. Also, while I’m rolling the credits, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Brian spent the better part of a weekend wrangling the HTML to make the design play nice with WordPress, a daunting task that elicited cursing from the computer desk all weekend and proved, as if I didn’t know already, just how much he loves me.

Also, while I’m handing out thank yous, I also owe a big one to the EVK readers who reached out to me, either by commenting on the site or via email, to express disgust about what happened at that interview earlier this week and to offer words of encouragement. I was pretty ashamed, in hind site, that I allowed it to even happen rather than telling him that it was inappropriate and storming out, and I feel better now that I’ve taken action. That’s the last I’ll say on the matter, onward and upward! I’ll be doing a trial run at a wonderful bakery on Monday.

Ok, so, this salad. I’ve got my sweater on and I’m changing culinary gears – it’s time to embrace fall, hateful socks and all. I read an article about how amazing sugar pumpkins are for all kinds of sweet and savory recipes and decided that I wanted to try my hand with them this week. I have to say, I’m in love.

I missed out on the farmers market, so I was really happy to find the perfect NY state sugar pumpkin, just shy of 2 pounds, at Whole Foods. They were not marked with price per-pound, which usually ends with me going into mild shock at the checkout when the price is finally revealed, but not this time. I guess I never noticed before, but it turns out that pumpkin, even local, organic pumpkin, is cheap.

This is happy news for me, because I plan on making this salad at least once a week as long as sugar pumpkins are in season.

This is the kind of recipe that is super easy to pull together, but does require you to wait half an hour for the pumpkin to roast and the lentils to soak and cook. Be sure to get the lentils and the boiling water going while you are prepping the pumpkin, to save time. The biggest pain is cutting up and peeling the pumpkin, but I found that the chore became easier with the help of a sharp Swiss peeler. Also, if you quarter the pumpkin and scoop out all the seeds and pulp before you peel, the job goes much quicker. Be sure to use a sharp knife – raw pumpkin flesh is tough!

Once your pumpkin has cooled a bit (I thought this was stellar when the pumpkin was still warm) the only thing left to do is toss everything together and – voila! You’ve got yourself a bowl of spiced, creamy, crunchy deliciousness. The flavors and textures meld so perfectly; the subtle whiff of cumin and smoky flavor from the paprika, the goat cheese, melting into the pumpkin, making them both creamy and just a bit sweet, the slight bite of the lentil skins and the crunch of the rocket. Sigh. Drool. I’m so happy I have leftovers in the fridge!

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
Borrowed from Bon Appetit, November 2009

The subtle spices that are roasted with the pumpkin make a big difference and it is important to used a smoked paprika if at all possible. The website tienda.com is an excellent source for Spanish specialty spices and other traditional Spanish staples – Brian even ordered cheese from it! If you can’t find French lentils, just substitute other ones, just be sure to follow the directions for soaking and cooking that are provided with them, as they may be different.

Serves 4 as a meal, more as a pre-meal salad or side

3/4 cup French green lentils*
6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash(from about one 2-pound whole pumpkin)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika**
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

PreparationPlace lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

* Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

** Sometimes labeled Pimentón Picante or Pimentó de La Vera Picante;

available at specialty foods stores and from tienda.com.

In addition to my apple pie, I wanted to bring something new to the thanksgiving table this year. Brian’s mom hosted 23 people for dinner and I wanted to bring something a little unusual, a decadent crowd-pleaser that would be rich and memorable. Cheesecake was the answer, and pumpkin at that, to be seasonal. Done and done. In my wildest dreams I never would have guessed that my first cheesecake would come out so perfectly baked, creamy yet light, and astoundingly delicious (if I do say so myself).

The cheesecake being difficult thing is a myth. The crust is born in the food processor. I am sad to say that the biggest ingredient in the crust is a big no no – a store bought cookie, so full of preservatives that it had probably been sitting on the shelf of my local Rite Aid for ten years before I came along and bought it along with my shampoo and moisturizer. Next time I’ll make my own and I’ll probably use ginger snapish cookies instead. Not that my crust wasn’t great. It WAS.

After all, what could be bad if it involves butter, nuts, sugar, brown sugar, and a classic processed cookie-food?

Be sure to use a springform pan for this recipe and to refrigerate the crust for an hour before adding the filling.

A few weeks ago I bought a sugar pumpkin at the greenmarket and practiced cooking it into mush and straining out all the liquid with a cheesecloth with the intention of doing the same for my thanksgiving dessert. Unfortunately, I just started a new job and didn’t have the time. I did opt for the organic pumpkin in a can, if that is any consolation.

Cooking with booze (both in a glass and in your food) is always fun, and this cheesecake was no exception. This photo is slightly misleading because I did not end up using my homemade vanilla extract in this recipe – it turned out that it is still not ready.

I began whisking in the stand mixer, which turned out to be a little silly. I recommend whisking the pumpkin etc. in a separate bowl and using the stand mixer for the cream cheese mixture instead.

I was concerned that the recipe was calling for an overpowering amount of spice, but the prescribed amounts turned out to be spot-on for a subtle, hint of pumpkin pie flavor. If subtlety is not your thing, add more.

Whip the spices into the cream cheese. I recommend that you use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer if you have one, but a crank hand mixer will do the job – eventually. The more room temperature your cream cheese is, the better.

Once the cream cheese is smooth, add the pumpkin mixture.

Be sure to bake this on top of a cookie sheet in the oven – springform pans are not water-tight!

I got the above result after about 50 minutes of baking. The center felt “springy” at 40 minutes, but I was parinoid and baked it ten additional minutes from that point, just to be sure. I’m glad that I did.

The topping is very easy, it’s just sour cream, a little sugar, and a little burbon. Brian said not enough bourbon, but at this point in the game, I was not going to experiment. It goes back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes after the topping.

I was really happy with the results. It was my first cheesecake, and I knocked it out of the park. It was a perfect finish to an amazing meal (thanks Merri!). Creamy and smooth, surprisingly light, with a hint of pumpkin pie.

Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
Adapted from Gourmet November 2003

For crust

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (from five 4 3/4- by 2 1/4-inch crackers)

1/2 cup pecans (1 3/4 ounces), finely chopped

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For filling

1 1/2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

For topping

2 cups sour cream (20 ounces)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon bourbon liqueur or bourbon (optional)

Garnish: pecan halves

Make crust:
Invert bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (to create flat bottom, which will make it easier to remove cake from pan), then lock on side and butter pan.

Stir together crumbs, pecans, sugars, and butter in a bowl until combined well. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1/2 inch up side of pan, then chill crust, 1 hour.

Make filling and bake cheesecake:
Put oven rack in middle position and Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl until combined.

Stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl. Add cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, then add pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour filling into crust, smoothing top, then put springform pan in a shallow baking pan (in case springform leaks). Bake until center is just set, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 5 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

Make topping:
Whisk together sour cream, sugar, and liqueur (if using) in a bowl, then spread on top of cheesecake and bake 5 minutes.

Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 3 hours.

Chill, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving.

Cooks’ note:

Baked cheesecake can be chilled, covered, up to 2 days.