Beyond the Jack-o’-Lantern

Classic Pumpkin Pie — from real pumpkins

By Natalie Ortiz

With the approach of harvest season for apples and pumpkins, it’s time to start thinking towards the holidays.

Pumpkin pie is easy, right? Using those cans of pumpkin pie filling from the grocery store, you can whip it up in a snap, especially if you’re using store-bought pie crust.

But maybe treat your family to something more authentic this holiday season. It’s really not hard to make pumpkin pie from actual pumpkins — it’s a simple matter of roasting them in the oven until the flesh is soft, and then puréeing it in a food processor. Using fresh pumpkin puree gives the pie a creamier mouth feel and a thicker, better texture, well worth the effort! 

Sugar pumpkins are the best pumpkins to use for roasting and pies. They are usually smaller than your regular jack-o-lantern variety, are less stringy, and have a firm, sweet-savory flesh that makes a smooth purée once roasted, making them ideal for soups or — in this instance — pies. A good rule of thumb is that one 3-4 pound roasted sugar pumpkin yields approximately 3-4 cups of pumpkin purée. They’ll be at your local farmers market soon!