PUMPKIN OR PECAN?

If your household is like our household and you are spilt down the middle on this issue, there is only one solution; you have to make them both.  I always sign up for the pumpkin, as I lean toward the pumpkin side of the vote. I’m also a purest when it comes to my pumpkin pie. No pumpkin roll or pumpkin cheesecake will do.  I require a deep, rich, heavy, dense pumpkin pie, served with just a dollop of fresh whipped cream. (To truly enjoy it’s full superbness, I save my piece (pieces, one of each) for the early quiet of the next morning, and savor with a cup of joe.)

This arrangement has often worked at our holiday gatherings, as our own Gervase Hittle (former resident ranch caretaker, WIB sharp shooter & longtime friend) has always contributed his grandmother’s pecan pie.  In addition to his many ageless talents, Gervase makes one helluva pecan pie. Unfortunately Gervase and Susan will be unable to join us this year, so I had to call the master pecan pie maker himself and see if he would part with his family’s secret recipe.

I reached Gervase on his cell phone. He was in the middle of a pasture on the Broken Heart ranch hunting grouse. I asked if I should call back later or if he could e-mail me, and he replied, “No, no – I have it. Do you have a pen?” Yes, I replied. He continued through the list of ingredients without hesitation, adding the nuances of generations past.  I just about started crying. The visual images of an old man (good looking and sexy as ever) with his best dog in the middle of the prairie reciting his grandmother’s recipe for pecan pie with such sweet tenderness, overwhelmed my heart with joy.

I followed his memorized recipe to a tee and baked it in my homemade piecrust. The results were terrific! I promise to try to save you a piece Gervase. 🙂

Below are both recipes, along with my homemade piecrust, and a couple of helpful hints that I have learned over the years when baking custard style pies.  I hope if you give them a try, you enjoy them as much as I do.  Wishing you the warmest of Thanksgiving wishes. Cheers! jill

Grandma Hittle’s Pecan Pie

Ingredients:
4 – eggs
¼ – pound butter, softened
2 – cups dark, pure cane brown sugar, packed
2 – teaspoons pure vanilla
1 – pound pecans, halves or whole *I used 8 oz. of each.

Preparation:
1)   In mixer, beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients in order and mix well to incorporate.
2)   Pour into prepared piecrust. *Look for my note in piecrust instructions.
3)   *Optional step: Place pie in a 1” water bath.
4)   Bake pie in a 350° oven, for 55 to 60 minutes. *I had to cook for about 15 minutes longer.
5)   Remove form oven and allow to cool and set for 2 hours before serving.

Jill’s Pie Crust (makes 2 – 10” deep-dish pie crusts)
Note: For custard style pies I have learned that pre-baking crust partially will give you a nice flakey crust on the bottom. You may also need to cover crust half way through baking pie, to keep from browning. A little extra effort, but so worth it!

Ingredients:
3 – cups flour, plus a bit more for rolling
½ – teaspoon salt
1 – Tablespoon sugar
¾ – pound salted butter, chilled and cut into pieces, plus a little more softened for buttering pan and foil
1 – egg, beaten
1 – teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice *I used half of each.
2 – Tablespoons cream
1 – ice cube

Preparation:
1)   Pre-heat oven to 450°.
2)   In mixer using pastry blender, mix flour, salt & sugar.
3)   In small dish, beat eggs. Add vinegar and cream and mix well. Add ice cube to mixture to keep cold, and allow ice to melt almost all the way.
4)   Add chilled butter to flour mixture until incorporated.
5)   Slowly drizzle in egg mixture.
6)   Remove dough from mixer with floured hands, shape into ball and cut in half.
7)   Press dough into disk shape with your hands and place dough onto floured parchment. Top dough with additional floured parchment and roll out.
8)   Transfer dough to buttered pie pan carefully. Press lightly into pan, crimp edges and pierce the dough randomly with a fine tined fork, about 8 times.
9)   Chill the piecrust for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
10) Lightly butter foil and place buttered side down on top of piecrust, shaping foil in piecrust shape without disturbing edges.  Fill foiled crust at least half way up with beans, rice or pie weights.
11) Place in 450° pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
12) Remove foiled piecrust from oven and remove foil gently. Return piecrust to oven to allow the bottom to brown, about another 10 minutes.
13) Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before filling.

Jill’s Pumpkin Pie
Note: Because I like a dense pumpkin pie, this recipe will require a longer cooking period. Also, in order to bake both pies at the same time I reversed the higher heat time to end of the baking period. Worked out just fine! Enjoy.

Ingredients:
3 – eggs
1¼ – cup dark, pure cane brown sugar, packed
½ – cup sour cream
½ – cup heavy cream
¼ – cup pure maple syrup
1 – teaspoon vanilla
1 – Tablespoon cinnamon
1 – teaspoon ginger
1 – teaspoon allspice
4 – cups pureed pumpkin or canned pumpkin *Yams or butternut squash can be used too. I have often out of necessity used a combo.

Preparation:
1)   In mixer beat eggs. Add remaining ingredients in order with mixer running, stopping to scrape the bottom occasionally. Mix until well incorporated.
2)   Pour pumpkin mixture into prepared piecrust and place pie in a 1” water bath (*helps pie top from cracking).
3)   Bake at 350° for 75 minutes. Increase heat to 450° and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.
4)   Remove pie from oven and allow to cool for 2 hours before serving.