A savory pumpkin pie

A savory pumpkin pie

This recipe will work with canned pumpkin puree. However a far superior result in flavor will be achieved with freshly cooked pumpkin / winter squash. To cook a pumpkin, buy a small one that weighs about 900g (2 pounds), split it in half down the centre, drizzle the cut side with a little olive oil and place it cut side down onto a baking paper lined baking sheet. Roast at 220˚C / 450˚F for 40-45 minutes, until flesh is very soft. You will know it is done if you press the skin and it feels soft. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, then discard the seeds and scoop the tender flesh out. A 900g (2 pound) pumpkin / winter squash should give you exactly the amount you need for this recipe.  

For cooks in Australia, for this recipe, I used US tablespoons which equates to 3 teaspoons. Keep this in mind when measuring the butter, cornflour and rice flour.

Silken tofu delivers a beautifully supple, creamy custard that is also light. It does not taste of tofu at all, but I often prefer the ease of using silken tofu in puddings to achieve reliable results. It’s not vegan because of the gruyere, but it could be easily made so by replacing the cheese with nutritional yeast or a vegan cheese.

Serves 4

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Ingredients

• 100g (1 cup) old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten free for GF diets)
• 150g (about 1 ½ cups) pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• a pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• a few thyme leaves (optional)
• 55g (about 4 tablespoons) salted or unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 425g (15 ounces) very soft, cooked pumpkin / winter squash (or 1 can pumpkin puree) (see headnote)
• 300g (10 ounces) silken tofu, drained
• 200ml nondairy or dairy milk such as coconut or oat
• 30g (about 3 tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
• 27g (about 3 tablespoons) fine rice flour
• 100g Comte or aged gruyere cheese, finely grated, plus more to serve (I use microplane)
• Sea salt and black pepper

To serve

• chopped chives
• caramelized onions (see below)
• grated gruyere

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C / 350˚F. Place the oats and pecan or walnuts onto a baking sheet and place in the oven and toast until fragrant, about 8 -10 minutes. Watch them closely to make sure they don’t burn. Leave the oven on.

2. Place the oats and toasted nuts into a blender or food processor and pulse until the ground to resemble crumbs or wet sand. Transfer the crumbs in into a large bowl and add the brown sugar, sea salt and if using, the nutmeg and thyme leaves. Stir to combine. Add the butter and stir until the crumbs are well coated.

3. Grease a 9-inch, loose bottomed pie tin with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer the crumbs to the pie tin and press it evenly across the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides, tidying the top of the sides as much as possible. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a baking sheet, ready for filling. Leave the oven on.

4. Meanwhile, place the pumpkin / winter squash (or canned pumpkin puree) into a blender and add the silken tofu, milk, cornflour (cornstarch) and rice flour. Puree until it is completely smooth. Add the cheese, season with about 1 teaspoon of sea salt and lots of black pepper and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the cooled pie shell, smoothing the top. Bake until the filling is set around the edges with a slightly jiggle in the centre, 35-40 minutes.

5. Cool completely before transferring to the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

6. When ready to serve, top with the caramelized onions, if using, more grated gruyere and chives.

   Optional Caramelized onions

   Extra virgin olive oil
   3 brown / yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
   Pinch sea salt

   Heat a large frying pan / skillet on medium heat. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil, the onions and a pinch of sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, reducing the heat to medium low if the onions start to burn too quickly, until the onions are soft, sweet and caramelized, about 45 - 50 minutes.