roasted pumpkin + a change in the air

This fall has been my season of change. The day that we broke up I listened to Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah by the pool for 2 hours. Not in celebration, but in lament. It was the last warm day before the weather turned to fall.

Before I knew it the leaves began to fall, I was blown into Autumn and I stepped back into my kitchen.

The Pumpkin - derived from the Greek word for large melon; a quintessential autumn vegetable in America. She's beautiful and versatile.



Roasted fresh pumpkin purée and pâte brisée in my tiny apartment kitchen.
I wish I had a food processor or even a pastry cutter, but this fork will have to do. Chant this mantra until your butter is cut into your flour, or until your hands bleed.

But never run out of the time needed to make your season bright.

RECIPES:

roasted pepitas

There really is no recipe needed for this.
Pick your pumpkin seeds clean of most pumpkin flesh and toss onto a rimmed baking sheet.
I mix mine with a generous combination of worcestershire, olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and chinese five spice.
Bake at 425 for 25-35 minutes, tossing seeds twice during cooking.


pumpkin pie
adapted from Martha Stewart

pâte brisée | makes 1 double or 2 single crusts
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. (This is where I notate my lack of food processor, or pastry cutter for that matter. I cut my butter into my flour with a fork)

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree, or canned
3 large eggs, lightly beaten, plus 1 egg for glaze
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
Pate Brisee (recipe above)
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a stand mixer, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin puree, and 3 eggs. Beat well. Add evaporated milk, and combine. Set aside.

Between two pieces of plastic wrap, roll pate brisee into a 12-inch circle. Fit pastry into a 9-inch glass pie plate; trim dough evenly along edge, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Pinch to form a decorative edge. If the dough begins to soften, chill for 15 minutes.

Make the glaze: Beat the remaining egg, and combine with heavy cream. Brush glaze very lightly on edges of pie shell. Fill pie shell with pumpkin mixture.

Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35-45 minutes more (until pumpkin is set in the center). Cool on a wire rack.