Growing up in New England, I stayed as far away from pumpkin pie as possible. I did whatever I could to keep my distance from those dubious wedges of orangey-brown filling. For some reason, I just couldn’t bring myself to try it. But when I did, later in my life, I mourned for all those opportunities I missed. (I wouldn’t eat lobster either, which was cheap and plentiful back then. Talk about regrets!) One thing I don’t regret, though, is trying butternut squash in place of pumpkin in my pie. The cooked squash is naturally sweeter and thicker than pumpkin, and makes for a silkier pie. Note that in this recipe, the filling is added while still warm to the prebaked pie shell. This reduces the baking time for the pie and eliminates the problem of the crust burning while the filling bakes. You can make the filling in advance, but be sure to rewarm it gently before pouring it into the crust.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9- or 10-inch (23- or 25-cm) pie; 8 servings

　　2 pounds (1 kg) butternut squash (1 medium or 2 small squashes), halved lengthwise, seeds and strings removed

　　1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

　　1/2 cup (125 ml) whole milk

　　4 large eggs

　　3/4 cup (170 g) packed light or dark brown sugar

　　1 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　Pinch of salt

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy

　　Pie dough, prebaked into a 9- or 10-inch single-crust pie shell (page 230)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and smear the parchment generously with butter.

　　

Step 2

Place the squash halves cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the squash is fully tender and a sharp paring knife inserted into the thickest part meets no resistance, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and decrease the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).

　　

Step 3

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender, process the cream, milk, eggs, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, nutmeg, salt, vanilla, and Cognac or brandy until combined. Scoop out the warm squash pulp from the skin, measure out 2 cups (500 ml), and add it to the food processor or blender. Process until the mixture is smooth.

　　

Step 4

Pour the warm filling into the prebaked pie shell and bake until the filling is just barely set in the center (it should be slightly jiggly), 30 to 35 minutes. Don’t overbake the pie, as overbaking will cause the filling to crack while cooling.

　　

Serving

Step 5

Some people like this pie warm, but I prefer it cold served with whipped cream (page 239) that’s been spiced or flavored with brandy.

　　

Variation

Step 6

If you want to substitute canned pumpkin purée, use 2 cups (425 g) or one 15-ounce can. If you wish to use pumpkin that you cook and purée yourself, for the best results, choose a variety like sugar pumpkin that is low in moisture.

　　

tip

Step 7

Any extra butternut squash purée can be frozen and used for another recipe.

　　Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz. Copyright © 2010 by David Lebovitz. Published by Ten Speed Press. All Rights Reserved.David Lebovitz lived in San Francisco for twenty years before moving to Paris. He baked at several notable restaurants before starting his career as a cookbook author and food writer. He's the author of four highly regarded books on desserts, and has written for many major food magazines, sharing his well-tested recipes written with a soupçon of humor. His popular, award-winning blog, www.davidlebovitz.com, entertains readers from around the world with sweet and savory recipes as he tries to unravel the complexities of living in Paris.