Spiced pumpkin pie

SERVES 6-8

For as long as I can remember, Mum has visited Bernie and Mary Young’s market garden in Mangere. There, she stocks up on pumpkins – butternuts, crown, buttercup and butterkins, then she’ll whip up her version of Stephanie Alexander’s pumpkin pie. It’s divine!

½ block store-bought sweet

shortcrust pastry

1kg pumpkin, peeled

and chopped

10g butter

2 eggs, plus 1 yolk,

lightly beaten

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup currants

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon, plus

extra for dusting

Crème fraîche, whipped cream

or yoghurt, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. 2 Roll out the pastry and line an 18cm flan tin, pricking the base. Chill for 30 minutes.

3 Place the pumpkin on a tray to bake, making sure it doesn't burn. Once cooked, transfer to a large bowl. Wipe the tray and return it to the oven to heat.

4 Mash the pumpkin well, letting it steam off and cool for 5 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients.

5 Place the cold pie shell on the hot tray. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden.

6 Pour the filling into the flan case. Cover the pastry rim with foil so it doesn’t burn while baking.

7 Bake for 30- 45 minutes or until the filling is just a little wobbly in the centre when shaken gently.

8 Serve with crème fraîche, whipped cream or yoghurt, dusted with a little cinnamon.