Pumpkin possibilities

Premade crusts, spice blend shave time

HOW CAN WE CALL ourselves a civilized nation after carving and then displaying the grotesque corpses of pumpkins on our stoops, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Pumpkins ask. How can the lovely orange rounds of this gentle fruit bring out our appetites for slashing and gouging the second they're ripe for harvesting?

The P.E.T.PU. people (www.geocities.com/petpu4) shamed me into forgoing my jack-o'-lantern this year. But this week, as I shopped for ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving dessert of tiramisu, temptation onslaughted me.

O pity poor pumpkins in autumn when two holidays plot to onslaught 'um. People carve out their eyes then they bake 'um in pies . . . They must wish that the world had forgot 'um!

Pumpkin pies! Pumpkin pies scenting the kitchen with cinnamon and cloves. Pumpkin pies recalling that first Thanksgiving feast when the Pilgrims received gifts of wild turkeys and of the only fruit worth eating at that time of year, that succulent winter gourd, the pumpkin!

I succumbed. Turned my cart into the canned foods aisle, where Libby's 100 percent Pure Pumpkin and Carnation Evaporated Milk called me. Added eggs, spices, sugar and Pillsbury Pie Crusts to my bounty.

I'll treat pumpkins ethically next autumn.

IN TRUTH, the Pilgrims were probably more thankful for the American Indians' offerings of scrawny wild turkeys than they were for those pumpkins. In the Old World, pumpkins, or pompions, were considered peasant food, so the gifts would have drawn polite smiles, at best.

The Pilgrims' first pumpkin pies were also very different from those on today's Thanksgiving tables. Their pie shells were pumpkin shells removed of their seeds and stringy-slimy stuff, then filled with milk, pumpkin flesh, spices and honey. The puddings were cooked for hours over hot embers.

It took until 1929, several years after that first (1621) Thanksgiving, for pumpkins to fit themselves into cans and make their way onto nearby grocers' shelves.

Libby's, which actually canned those first pumpkins, is still the major producer of canned pumpkin, with 5,000 acres of pumpkin patches in Illinois. The company estimates that its product is used to make more than 50 million pies every Thanksgiving.

Let's close our history books now and ponder pie-making, for which I have three magnificent recipes and several helpful suggestions.

First: Don't make pies out of your jack-o'-lanterns. Even the fresh ones make lousy pies, unless you can locate a Select Dickinson pumpkin somewhere. But those heavy, squashed-looking (which is appropriate, since pumpkins are in the Cucurbita, or squash, family), meaty Dickinsons have probably already ended up in Libby's cans, so there you are. Using fresh pumpkin puree, which is mostly water, would also sog up your pie crust so badly you'd wish you had used a pumpkin shell on your gas grill's embers. Canned pumpkin, however, is cooked to just the right thickness for pies.

IN THE recipes below, you'll notice other shortcuts. Each uses pumpkin pie spice. If you're a novice pie-maker and don't have cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves on hand, you have my permission to use this bottled blend.

Several of today's chilled, frozen and packaged pie crusts make fairly decent substitutes for homemade pie shells, so when time or talent run short, use these. Do listen to see if the frozen crusts have pieces rattling around in the boxes, and check dates for freshness, especially for cookie or graham-cracker crusts.

There now. Feel no guilt about using convenient ingredients and procedures. Just pity the poor pumpkin who has given his life to provide you and your family with a happy holiday!

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There's more than one way to make a pie

You'll find the standard pumpkin pie recipe on your pumpkin can's label, and it's easy, tasty and as traditional as you can get. If you're tired of the same-ole, same-ole, however, here are three equally easy and delicious pies that take a fresh approach:

BAKING TIPS Use inexpensive pie shields found in kitchen stores to keep crusts from burning. Strips of foil don't work well. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin contains 1-3/4 cups; 29-ounce cans, 3-1/ 2 cups, the amount needed for two pies. Don't substitute canned Pumpkin Pie Mix for pure pumpkin -- it contains spices, sugar, etc., and won't work in most pie recipes. Sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk are also not interchangeable. Most pumpkin pies call for evaporated, but Eagle Brand (www.eaglebrand.com) offers delicious pie recipes using the condensed product. To avoid ruined pies and painful burns, don't use shallow disposable pie pans that can buckle when you carry them. Heavy-duty aluminum, ceramic and glass pie plates are best. Never pour hot fillings into pie crusts -- baked or unbaked. Pumpkin fillings often slosh out when pies are carried to the oven, so try this: Pour in most of the filling, pull the oven shelf half-way out, place pies on shelf, then pour in remaining filling. Carefully slide the shelf in. If pie crusts tear, repair them with extra dough before adding filling so the custard won't seep underneath. To make your own pumpkin pie spices, combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Adjust that basic ratio (4-2-1-1) to taste. Add extra taste and crunch by adding finely chopped macadamia nuts to graham-cracker or cookie crusts, or press into unbaked pastry crusts before baking. STORAGE RULES Leave pies out of the refrigerator no longer than two hours, including cooling times. Refrigerated pies are good for four to five days. Freezing pumpkin and other custard pies results in soggy crusts. To avoid that, bake just the fillings in casseroles or ramekins.

THIS PIE uses dairy eggnog as a substitute for canned evaporated milk, giving it a rich, creamy taste. Use good-quality, thick dairy eggnog, not thin canned or homemade versions.

Eggnog Pumpkin Pie

1 (15-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
1-1/4 cups good-quality dairy eggnog
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggnog, sugar, eggs, spices and salt. Mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack, then refrigerate until serving. Serves 8.

Note: If desired, serve with whipped cream seasoned with additional pumpkin pie spice and/or rum, or decorate with autumn-themed cutouts from leftover pie crust.

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In this recipe, a standard pecan-pie layer -- but using macadamias as the nut of choice -- bakes atop a traditional pumpkin layer, creating a terrific blend of tastes and traditions. This is a rich, filling treat, so you may want to serve small slices at first. Your guests will soon be back for seconds.

Pumpkin Macadamia Nut Pie

1 unbaked (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

» Topping:
2/3 cup light or dark corn syrup (such as Karo)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine pumpkin, sugar, 1 egg and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well. Spread over bottom of pie shell.

To make topping: Combine ingredients and spoon evenly over pumpkin layer.

Bake 50 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and refrigerate until serving. Serves 8.

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ISLAND FOLKS have a special fondness for cream and chiffon pies, and this pie is so simple to make, it will spare you a Thanksgiving Day trip to Napoleon's bakery. If you're hosting the holiday dinner, it will free up your oven for turkey and side dishes; if you're bringing dessert to share, you'll get raves for this cool pumpkin pie.

No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie

1 9-inch graham cracker crust
1 (15-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
1 (5-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 cups frozen whipped topping, divided

Combine pumpkin, pudding mix, milk and spice. Beat 1 minute, or until blended. Fold in 1-1/2 cups whipped topping. Spoon into crust, and freeze until firm (about 4 hours).

Garnish with remaining topping, sprinkled with extra pumpkin pie spice, if desired. Serves 8.