The Pilgrim Father's Original Pumpkin Pie - Norfolk Million Pie

French Tart's Note:

This is a very old English pumpkin pie recipe from Norfolk in East Anglia; it would have been known as Norfolk million pie - million being the old English word for a melon, marrow, pumpkin or any kind of gourd or squash. Please note, this is not the same as most of the modern North American pumpkin pie recipes, but is based on the original recipe from the 15th/16th century. As many of the Pilgrim Father's originated from East Anglia, this recipe undoubtedly crossed the Atlantic with them, and was probably served at their Thanksgiving dinner for the first harvest in the New World - pumpkins being in abundance there! You can use marrow or squash in this pie if you wish, it works just as well as it would have done in the 15th/16th Century! Please note, this recipe uses fresh pumpkin.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6-8

Yield: 1.0 Pumpkin ...

• 8 ounces shortcrust pastry
• 1 ½ lbs pumpkin or 1 ½ lbs marrow , peeled and fibrous centre removed, cut into cubes
• 3 ounces brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 ounce currants or 1 ounce raisins

Directions:

1. Place the pumpkin in a colander over a pan of boiling water and steam for about 20 minutes or until tender. Mash to a pulp and allow to cool.
2. Grease and line a 10 - 12" diameter round tin with the shortcrust pastry and reserve the trimmings for decoration.
3. Prick the base, line with greaseproof paper and baking beans. Bake at 375F, Gas Mark 5, 190C for about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.
5. Whisk the eggs and sugar together with the nutmeg, ginger and ground cinnamon.
6. Fold in the mashed pumpkin, currants or raisins and 4 tablespoons of milk and pour into the pastry case.
7. Roll out the pastry trimmings and cut into strips with a pastry wheel.
8. Brush the strips and the pastry edges with the remaining milk and position strips in a criss-cross lattice pattern over the pie top.
9. Bake at 375F, Gas Mark 5, 190C for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until filling has set.
10. Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

Reviews

[dimensionally transcendental]

I am giving this a four because it is easy enough to make (given the palaver with fresh pumpkin!) and does what it is supposed to do. However, I have never had any pumpkin pie before and I have come to the conclusion I don't like it. I tried it hot and cold and it is just a bit too spicy for me. I prefer my sweet pies very sweet and this just isn't. I am glad I tried it though and I am glad I chose this recipe. IT just wasn't what I expected.

[AmandaInOz]

Great pie! I used green skinned Japanese pumpkin. To be honest, this isn't too far off in taste from an American style pumpkin pie. We loved the addition of fruit. I used sultanas, which really complimented the flavour of the spices and added an interesting texture. Yum! Thanks French Tart!