Classic Pumpkin Pie

Here is a recipe for classic pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie is not hard to make. (...which means you can take the time to make fresh pie crust! Note: However, there's nothing wrong with store bought pie dough.)

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Tools:

• 2 9-inch pie pans.
• a rolling pin
• wax paper

Ingredients for crust:

• 3 c. flour
• 1.5 tsp. salt
• 1.25 c. shortening, small pieces
• 0.5 c. cold milk
• a bit of extra flour

Ingredients for filling:

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 29 oz. can Libby's Pumpkin
• 2 12 oz. cans of evaporated milk

Directions for the crust:

1. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Using two dinner knifes, cut (mix) shortening into flour until you get it to small pieces.
3. Pour milk over flour mixture and then mix with your hands until it forms a large smooth ball.
4. Form two balls and flatten them into discs.
5. Wrap them in wax paper and put in fridge for at least one hour.
6. For the first, disc of dough: open the wax paper on a board or counter and roll the dough out on top of the wax paper into 12-inch circles. You should flour your rolling pin and put a little bit on the side of the dough you're rolling.
7. Place a pie pan upside down on the rolled-out dough, and then invert the whole thing so the pie pan is right-side up. You should have the pie pan right-side-up with the rolled-out dough on top with the wax paper on top of that.
8. Remove wax paper from top.
9. Gently press the dough into the pie pan.
10. Roughly (leaving a centimeter or so of dough hanging off the edge of the pie pan) cut the edges of the dough off. You can take a piece of cut-off dough and use it to repair problem areas (but it's always better to get it right first in baking).
11. Using your hands, press extra dough around edges into a rough ridge of raised dough.
12. Then, using a fork, press the fork's tines on the ridge of dough around the edges to make a pressed, patterned edge.
13. Using the fork, poke 20 or so times in the bottom of the crust.
14. Place crust in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
15. Repeat steps 6-14 with the other disc of dough.
16. While you're waiting, do some dishes and then make the pumpkin filling (next).

Directions for making the filling:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). You might also consider putting down a cookie sheet or something underneath the pies in the oven to catch any spillage.
2. Mix sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt in a small bowl.
3. Whisk eggs together briefly in a large bowl.
4. Add pumpkin; stir to incorporate.
5. Add spice mixture; stir.
6. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. You should have a quite watery but very pumpkin-pie-like smelling mixture.
7. Pour equal amounts of filling in each pie crust (don't overfill, but do fill well!).
8. Take 3-inch-wide strips of aluminum foil and carefully cover the crust on each pie (try not to cover too much of the filling!). This will help the crust not to over-brown.
9. Bake pies at 425°F for 15 minutes.
10. Reduce oven to 350°F (178°C) and bake pies for 30-60 minutes.
11. The goal is to bake the pies until the filling barely sets up in the center of the pie. I would check the pies and remove the aluminum foil after 30 minutes. they'll likely need another 15 minutes at least, but check in 5-8 minute intervals.
12. How do you check if the pie is set? You can either jiggle the pie very slightly and see if the center is not semi-solid... this can damage your pie though. I recommend checking like you do a cake: insert a toothpick in the center of the pie and if it comes out with only an ever-so-slight bit of filling on it, they're done.
13. Let pies cool for 2 hours (preferably on a rack).
14. Serve with whipped cream or equivalent.