It’s fun to tinker with a familiar formula to create an altogether different dessert. In this twist on pumpkin pie, acorn squash is sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon and ginger for the filling, while cornmeal lends texture and flavor to the crust. The checkerboard pattern on the piecrust’s edge is simple to do—just snip the dough along the rim at even intervals and bend every other section back toward the center. Don’t skip the step of chilling the pie shell before baking—it’s crucial to helping the edge retain its shape.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 10-inch pie

　　

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

　　1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

　　2 large egg yolks plus 1 large egg yolk, for egg wash

　　3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

　　1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

　　

For the Filling

3 small acorn squash (about 3 pounds)

　　3/4 cup honey

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　4 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　1/2 cup milk

　　Whipped Cream (page 340), for serving

　　

Step 1

Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse to combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, lightly beat 2 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons ice water; drizzle over flour mixture, and pulse until dough just begins to come together (add up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if mixture is too crumbly). Shape into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, make the filling: Halve squashes lengthwise; remove seeds and cut flesh into wedges. In a large, lidded pot fitted with a steamer basket (or colander), bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Place squash in basket (in batches if necessary); cover, and steam until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 to 30 minutes (check water level periodically). Let cool completely. Scrape flesh from cooled squash, and purée in a food processor until smooth. Add honey, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, then add whole eggs and 1/2 cup milk. Pulse until thoroughly combined.

　　

Step 3

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch round, 1/8 inch thick. Fit into a 10-inch pie plate; trim excess dough flush with rim. Cut edge of dough 1/2 inch deep at 3/4-inch intervals; bend every other section back toward center. Whisk together remaining 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk; lightly brush edge of crust. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Preheat oven to 425°F. Pour filling into pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F, and continue to bake 30 to 40 minutes more, or until filling is barely set (it will continue to firm as it cools). If crust is browning too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. (Filling will separate from crust as it cools.) Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, with whipped cream. Pie can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered.

　　Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts