Traditional Cushaw pie
Instructions:
- 2⁄3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar;
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar;
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground allspice;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground ginger;
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg;
- 3 large eggs;
- 1 cup heavy cream;
- 11⁄2 cups roasted cushaw purée;
- 1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell ;
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until the whites and yolks are blended. Whisk in the cream and cushaw puree. Whisk in the brown sugar mixture until the filling is smooth but not frothy. Pour the filling into the pie shell. The filling should come just to the rim of the crust, so discard any excess.
- Place the pie on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until the sides of the filling begin to puff and the center is nearly set but still jiggles oh-so-slightly when shaken gently, about 20 minutes more. Avoid testing the doneness with a knife, which can cause the filling to crack as it cooks. Take the pie off the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. The filling will continue to firm as it cools. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to a day. Serve chilled or at room temperature, topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
- What else works? You can replace the cushaw with puree from a pie pumpkin, a sugar pumpkin, or another dense winter squash such as kabocha, red kuri, or blue Hubbard. Roasted sweet potato puree is also good.