Here's pie in your feast!

Thanksgiving calls for pumpkin and pecan for dessert

Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone. To all you home cooks: Eyes are be on the prize and let’s make some pies!

I’ll send some recipes for giblet gravy, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce later today, but we’ll start with pie. On Thanksgiving, it starts with pumpkin and pecan. Apple pie is always welcome, especially if there is caramel involved, but we’re sticking to the classics.

This first recipe for pecan pie was given to me by chef Christine Dowd a dozen years ago when she and Maggie Howell were operating the greatly missed Trattoria il Centro and Aunt PittyPat’s Catering. Today the 405 diningscape is lucky to have them operating Mediterranean Imports, Deli and Gastro Goods.

Christine is one of the 405’s most gifted chefs, and this recipe for pecan pie – including a pie crust recipe – is proof. Don’t forget to drop by and visit her and Maggie at the store, which is an excellent place to find stocking stuffers for the foodie or gourmet on your gift list.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pie crust

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cold butter, diced

1 large egg

Flour for dusting

Filling

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped toasted pecans

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs beaten lightly

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles cornmeal mixed with bean-size bits of butter. Add egg and stir dough together with a form or by hand in the bowl. If the dough is dry, sprinkle up to a tablespoon more of cold water over the mixture.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle about a ¼-inch thick. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie tin and trim the edges, leaving about an extra inch hanging over the edge. Tuck the overhanging dough underneath itself to form a thick edge that is even with the rim-flute edge as desired.

Put a piece of parchment or aluminum foil in piecrust and fill with dry beans for weight. Place crust in lower third of oven and bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and discard parchment and beans.

For the filling:

In a medium sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts, vanilla and bourbon.

Set mixture in fridge to cool, at least 5 minutes. Whisk beaten egg into the filling until smooth.

Put the piecrust on a sheet pan. Pour the filling into the finished crust.

Bake in oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly loose.

Source: Chef Christine Dowd, Mediterranean Imports, Deli and Gastro Goods

This recipe for classic pumpkin pie comes from the back of a can. That’s right, I grew up believing if it said Libby’s, Libby’s Libby’s on the label, label, label then I would like it, like it, like it on the table, table, table. Libby’s is still around and selling canned pumpkin, so here we are.

Pumpkin Pie

¾ cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 ounces) 100% pure pumpkin

1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

Whipped cream, optional

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl.

Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving, if desired.

Cook's notes: To make the pie's texture a bit lighter, add one additional large egg. The amount of spices can also be cut in half for a milder taste.

Source: Libby's