Old-Fashioned Cushaw Pie

Early in the summer, I found an unknown plant growing in my front garden. Thinking it might be a squash vine, I let it grow and discovered cushaws! This type of squash is sweet like pumpkin but very green — they make a delectable pie filling!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 55 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 460 Calories

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 large cushaw squash - peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 ½ cups clover honey
• 2 cups hard white flour, or more as needed
• 12 ⅔ tablespoons butter, softened
• 7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Step 2

Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add squash, cover, and steam until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3

Blend squash in a blender until smooth. Pour 6 cups of squash puree into a large mixing bowl. Reserve any extra squash puree for a separate use.

Step 4

Add cream, honey, eggs, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, allspice, and nutmeg into the mixing bowl with squash puree; whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside.

Step 5

Mix flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture; add water and mix well. Add more flour to dough if it is too wet. Cut dough in half and roll onto a floured work surface; form into two 10-inch circles. Press dough into two 10-inch pie pans; pour squash filling into each.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.