Thanksgiving in Piemonte
   
      In a few hours (yes, at this God-awful, early time) I will be heading off to Spain for my last study trip as part of my university studies. As excited as I am to eat 12 servings of churros everyday, I also can't shake the little feeling of sadness over missing Thanksgiving...PSYCH! We already celebrated Thanksgiving last week in anticipation of our last journey. Thanksgiving abroad was definitely an odd experience. Riding my bike with a 20 lb. turkey in the back...unpleasant. Fitting said turkey into a baby, Italian oven...maddening. In the end, all the blood (metaphorically), sweat (literally), and tears(hard to say) were worth it; many of my friends enjoyed Thanksgiving for the first time that day. Was the dinner perfect? Far from it, but the company was grand and peckish European appetites resulted in copious amounts of leftovers. Here's a look at the festivities: 

(Photo: Nicole Martorana)

(Photo: Nicole Martorana)

(Photo: Nicole Martorana)

(Photo: Nicole Martorana)

(Photo: Nicole Martorana)

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

(400F for 15 min. --- 350F for remaining 50-55 min.)

     

 Crust (Adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

• 2 1/2 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 1 cup (227 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (2 sticks)
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
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• Filling (adapted from Savory Sweet Life)
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• 2 cups pureed pumpkin
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup heavy cream

     First, make the crust at least 6 hours before you plan on making the pie. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour with the sugar, salt, and butter until it forms a paste. Cut the remaining flour in and add the water slowly, reserving the last two tablespoons in case of a drier mixture. Form the dough into balls and refrigerate for at least a few hours. 

     To make the filling, again, you should start in advance. Peel, cut and roast your pumpkin pieces at a low tempurature (200F) for 2-3 hours until they have darkened and shrunk. Add them to a blender with a few tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Add more water if the mixture isn't blending properly. Add the spices and the evaporated milk. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add the salt, sugar, eggs, and cream. Once everything is mixed well, pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish. Bake until lightly set, about 60-75 minutes. Serve with ice cream and/or whipped cream.