Pumpkin Pie

This recipe works well with pie pumpkins or the larger Rouge vif d'étampe (sometimes referred to as "Cinderella" or "soup" pumpkins, though mostly we just call them "French pumpkins").

1 French pumpkin or 1 large pie pumpkin (or 2 small)
1 cup sugar (brown or white, or half and half)
5 eggs
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
Spices: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp each cloves and ginger, pinch nutmeg, dash vanilla
1 large or 2 small unbaked pie shells

Pumpkin puree: Quarter pumpkin, remove pulp and seed, peel. Cut pumpkin flesh into chunks and boil in water until tender. Tranfer drained, cooked chunks to food processor or blender, process until smooth. Drain pulp in fine-meshed sieve or sieve lined with cheesecloth for a minimum of 2 hours (it will significantly reduce in volume).

Beat sugar, eggs and spices. Add pumpkin puree, cream and milk, beat until smooth. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell(s), and bake in 350 degree (F) oven for 50-60 minutes (two small pies will take less time than one large pie). The pie is baked when the filling is firm. Allow to cool for minimum of 10 minutes before serving (but it's also yummy out of the fridge the next day!).