It’s a spooktastic time of year and Halloween is celebrated by one Petersfield and Shine Radio team member with house and garden decorations. 

Shine Radio’s Jo Gray shares her traditional Canadian family recipe for Pumpkin Pie with Noni Needs, adding a gluten free pastry case.

For the full recipe see below.

You Will Need: for Jo’s Halloween Pumpkin Pie Recipe 

Pumpkin pie spice

Tip: mix & keep for extra bakes!

3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons of ground ginger

2 tablespoons of ground nutmeg

1 ½ tablespoons of ground allspice

1 ½ tablespoons of ground cloves Tip: Way too pungent for me so I only used as sprinkle!

Gluten free sweet pastry – this amount made enough for the baby pie pastry for Noni (so double up for a big one)

190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5 

100g Plain White Flour
25g icing sugar
¼ tsp Xanthan Gum
50g butter
3 egg yolks

1. Pre-heat oven.
2. Line your tin with baking paper. Tip: I prefer this to lining with butter as I find it burns the pasty.
3. Mix the flour, icing sugar & xanthan gum then sieve into another bowl.
4. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the bowl.
5. Using a fork work them together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs – takes a while but bear with it!
6. Add the yokes & stir to combine.
7. Using your hands form the mix into a ball. Tip: it’s sticky so keep a small amount of flour to dust your hands.
8. Dust the surface with flour, put the ball of dough in the middle & sprinkle with flour.
9. Roll out the pastry & place in tin. Prick base with a fork. Tip: I prefer a rustic finish to my bakes & leave the edges rough with peaks to make it look Halloweeny.
10. Tip: Roll out any leftover pasty to cut little star shapes for placing on top of the pie

Blind bake

1. Cover with a large piece of baking paper, making sure all the edges are covered.
2. Scatter with baking beans Tip: I don’t have these so fill with rice instead.
3. Cook for 10-12mins. Remove from oven & cool – leaving the baking paper, baking beans (or rice) in place. 
4. Tip: If you’re lucky enough to have leftover pasty stars, place them on baking paper on a tray next to the tin, covering with another piece of baking paper to cook.

One can of pumpkin puree

The filling – this is enough for two baby pies or one big one

3 eggs

Whipping cream

Granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon each of ground ginger, nutmeg & salt

1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

1. Line a dinner plate with 2 layers of absorbent kitchen paper. Empty the pumpkin puree onto the paper & cover with 2 more layers. Press to absorb any liquid. Repeat with more paper, if required.
2. Scrape the pumkin puree into bowl.
3. Mix in (or whisk for more volume) all the other ingredients. Tip: Whisk for more volume – I didn’t for radio as it’s noisy!
4. Cook on centre rack for approx. 40mins (until edge is set & centre still jiggly).
5. Place the stars on top of the pie (if using) & cool on a rack. Chill ready for eating – if you can wait that long!