Pumpkin Pie

1. Put the pumpkin in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain and leave to cool.
2. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin, then chill for 15 minutes. Line with baking parchment and beans and bake for 15 minutes, then lift out the beans and paper and bake for a further 10 minutes until the base is pale golden and biscuity. Take it out and cool slightly.
3. Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon, then mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk. Add this to the pumpkin and stir to combine. Pour into the tart shell and bake for 10 minutes, then drop the heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes until the filling has just set.
4. Leave to cool, then lift the pie from the tin. Mix the remaining cinnamon with the icing sugar, dust it over the top and serve chilled.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Drain the cooked pumpkin thoroughly and push it through a sieve so the filling sets smooth rather than watery.
• Blind-bake the case before filling it, which keeps the base crisp under the custard.
• Take it out while the centre still has a slight wobble. It firms up as it cools, and overbaking gives a cracked, dense filling.
• Let it cool completely before you cut into it so the custard sets into clean wedges.