Best Cushaw Pie Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED CUSHAW PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add squash, cover, and steam until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Blend squash in a blender until smooth. Pour 6 cups squash puree into a large mixing bowl. Reserve any extra squash puree for a separate use.
• Stir cream, honey, eggs, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, allspice, and nutmeg into 6 cups squash puree; whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside.
• Mix flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture; add water and mix well. Add more flour to dough if it is too wet. Cut dough in half and roll onto a floured work surface; form into two 10-inch circles. Press dough into 2 pie pans and pour squash filling into each.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

CUSHAW PIE

Steps:

• Sift together sugar and spices and add to cooked, pureed squash.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Add cream and mix well.
• Bake in unbaked pie shell 10 minutes at 450, then 40 minutes at 350. (If you use a deep dish pie crust, add an additional 15-20 minutes to the last leg of cooking.).
• Pie is done with the edges are set and brown but the middle still has just a bit of movement, like a custard. A knife or toothpick inserted should come out clean.
• Cool completely on a rack before cutting or refrigerating. Can be eaten immediately, refrigerated for a few days, or frozen for later enjoyment.
• COOKING THE SQUASH:.
• Cushaw is easiest cooked by cutting it length-wise (this will take a little muscle and a serrated knife or small, clean hand saw), removing the inner pulp and seeds, and then baking the hull, skin still on, in a 350 degree oven on a lined baking sheet. It's done when the flesh is soft and the skin slides off easily - about 1 hour.
• It can be cooked more quickly by slicing the gourd lengthwise, then cutting away the rind and cutting the cushaw flesh into chunks. Boil or steam until fork-tender.
• Puree the cooked cushaw flesh, rind/skin removed, in a food processor or blender in small batches until it is smooth and lump-free. You can also use a potato masher for a more rustic feel, but the resulting pie will be more lumpy, rather than a smooth, custard-like texture.
• Be sure to drain the cushaw thoroughly or the pie will end up too watery. I usually put the cooked, pureed pulp in a strainer, place the strainer over a bowl, and then cover and refrigerate overnight.
• One cushaw will render enough pulp to make several pies, depending on the size. The leftovers freeze wonderfully in 1 cup portions and will save you from having to process it all again next time!

CUSHAW PIE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare squash by cutting off rind and seeding it. Cut into small chunks.
• 2. Cook enough cushaw to equal 2 cups. This can be done by putting a small amount of water in a pan and slowly cooking it so it won't stick. Another way is to put cushaw in a microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave until soft.
• 3. Put cooked cushaw in mixing bowl.
• 4. Add remaining ingredients and mix until blended well.
• 5. Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 degrees until done, about 45 minutes or until center doesn't jiggle.
• 6. Take raw cushaw and freeze. Use another day.

CUSHAW PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• If you never roasted a cushaw, it's easy. Cut it up, clean out the seed guts (save for next year's garden) and roast in a 450° oven until soft. For this recipe, I roasted the cushaw with a good drizzle of olive oil flavored with Blood Orange from Stuarto's. Scrape the cushaw with a fork, then use and KitchenAid Hand Blender - Contour Silver to create puree. Freeze remainder of cushaw for another time.
• For pie baking, preheat oven to 450°.
• Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
• Pour into unbaked 9 inch pie shell.
• Cook for 10 minutes at 450°.
• Reduce heat to 350°, cover pie crust shell with a collar of aluminum foil and bake for another 40 minutes or so. The middle will be softly giggly...but almost firm.
• Total Cooktime 50 minutes
• Allow to cool. Can be made a day ahead of your event, and refrigerated. Enjoy!
• Notes and Observations:
• This pie is a favorite especially in fall and winter. Pairs well with hazelnut liqueur as an after dinner treat. Here at the barn, cushaw pie is always, always, served with real whipped cream which include a splash of bourbon. Cheers!