HALLOWEEN RECIPES

Halloween is right around the corner, a holiday full of costumes, extra make-up and candy. It is fair to say that Dublin is a great place to spend Halloween and, Cathal Brugha Street library offers an array of recipes to help with your creepy festivities. Enjoy this pumpkin pie recipe from p.168 of ‘Tarts and pies’ by Philippa Vanstone.

Pumpkin pie

Serves 6-8

Sweet short crust pastry

200g (7oz) softened unsalted butter

200g (7oz) caster sugar

2 eggs 400g (14 oz) plain flour, sifted

Filling

1 egg yolk

425g (14 oz ) pumpkin puree

2 eggs

150 g (5 oz) caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

284ml carton double cream

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs and then mix in flour to form a smooth paste. Roll the pastry out to about 2.5 cm (I inch) thick, wrap in grease proof paper and then cling film. Rest for 15 minutes in the fridge. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm (1/8 inch) thick. Lightly grease and line the base of a 23cm (9 in) diameter, 4cm (1 ½ in) deep pie dish. Lightly prick the base of the case and rest the lined case in the fridge for 20 minutes.

(or buy pre-made pastry)

Bake the pastry blind for 10-15 minutes, remove the baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. The pastry should be pale to golden in colour. Brush the pastry case with a little egg yolk and bake for a further minute. Remove the pastry case from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees c, 160 degrees c fan oven.

Mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, and remaining yolk and sugar. Then stir in the spices and cream. Pour the mixture into the pie case and bake for 45-50 minutes until set. Refrigerate and serve cold.