Every time I am feeling a little too much, or sometimes not enough, I bake a pie. I bake a pie when I celebrate something, make a new friend, figure out something hard, go on an inspiring trip, and, most of all, when I am trying to create a feeling of home.
For my project-turned-cookbook, “50 Pies, 50 States,” I decided to learn about America by creating a pie for each state that said something about its people and included meaningful regional ingredients.
For pumpkin pie, one state stood out: Illinois. About 85% of canned pumpkin consumed in the United States comes from Illinois, and pumpkin pie is the official state pie.
But I couldn’t just make a regular ol’ pumpkin pie! I had to think outside the box. Then it hit me: I could make the love child of a pumpkin pie and a deep-dish pizza, which is thick and baked in a skillet and requires a fork and knife to eat ’cause it’s too dang hard to pick up! Like one of Chicago’s skyscrapers, this deep-dish pumpkin pie was an engineering feat.
The deep-dish crust is the hardest part of this recipe. I always egg-wash the crust. For the egg wash, I combine one whole large egg, one large yolk, and 2 tablespoons milk or water (whichever you have on hand) in a quart container, and blend with an immersion blender or whisk until smooth. This has been the recipe that has given me the best golden brown on my bakes. Don’t be stressed, chill your dough and take your time! Pro Tip: Make your filling a day in advance; this will help guarantee a thicker set custard filling.
Deep-Dish Pumpkin Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Start to finish: 6 hours (1 hour active)
Ingredients
CRUST
Store-bought or homemade pie dough (preferably made with all butter; and enough for a double crusted pie); do not separate into two portions.
Egg wash
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PUMPKIN FILLING
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree (I prefer Libby’s)
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
6 large eggs, beaten
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SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
9-inch springform pan that is at least 2-1/2inches deep
Parchment paper
Directions
MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: sugars, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pepper. In a separate medium bowl, mix the pumpkin, cream and eggs together until well incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredients and make sure everything is well incorporated. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
BLIND BAKE THE CRUST: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the double portion of dough so that there will be at least a 1-inch overhang beyond the edge of the springform pan. Spray the 9-inch springform pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Fit the rolled-out crust in the pan, making sure to push the dough into all corners on the bottom and that all the sides are covered. Leave about an inch of dough hanging over the edge of the pan. Freeze for one hour. Prick the dough with a fork on the base and sides. Line the entire crust with foil, making sure it is tight around the edges. Fill to the brim with pie weights or beans. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden at the edges. Let the crust cool completely with the weights still in the crust; it may take 2 to 3 hours to cool completely.
FILL AND BAKE THE PIE: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the foil and weights from the baked crust and brush the entire crust with egg wash to seal. Keep the crust in the springform pan. Place it on a baking sheet and fill with the chilled pumpkin filling. Bake the pie on the center rack, rotating the baking sheet 90 degrees every 15 minutes to make sure the filling is cooking evenly, for 45 to 50 minutes, until the center has a slight jiggle but is mostly set. Check the edge of the crust at 30 minutes; if it is getting too brown, tent with foil. Let the pie cool for at least four hours before removing from the springform pan. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Best enjoyed while watching “The Last Dance” documentary series about Michael Jordan and the 1997 Chicago Bulls.
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Adapted from “50 Pies, 50 States,” by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Copyright (copyright) 2024 by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.