Maple Roasted Winter Squash Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the squash in half, sprinkle both halves with the salt and sugar, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake in a casserole for one hour or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. (Note: The squash can be roasted and scooped from the skin 3 days in advance.)
• Put the flour onto a clean surface or into a large bowl and make a well in the center. To the well, add the salt, the sugar, the butter, and 1 tablespoon cold water (add more if needed). With your fingertips, push the flour and butter together until large clumps form. Scoop the mixture together and with the heel of your hand, push until the dough comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour, or freeze for up to 2 weeks.
• Dust a clean surface with flour; with the end of a rolling pin, pound the chilled dough into a large disc.
• Roll the dough to fit an 11-inch pie plate: start from the center and roll away from yourself. Transfer the dough to the pie plate and gently press the dough into the plate and chill for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a large piece of parchment over the dough and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating once. Remove from the oven, pour the beans into a heat-proof pan, and cool the crust. (Note: The crust can be rolled out and pre-baked up to 3 days in advance. After cooling, cover with plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature.)
• For the filling, remove and discard the seeds from the cooked squash. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Add the cream, eggs, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, pinch of salt, lemon zest, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk to combine, leaving the squash chunky.
• Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake until the custard is set and golden-brown, 40-50 minutes.
• Let cool and serve with cinnamon-flavored whipped cream.

Steps:

• Slice the squash in half. This is the moment for the biggest knife in the drawer. Scoop out the seeds. Place each half facedown on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes at 385 degrees, until squash feels soft on the outside.
• After it cools from blistering to merely hot, scrape the meat from the skin with a spoon. Run the squash through a food processor until it looks like baby food. Measure 15 ounces - or roughly 2 1/4 cups - for the pie. Go ahead and feed the rest to a baby.
• Beat the eggs. Add sugar and beat some more. Add heavy cream.
• Combine the cooked squash purée with the egg batter.
• Toss the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a bowl.
• Add the spice mixture to the squash goop. Unless you want a mouthful of cloves, might as well stir again.
• If your Thanksgiving table is filled with blue-ribbon bakers who can detect a little soft dough from across the room, blind-bake the crust for a flakier bottom. If you're anyone else - including Ms. Fountain, at times - you'll probably skip this step.
• Pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Or 45. Or maybe 50. But don't overbake. If the center jiggles like the back end of one of those music video dancers you wish the kids wouldn't watch, it's done. Serve with fresh whipped cream. After the kids go to sleep, Ms. Fountain says, whip in a shot of rum.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. If you like, line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper or foil. (It's not necessary but will prove helpful when cleaning up.)
• In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine maple syrup and cayenne in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and let cook until it reduces by a third, 1 to 3 minutes. Add butter and let it melt. Turn off heat and mix in salt, pepper and coriander.
• Spread the squash out on the pan and spoon maple mixture over the pieces, turning them to coat. Roast until the pieces begin to soften, 15 minutes. Turn the squash pieces over and roast until glazed and tender, 10 to 20 minutes more. Drizzle lime juice and scatter sage leaves over the top for serving.