Mile-high pumpkin pie
Servings: 6
This recipe is a bit of a magic trick, turning out totally differently texturally than it appears in the tin. The trick is in picking a sweet, small pumpkin, slicing with the shape to celebrate its colours, and roasting to bring out its sweetness. The batter sinks to the bottom as the mix bakes, forming an impossibly light crust and an artfully high pie. think of it as a Yorkshire Pud, masquerading as a Pumpkin Pie! The bacon is an optional but excellent addition, which you’re also welcome to leave out to keep this vego-friendly. You can substitute GF flour at a 1:1 ratio (Ardor is my favourite brand if you can find it). If you don’t have a pie dish, use an oven-proof frying pan with higher sides.
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Ingredients
- ¼ smaller Kent or kabocha pumpkin (approx. 800g) washed, deseeded and sliced into roughly 10 wedges
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 leek, white part only washed and finely sliced
- Good handful of sage leaves finely sliced
- 100 g streaky bacon diced
- 50 g butter
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
- 50 g cheddar cheese grated
- 50 g baby spinach leaves
- 4 eggs
- 300 ml thickened cream
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup plain flour
- 100 g marinated feta cubes
Sage and hazelnut burnt butter
- 50 g butter
- ½ cup sage leaves
- ¼ cup hazelnuts
Instructions
- Butter and flour a 1.25-litre round pie dish. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a baking tray with paper. Toss the pumpkin with olive oil and a teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated. Arrange the slices onto the prepared baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. Reserve the schmutzy bowl.
- Meanwhile, toss the sliced leeks and sage in the reserved bowl, catching the residual oil and seasoning.
- Cook the bacon starting in a cold pan on medium heat with a splash of water, waiting for the liquid to evaporate and the bacon to start changing colour, then add the butter, leeks, sage and garlic; sweat together for 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
- Scatter this mix over the prepared pie dish, along with the cheddar and spinach leaves. In the same schmutzy bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, nutmeg, flour and a little pinch of salt flakes and pepper, then pour over the top of the pie dish. Arrange the roasted slices of pumpkin overlapping to create a mandala-like pattern. Scatter over the marinated feta. Turn the oven down to 170°C (150°C fan). Place the pie onto the centre rack and cook for 30-35 minutes or until puffed up and slightly golden on top.
- To make the sage and hazelnut burnt butter, heat the butter in a small saucepan and drop in the sage leaves and hazelnuts; shimmy the pan over a medium heat until the leaves are crisp and the butter and hazelnuts are nut-brown. Pour this mix over the top of the pie, which can be served warm immediately or cold the next day.
