From Prairie Gardens fresh Pumpkin Pie Pumpkins for Filling Recipe!
This is not my mother’s pumpkin pie. Hers was the Andy Warhol pie all boomers ate in the 60’s: the recipe on the Libby pumpkin can. And it was really good. This is my grandmother’s pumpkin pie. It is also Tam Anderson’s grandmother’s pie recipe from Prairie Gardens Adventure Farms. I am so thankful for Tam sharing her recipe with me, as it led to my mother digging out grandma’s tattered version after dinner on Monday.
This pie brought back mom’s memories of her own mother’s pie. For me, it was just an incredibly dense and delicious truly from scratch pie. I had made them before, but using the Libby recipe, except with my own oven roasted Sugar Pumpkins. Always delicious, but not nearly as full bodied or meaty or completely satisfying as this one.
Roasting the pumpkins makes all the difference. I have actually experimented in the past with boiling and roasting the pumpkin flesh: oven roasting is the only way to go. Where are the step by step gorgeous fall photos I took while coring the two beautiful Sugar Pumpkins from Tam’s farm? The card was not in the camera. The camera did not offer its usual warning signal. I was so excited about the preparation and incredible post this would be, that I almost chose to not write one at all without those photos.
But, I will do it again, and add them in another time. This pie still begged a celebration and recognition. Look at the morsel below. I am still salivating thinking of it.
The large green pumpkin above, is also a pie pumpkin, so after mom’s surgery tomorrow, and her recovery, I hope to do a step-by-step using this pumpkin. Interestingly, the large pumpkin I was given gave me 4 cups of roasted pumpkin, and the small one, two. So, with 6 cups of pumpkin to work with, I made increased the recipe below, by four. Now, my pie plates are much larger than a 9 inch foil that this recipe is made for. I found that the recipe I made, with 6 cups of pumpkin was enough for two large pies and a half. I froze the remaining filling for tarts, later. Or, depending upon how much pumpkin I get from the green one, I may add it to a second pie. Basically, I found that I needed 2 and 1/2 cups of roasted pumpkin to make one pie this size.
Traditional Canadian Pumpkin Pie from the Prairies
This traditional Canadian recipe has been a Thanksgiving dessert staple for hundreds of years. I was actually brought up on the recipe from the side of the Libby's can, but this one is our traditional family recipe now. You will need 1 disc of pie pastry rolled and prepared in pie plate, ready for filling.
Ingredients
- Traditional Canadian Pumpkin Pie Filling Recipe
- Makes one small 9-inch pie
- 3 1/4 cups or 800 grams cooked pumpkin, well drained, or finely mashed roasted pumpkin pulp
- 2 large know-your-farmer eggs
- 2 tablespoons or 20 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon or 15 grams butter
- 1 cup or 120 grams sugar
- 1/4 cup or 60 grams whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°F
-
If using whole pumpkin, cut pumpkins and scoop out seeds
-
Cut into sections easy for roasting and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet flesh side down
-
Roast for 30 to 45 minutes until tips are blackened and the rest of the pumpkin is soft and roasted through; cool
-
Meanwhile, prepare pie crust
-
Peel skin (it will be very thin) off of each pumpkin piece and measure in cups, adjusting recipe accordingly (to account for how many cups you have)
-
Put ingredients into a food processor, blend until smooth and then pour into uncooked 9 inch pie crust
-
Bake at 350°F for 60-90 minutes , or until done: I baked two at the same time (I covered them with foil after an hour to prevent pastry from gettingtoo dark)r)
-
Cool and serve with a dollop of the best, thickest and purest heavy cream you can find!
Instructions for the Thermomix:
-
Preheat oven to 350°F
-
Cut pumpkins and scoop out seeds
-
Cut into sections easy for roasting and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet
-
Roast for 30 to 45 minutes until tips are blackened and the rest of the pumpkin is roasted through; cool
-
Meanwhile, prepare pie crust
-
Peel skin (it will be very thin) off of each pumpkin piece and measure in cups, adjusting recipe accordingly (to account for how many cups you have)
-
Scale all ingredients into the TM bowl; mix to combine for 15 seconds at speed 4, then at 15 seconds at speed 6 (Make sure your hand is holding the measuring cup on the lid in place for the second higher speed mix!)
-
Pour ingredients into a prepared 9 inch prepared pie crust
-
Bake at 350°F for an hour; my pies took 90 minutes as they were so large and I baked two at the same time (I covered them with foil after an hour to prevent pastry from getting even darker)
-
Cool and serve with a dollop of the best, thickest and purest heavy cream you can find!
Recipe Notes
Of course, you can simply use 800g of canned pumpkin; the large can is exactly 800g, but there is simply no comparison in flavour between the fresh roasted pumpkin and that in the can
The Traditional Canadian Pie Pastry recipe is now on Cookidoo if you have a Thermomix. It will make enough pastry for 6 eight-inch pies or 5 nine-inch pies.
You can also find my recipe here: https://www.acanadianfoodie.com/2013/11/09/tenderflake-pie-pastry-and-variations/
Mmmm looks divine!!
I LOVE old recipes!!!! This is a treasure I am sure!!! WOW it looks gorgeous!!!!
Thank you for sharing the recipe & pictures!
I think I will try this for our Thanksgiving that is coming up soon.
One question…your crust looks very yummy! I make fabulous pie crust. I always like asking about recipes though…Do you use shortening or lard or oil for your crust?
