Butternut Harvest Pie

Move over pumpkin, here comes the luscious butternut. Your children will love this one, and it’s perfect to augment your Thanksgiving dessert repertoire. You will need a pie crust for this and I have not offered the crust recipe here. I make a crust with rice flour these days so that the pie is gluten-free. Use your favorite premade crust or crust recipe.

Ingredients

2 ½ c. cooked butternut squash purée
¾ cup honey
½ cup heavy cream
3 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp. grated orange and/or tangerine peel (fresh grated is best)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. ginger
1 pie shell (either make from scratch or purchase ready-made)

Directions

Cut a butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the innards (like a pumpkin). Put the halves upside down on a cookie sheet with a little water in it (up to about ¼ of an inch). Bake at 350˚ for about an hour or until the squash is clearly soft when pierced with a fork. Do not overcook as the squash will turn brown on the bottom and discolor your pie. Check frequently after 30 minutes in the oven. Once the squash has cooled, scoop out the squash meat, discard the skin, and whirl the squash in a food processor until it is smooth.

Combine the pie filling ingredients. The best way to do this is to whirl them up together in a blender or food processor until they are thoroughly blended and creamy. Pour the pie filling mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 50 minutes (or until the center is set) at 350˚.

I believe that this pie is best served cold, so let it cool down and then refrigerate it. As a cold pie it works well at Thanksgiving because you don’t have to warm it up. It’s ready when you are.

Eat well, be well, live deliciously!