What makes it perfect? It's silky smooth, and has the traditional pumpkin flavor with an almost voluptuous mouth feel. Oh! Whipped cream on top would be gilding the lily, but what the heck. Won a blue ribbon at the state fair in 2002.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes plus pastry
Baking Time: 55-60 minutes
Serves: 7
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Ingredients

9" pie shell, baked and cooled.
Use a high fluted edge to hold all of the filling.

Filling:

1 can 100% pumpkin (15 oz.)
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. allspice
2 large eggs plus
2 egg yolks
1 c. canned evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)

Directions

Adjust oven rack to a lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, heat the pumpkin, salt and spices over low heat for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors, stirring often.
Add the milks and blend. Cook until heated through but not boiling.
Puree eggs and egg yolks in a blender.
With the blender running on low, add pumpkin filling (a little at a time at first, then more quickly as the egg mixture heats up). Blend to create a silky texture.
Pour filling into prebaked pie shell.
Bake until a thin-bladed knife inserted near the center comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Baker’s Notes and Tips and Tricks

Sometimes this makes more filling than will fit in the pie shell, even with a high fluted edge. In that case, I just bake the extra in a little glass bowl, topped with leftover decorative pastry pieces. Then I don't have to wait for the official pie to get the first delicious tastes!