Makes two 9-inch pies
This is my favorite. I love ginger, and this one is particularly spicy.
Pastry for two 9-inch 1-crust pies
Crust
• 1⅓ cups flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• ½ cup butter, well chilled
• scant ⅓ cup ice water
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 Tbs. molasses
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ¾ tsp. ginger
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 2 cups puréed cooked pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1⅔ cups undiluted evaporated milk
• 3 Tbs. sweet dark rum
• 2 to 3 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
Garnish
• sweetened whipped cream
1. Prepare two 9-inch pastry shells with high fluted rims. Chill the shells for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the shells are cold and firm, line them with waxed paper or foil and fill them with raw rice or beans.
2. Bake the shells for 10 minutes, then remove the paper or foil and rice or beans, prick the shells in several places with a fork, and bake them for another 10 minutes.
3. In a bowl, combine the two sugars, molasses, salt, spices, and puréed pumpkin. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and rum. Combine the two mixtures and mix them thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle the chopped crystallized ginger evenly across the bottoms of the pastry shells. Ladle the filling carefully over the ginger, dividing it evenly between the two shells.
5. Bake the pies in the preheated 400 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
6. Cool the pies on a rack and serve with sweetened whipped cream.
