Pumpkin Pie Recipe
In this stage of the recipe, we'll learn to make the pie crust for the pumpkin pie recipe.
The first step in making this pumpkin recipe is to make the shell.
The pie tin will need to be lined with sufficiently so that the pie filling does not leak and further, the pie crust needs to be sealed so that the pumpkin filling won't make the crust soggy.
You will need:
- A spring form pan
- 3 sheets of pastry
- egg white for egg wash
For a crusty and flaky shell, follow the steps in this recipe
Preheat the oven
Before you start, preheat the oven at 425F/200C.Prepare Pie Crust
Cut a circle using the base of the spring form pan as a template.Leave a margin of 3/4 inch. This excess pastry will go up the walls of the baking tin. I don't like seams at the base as joins are a weak area and may break or leak, so I make the joins with large overlaps.
Don't discard the bits of cut-offs. You'll use them to decorate the top or roll them out again at the end to make jam tarts or fruit tarts.
Place the base back into the spring form pan. Be sure to securely latch the spring form lever.
Pop the circle into the base of the spring form pan, making sure the surplus goes right up the wall.
Cut little darts to make the wall lining lie flat.
Press the sheet joins together firmly.
To line the walls, cut a sheet into thirds so you have three long strips. I use a pair of kitchen scissors - it's much easier than using a knife.
Line the walls of the spring form pan with these three strips.
Moisten with a little water, the edges where the strips join the base and to the other strips.
Bake Blind
This means bake the pie crust without any pumpkin filling. There are two options:- use pie weights or baking beans
- bake as is
Pie Weights/Baking Beans
Pie weights or baking beans are used to prevent the pie crust from rising.How: Line the pastry with baking paper then pop the weights or baking beans in the pastry shell and bake for 10 minutes in a hot oven at 425F/200C.
Take it out, remove the baking beans, cool a little, brush with egg wash to seal it, then it's back into the oven again for 5 minutes to set the egg whites.
Bake As Is
If you don't have pie weights or baking beans, don't worry, as we all managed to do so for decades before these weights were available (and still do).The objective is still the same - to bake the shell and to seal it. To make a pumpkin pie recipe successfully, the pastry shell must be sealed and baked so that the pumpkin filling does not make the base soggy.
To prevent the pastry from rising too much, prick lots of holes into the pastry using a fork. This gives the pastry "expansion" space.
Brush the shell with egg wash to seal it.
Seal with Glaze
Learn how to separate eggs to make egg wash.Reserve the remainder of the egg wash for use on the pastry top.
Bake The Shell
Bake the shell in a hot oven at 425F/ 200C for 10 minutes.Take it out immediately. The pastry will have risen. If you want it flatter, make small snips with a pair of scissors and press it down.
Next Step
Then proceed to the next step in this recipe, filling with pumpkin and Feta cheese. Follow the instructions in the recipe to make a successful pie fillingHere's the baked shell ready to be topped up with your pumpkin filling, made with the proportions in this recipe.
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