Old-Fashioned Cushaw Pie

This year I tried growing Green Striped Cushaw for the first time and although they were incredibly simple to grow I wasn't sure what to do with them. Then my friend, Karen J., said it is her family tradition to have a Cushaw Pie each year at Thanksgiving. The Cushaw is touted as one of the best pie making pumpkin/squashes around. So give it a shot and who knows, maybe you'll start your own family tradition. Enjoy!

What you need:

• 1 large cushaw squash - peeled, seeded, and chopped

• 3 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1 1/2 cups clover honey

• 4 eggs

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons salt, divided

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 2 cups hard white flour, or more as needed

• 12 2/3 tablespoons butter, softened

• 7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

• 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 #Eggs