Have Fun Learning English

A traditional dish from North America - perfect for Halloween

Ingredients

For the filling:-

Half a medium sized mashed, cooked pumpkin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
165g of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt

For the pastry case:-

335g plain flour
1 teaspoon of salt
205g of margarine
120 ml cold water

Method

The pie crust:-

1. Prepare pie crusts by mixing together the flour and salt.
2. Cut the margarine into the flour and lightly rub in.
3. Add 1 tablespoon water to mixture at a time.
4. Mix the dough and repeat until it's is moist enough to hold together.
5. With lightly floured hands shape the dough into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured board roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness.
7. Line the pie dish.

The filling:-

1. Halve the pumpkin and scoop out seeds and stringy portions.
2. Cut the pumpkin into chunks.
3. In a saucepan over medium heat, in 1 inch of boiling water heat the pumpkin to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender.
5. Drain, cool and remove the peel.
6. Return the pumpkin to the saucepan and mash with a potato masher.
7. Drain well.
   
8. In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin with evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
9. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
10. Bake 40 minutes.
    

Definitions

To bake: To cook in an oven.

To beat: To agitate an ingredient or combination of ingredients vigorously, using a spoon, whisk, electric mixer or fork.

To drain: To remove water from ingredients cooked in liquid or from raw ingredients that have been washed in water by placing them in a sieve or colander.

To line: To place a layer of pastry in a baking tin.

To mix: To stir food ingredients together until they are combined.

To pour: To transfer a liquid from one container to another.

To roll out : To reduce the thickness of pastry or dough by applying equal pressure with a rolling pin.

To rub in: A method of incorporating fat into flour by rubbing the fat with the fingertips until it combines with the flour to form a mixture with a breadcrumb-like consistency.