I've added the recipe to make fresh Pumpkin Puree as it makes a huge difference to the taste. The roasted pumpkin puree adds a delicious flavor and aroma, but if you don't have enough time on hand, you can use the canned pumpkin puree to bake the pie.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Puree

1 pie pumpkin (weighing 2 to 3 lbs.)

Vegetable oil

Pie Filling

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tspn salt

1 tspn ground cinnamon

1/2 tspn ground ginger

1/4 tspn ground nutmeg

2 large eggs

** check notes for eggless recipe below

1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin Puree

1 cup (12 oz) Evaporated Milk

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

Whipped cream - for garnish

Eggless Version:

Replace eggs by 1/4th cup cornstarch. Add that to the liquid ingredients just as the recipe states below.

Method

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.

Pour into the pie shell. Bake in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Pumpkin Puree

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the exterior of the pumpkin, remove the stem and cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and stringy fibers from the center using a metal spoon.

Coat the cut surface of the pumpkin halves with vegetable oil. Place halves cut side done in a roasting pan. Add 1 cup of water to the pan.

Place the pumpkin in the preheated oven and bake for 60 to 90 minutes. It is done when the flesh feels tender when poked with a fork.

Remove the pumpkin from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool until it can be handled comfortably. Scrape the flesh out of the pumpkin halves and place in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer to blend the flesh until it is pureed.

Drain moisture from the puree by placing it in a sieve lined with paper towels or a double layer of coffee filters. Be sure the sieve is placed in a bowl to catch the liquid as it drains.

Cover the puree with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow puree to drain for at least 2 hours. Drain overnight if possible. After draining, the pumpkin puree is ready to use.

For those who'd love to bake their own pie shells, here's a little tutorial on How to Make Pie Crust at home, in case it interests you.