A Panini Press Thanksgiving…Grilled Pumpkin Pie

{I’m making an entire Thanksgiving feast on the panini maker! Here’s Part 4 of the series: Grilled Pumpkin Pie.}

You knew I’d figure out some way to conclude my Panini Press Thanksgiving with a traditional dessert. For me, it’s not Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. I experimented with grilling an actual mini pie on the panini press – it can be done, in ramekins – but it just wasn’t quite worthy of a Thanksgiving table, in my opinion. This pie I’m sharing today is.

Right from first glance you can tell that this pie was not actually grilled on a panini press. But the pumpkin within the pie was. Rather than roast a pie pumpkin in the oven or, easier yet, open a can of pumpkin purée I sliced up a pie pumpkin and grilled the slices on the panini press to make the purée. It took about an hour to grill all the slices in batches, about 30 minutes less than the time it takes to roast a pumpkin. But beyond the time savings, I loved being able to use the panini press as a prep tool in this way.

Once I grilled the pumpkin, the rest of the pie came together in the traditional way – in fact I based the rest of the filling off of the classic Libby’s recipe so you know it tasted great. So there you have it: Grilled Pumpkin Pie to finish off our Panini Press Thanksgiving meal. I hope you’ve enjoyed these ideas…and I wish you and your family all the best for a delicious holiday!

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom sponsored by Cherokee USA, Le Creuset, Wilton, Bags by Bloom and  Harvard Common Press
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Grilled Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from the classic Libby’s Pumpkin Pie recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours 20 minutes | Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes (plus cooling time)

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
• 1 pie pumpkin
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch cardamom
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 12 oz. evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pre-bake your pie crust according to the recipe or package directions.
2. Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and strings. Slice each half into 1/2-inch strips, doing your best to keep each strip as close to the same thickness as possible (this will ensure even grilling later).
4. Working in batches, place as many pumpkin strips onto the grill as will fit. Close the grill so that the lid makes contact with the pumpkin without actually pressing it. Grill until the pumpkin is soft and tender with dark grill marks, 12 to 15 minutes per batch.
5. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
6. Scoop out the pumpkin from each strip into a food processor or blender and purée the pumpkin for several minutes until it is smooth. Transfer 2 cups of the pumpkin to a large bowl (you can refrigerate or freeze the remainder for pumpkin pancakes!).
7. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves and cardamom, then add the mixture to the pumpkin. Mix in the beaten eggs. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
8. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake the pie at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
9. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

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