Butternut Pumpkin Pie

Butternut squash may not evoke the romance of a jack o' lantern or Cinderella's carriage, but it has all the earthy flavour of a pumpkin at a fraction of the hassle (less pesky rind, fewer slimy seeds, no stringy fibers). By the time a butternut squash has been roasted, puréed and showered with spice, the only thing anyone will notice is how vibrant it tastes in pies.

14 oz (~ 1¾ cups; 395 g) butternut squash purée, roasted (from a medium 7" butternut squash; 24 oz / 680 g)
19 oz (~ 2 cups) sweetened condensed milk (540 g)
4 oz (~ ½ cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed (115 g)
½ oz (~ 1 Tbsp.) pure vanilla extract or bourbon (15 g)
1½ tsp. ground ginger
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
¼ tsp. sea salt
⅛ tsp. ground cloves
1 oz (~ 2 Tbsp.) butter, melted and warm (30 g)
3 (~ 5¼ oz) large eggs, straight from the fridge (145 g)
½ recipe old-fashioned flaky pie dough, blind-baked

To Serve:
freshly grated nutmeg
whipped cream

For the Butternut Squash Purée:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Split the squash lengthways, remove seeds, and place cut-side down on a foil-lined aluminum baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape pulp into a food processor and purée until smooth. Measure out 14 oz (~ 1¾ cups; 395 g) squash purée. Use warm, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to a week in advance.

For the Custard:
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

In a medium bowl, combine butternut squash purée, homemade condensed milk, brown sugar, vanilla or bourbon, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cloves, butter and eggs. Whisk until well combined, then pour into the prepared crust. Alternatively, the prepared custard can be refrigerated for up to a week before use.

To Bake:
Place on a half sheet pan and bake about 25 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) and continue baking until the filling is firm around the edges but still wobbly in the very center, about 25 minutes more, or to an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C).

Cool at room temperature until the custard has set, about 2 hours and cut with a chef's knife to serve. If you like, serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of grated nutmeg.

Makes 1 (9") pie; 8-12 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• Due to its high yield, butternut squash is my favourite option for pie, but so long as the total weight of purée remains the same, feel free to make use of alternatives like kabocha, buttercup and acorn squash instead.
• Wrapped in plastic, leftovers will keep 4 days at room temperature, or 10 days in the fridge.
• Leftover squash purée can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.