Traditional Pumpkin Pie

My favorite pumpkin pie recipe is from the "Better Homes and Gardens"

cookbook. The custard is delicious and has fewer calories than 

custards made with heavy cream. 

Crust Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 1/3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons shortening

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling Ingredients: 

1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin 

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs (lightly beaten)

2/3 cup evaporated milk (1 5-ounce can)

1/2 cup milk (or half & half)

9 inch pie crust 

Method:

Preheat oven to 375*.

For crust, in a mixing bowl stir together flour and salt. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender or two knives, until the pieces are the size of small peas. Next, use your fingers to blend until the flour mixture looks more like cornmeal. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push to side of bowl. repeat until all is moistened. Form dough into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough with hands. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough from center to edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry around rolling pin. Unroll onto a 9 inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch the pastry. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of the pie plate. Fold under edge of pastry. Pinch edges of dough between 2 fingers of one hand and 1 finger of the other hand to make a "ruffled" edge. If you are not comfortable rolling out pie dough, you can make a graham cracker or gingersnap crust. (Jane Madsen's Pumpkin Chiffon Pie  posted 11-29-2015, includes gingersnap crust recipe.Norma's Lemon Pie  posted on 11-25-2015, includes a graham cracker crust recipe.)

For filling, in a mixing bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Add eggs. Beat lightly with an electric mixer of fork. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and milk. Mix well.

Cover edge of crust with foil. Place pastry lined pie plate on oven rack; pour in filling. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil: bake about 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped cream. Cover and store in refrigerator. Serves 6 - 8.

Notes: I like homemade whipped cream. I beat 2 cups heavy cream with 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup sugar and 2 envelopes of "Dr. Oetker Whip it." This keeps the cream from becoming runny.