Can I make pumpkin pie w/cornmeal crust?

[amyvc]

Just found a recipe for a press-in cornmeal crust. I seem to remember this works well with pumpkin pie. Anyone else tried it? As I seem to have lost my crust-rolling mojo, I'm especially interested in other ways to do pie crust. LOVE pie, hate store-bought crust!

[amyvc]

Hey all,
Thanks again for the ideas and comments! My pumpkin pie duties ended up getting usurped by an elder on Thanksgiving (what can you do?) so I will save all the good ideas to a recipe file. I did, however, make a fabulous zinfandel-cranberry sauce

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105838

and wonderful sweet potatoes
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

to which I am posting the links. These would work well for a December holiday dinner. Enjoy!

[ben61820]

i think any ground up anything that can be pressed into the pan would work. really. ive used the above-mentioned ginger snaps, graham crackerm etc. all fine. i have NOT tried cornmeal myself but i see it working fine. i mean, it will taste of corn. but i suppose thats ok. i mean, we all like corn muffins, etc, no? corn has a very real sweetness in it that will most likely go great with the pumpkin filling. oooooooo, i think imma try this today. thanks for the idea. ill try and report how she goes.

[Betty]

My mother (born 1918) used to make pumpkin pie with just greasing the pan and coating it with cornmeal and proceed as usual. It was a "hard times on the farm" kind of recipe from the old days when cornmeal was always awailable but white flour a luxury. It just give you a little coating, not like a big crumb cookie crust.

[cooknKate]

Happy to oblige! This recipe will yield two 9" pies. It is a very yummy pie!

Streusel Pumpkin PIe
crust:
2 c. AP flour
1/4 c. finely chopped pecans
1 t. salt
2/3 c. plus 1 T. shortening
4-5 T. ice water

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening, add water until moist enough to hold together. Form into two balls, wrap and chill for an hour. Roll out to fit a 9" pie plate.

filling:
30-oz canned pumpkin
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1 egg lightly beaten

Blend well and divide between shells.

topping:
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. AP flour
1/4 c. chopped pecans
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
3 T. cold butter

Combine dry and cut butter in, spread over tops of pies and bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes, or until center is set.

[Fleur]

Would you please post the crust recipe? It sounds delicious.

[amyvc]

Kate, any way you can post that recipe? Thanks everybody. I may try the gingersnap this year.

[cooknKate]

I have a recipe for pumpkin pie that has crushed pecans in the crust, then gets topped with a streusel. It is one of the best recipes I have ever made, and always a hit. The nuts just make it better.

[julesrules]

I was wrong about the pumpkin tart, no cornmeal crust. They do have a recipe for a pumpkin cheesecake pie with a rolled cornmeal crust:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102548

And here's a recipe for a chiffon pie with gingersnap crust:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

I'm sure you can mix and match fillings and crusts. When I made my gingersnap crust I winged it and wasn't entirely happy with the results - but I still think it's a good crust idea for pumpkin pie.

[Procrastibaker]

Yes, that's how you do a gingersnap crust. I just made Rose Levy Barenbaum's Great Pumpkin Pie. She gets the best of both worlds by buzzing 4 ginger snaps and a handful of pecans (I toasted them first) in the food processor then pressing the crumbs into the bottom of pie crust. Gives a nice gingery layer. I think I will try my cornmeal crust when I make this pie again next week-- I wasn't satisfied with my usual crust for some reason. Cornmeal sounds perfect.

[amyvc]

Is gingersnap also a press-in similar to graham cracker? thanks

[julesrules]

The epicurious.com search function is not working for me right now, but I think their pumpkin, ginger & molasses tart calls for a cornmeal crust - maybe. I made the filling (which is pretty similar to standard pumpkin pie filling) in a gingersnap crust which is another idea.