Ingredients

Simple Pie Crust

  • 1 1/2 cups cold butter
  • 3 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 tablespoons very cold water
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fine ground salt

Sourdough Pie Crust

  • 250 g All Purpose Flour
  • 5 g Salt (or to taste)
  • 10 g Sugar (optional - see notes)
  • 230 g Unsalted Butter must be COLD
  • 200 g Sourdough Starter or Sourdough Discard
  • 10 g White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 50 g Iced Water (just in case)

Pie Filling

  • 29 ounces pumpkin puree
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups cream, half and half, or evaporated milk (cream preferred)
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Simple Pie Crust

  1. In a large bowl, combine the cold butter and unbleached flour. Cut the butter into the flour until you have a crumbly texture.
  2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg, very cold water, and white vinegar.
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the butter and flour mixture, and add the fine ground salt. Mix until the dough comes together. You may need to use your hands to form a ball.
  4. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Sourdough Pie Crust

  1. This dough makes enough pastry for a top and bottom crust. If only need the top or bottom, just halve the amounts listed.
  2. Add all purpose flour, salt and sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Set aside for now.
  3. Grate the cold butter into a bowl. If the butter starts to melt or is very soft once grated, place the bowl into the freezer. This will help to firm the butter up and make the next step much easier. I cannot stress enough how important it is for the butter to be COLD.
  4. Place the cold, grated butter into the bowl with the flour, salt and sugar and use a spatula, pastry cutter or simply your finger tips to coat the butter in the flour. You want the butter to stay cold, so try to touch it as little as you can.
  5. Now, add the sourdough starter or discard and vinegar and bring the mixture into a dry, shaggy dough. It's best just to use your hands to squeeze the pastry dough together. It will be a rough, dry dough.
  6. If the dough really isn't coming together at all, add a little iced water until you are able to bring it together.
  7. Tip the rough dough out onto the counter, divide the dough into two pieces and bring each piece into a rough ball. Wrap each ball of pastry dough in parchment paper and squash it down into a disc shape. Wrap each disc in cling wrap and place both discs into the fridge.
  8. If you prefer to just refrigerate as one ball, that's fine too. You can just divide the pastry into two pieces when you want to roll it out.
  9. Leave the dough a minimum of one hour to fully hydrate and become cold. You can leave the dough in the fridge for up to 48 hours before you use it.
  10. When you are ready to use the sourdough pastry to make a pie crust, take the dough out of the fridge and unwrap it. Dust the dough lightly with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to your desired size.
  11. This recipe makes enough for a top and bottom crust. I have used a 1.4L pie dish and it generously filled the dish with some to spare.

Pie Filling

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, salt, sugar, cream (or half and half, or evaporated milk), cinnamon powder, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
  2. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) if you want a flakier crust. Alternatively, preheat to 350°F (175°C).

Assembly

  1. Roll out one of the pie crusts on a floured surface to fit your pie pan. Place the crust in the pan.
  2. Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the unbaked crust.
  3. If you want a flakier crust, bake the pie at 450°F (232°C) for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 45 minutes. If not, simply bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes.
  4. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a countertop for at least 2 hours before serving.