Thank you for sharing all this!
Dianne
Yummy..looks so good!! I’m interested in your pie crust recipe as well. I could use some tips.
Best wishes to your mom on her surgery and recovery 🙂
Thank you, Cathy!
That is so sweet – and appreciated. It is Friday, and am leaving just now to pick her up for her surgery. I do have pastry posted on my site, but will have to give you the link when I have a bit more time to find it as my search engine is not working. I do believe it is in my butter tart recipe page..
🙂
V
My grandmother doesn’t have a pumpkin pie! But that means I get to play around with a bunch to find my favorite.
Valerie!! That looks lovely! I just saw a link popin from an unknown blog so I thought I check it out only to find your new blog design. it;s lovely!! Love the layout as it is so much more organized than your old site. Nice work!
Mmmm I love this pie! It looks perfect! And now I want to make one. You know, I make pumpkin pie every year but have never roasted the pumpkin first! This time you bet I will! And what beautiful pumpkins!
I love pumpkin pie and my mother always made Libby’s and so do I. I would like to try a ‘from scratch’ recipe!
Val this looks amazing!!! Dense and delicious pumpkin pie. I’m sad that my boyfriend dislikes pumpkin but that’s not going to stop me from trying this out before fall is over.
Hi Valerie! I just wanted to say I love the new layout of your site! So clean and polished! Great job 🙂
I’m so glad your mom’s surgery went well! Thinking of you all!
Jessie
I am so thrilled to see you are back and writing and definitely cannot be keeping up to reading and all I love to do right now – but I want to tell you how much your support means! Love the work you are doing. Keep it up! Can’t wait to get back for some weekly inspiration!
🙂
Valerie
I grew up eating the pumpkin pie on the E.D. Smith Canned Pumpkin Can. I assume it’s very similar to the Libby. That’s still what I make every year. I keep thinking about making a true “from scratch” pie but worry that it won’t tug those memory centers. But your description of this one has me convinced to give it a try this year. Thank you!!!
Christine! Love the name of your site! I look forward to reading about your own pumpkin pie from scratch very soon on your site!
🙂
Valerie
Hi Val, I have been patiently awaiting you the launch your new look and here it is! Love the colors and the stream lined – easy to find content – format. Love it!
chow 🙂 DEVAKI @ weavethousandflavors
PS – The pumpkin pie and those gorgeous pumpkins look delish too!
Hi, Devaki!
Thanks for your kind words! I can see I am missing some
Very good posts of yours, but mom is in the hospital and I am very far behind in everything!!!
XO
V
Yummy! I think I would love this, Valerie… do you home deliver?? ; )
This is the recipe I’ve used for over 30 years and my mother before that! love it! (thanks for sharing the family secret recipe) 😉
Hi.plus check your spelling of Andy Warol. Am sure he would giggle at his appearance in this context. 🙂
HI Cee – thanks for pointing out the spelling. We were both wrong! I had 2 ll’s and you left out the h – but it is correct no, due to you!. Warhol
HUGS,
Valerie
This is a great recipe! Everybody loved the pies I made. Thank you very much! I made it twice and used brown sugar the second time, its much nicer with brown sugar.
Tickled to hear this, Sophia!
Thank you SO much for letting me know. It is a real feel good moment for me, and provides credibility to my readers that this is a tried and true recipe.
Hope you gave it some stars! (a baby boomer – always looking for those gold stars and old enough to remember them on the top right hand corner of my scribblers!)
🙂
Valerie
Hi.
I am just using this recipe and completely confused… After the milk and eggs the “crust” is just liquid. Is the amount of flour (2 tablespoons) stated the recipe correct?
Also, would love the actual “how to make the crust” recipe too. I might just have to free flow from here as the pie needs to be ready this afternoon… But pleas let me know how you would adjust the recipe to make the crust crust and not liquid..
Ohi got it… this actually just the filling recipe. Not the whole pie recipe. Well well… I am progressing at least.. 😉 First time I am trying a Canadian recipe.
The pastry recipe is also on my site and there is a link to it in the post, Elissa.
You have to make the pastry first, and have it made. Then you make the filling and put it in the pastry and bake it.
🙂
Let me know how it turns out!
Happy Easter!
Valerie
HI Elissa
Sorry – yesterday was Easter Weekend here and full of company, so I wasn’t working on my computer and missed your question.
The pastry recipe you can find under doughs and crusts – pastries. Or, in the search box, type pastry and use the Tenderflake pastry recipe. Also, there is a link to the pastry recipe inside of this recipe.
Hope it worked for you?
Eager to hear back!
Valerie
Hello Valerie
The picture looks exactly like the pie I want to make in my kitchen! I wonder, though, if there is a typo in the recipe. It says 1 1/2 cups or 800 gm, did you mean 3 cups? I believe the small can is 1 1/2 cups. Thanks!
Thanks for the heads up. So odd. I think this happened when the app changed. It is 3 1/4 cups or 800 mL or one large can.
I will add that to the recipe.
Sincerely,
Valerie
Hi Val,
Do you have pointers for storage, pre making it and cooling down please?
Tina
Hi Tina
Apologies for missing this!
Simplest pie to make as all ingredients are combined until smooth and poured into the crust and baked.
I have actually found if well wrapped, individually sliced, or whole, that it freezes well.
Cooling? Out of the oven and on a heat resistant surface works well.
Happy 2024!
Valerie