I had the fortunate experience of getting butternut squash from my CSA, Three Rivers Community Farm, and I saved one for Thanksgiving to make a Paleo dessert substitute for pumpkin pie.
I chose butternut squash since it is sweeter than pumpkin and doesn’t need added sugar. I figured I could make it like pumpkin pie with a few substitutions. Note: this recipe makes 1 deep-dish pie.
Unfortunately, I didn’t weigh my squash before I started, but it was fairly large and yielded about 3 1/2 cups of flesh. Also, next time I make it, I’ll put the squash in the food processor first to make it really smooth.
Pie Crust:
1 and 1/2 cups pecan flour, hazelnut flour, or other nut flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 deep-dish pie pan
Filling Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash or two small ones (enough to make about 3 1/2 cups of mashed squash)
water
2 eggs
1 can (14oz) organic, full-fat coconut milk (unsweetened)
2 tablespoons of your chosen nut flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
Processing the Raw Squash:
Set the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half and place halves cut side down in a baking pan. Add a 1/4 inch of water. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Once the squash is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool.
Pie Crust Directions:
Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while you are making the pie crust. For the crust, melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Meanwhile, measure out the nut flour and put in a small bowl. Once the butter is melted, add it to the flour. Thoroughly coat the flour with the butter, so the flour can be shaped into a crust by pressing it into a pie pan and up the sides in an even manner. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until the crust begins to brown. Set aside to cool.
Filling Directions:
Set the oven to 450 degrees in preparation to bake the pie.
Remove the seeds from the squash halves. (You can roast the seeds later.) Scrape out the cooled flesh to get 3 1/2 cups of squash. Mash the squash by hand or put it in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Put the squash in a mixer bowl. Add the 2 eggs, coconut milk, nut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. Beat until smooth.
Fill the pie shell with the filling. Sprinkle additional cinnamon and nutmeg over the top of the pie.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, turn down the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
Makes 16 servings of a deep-dish pie.
Per serving – Calories: 220; fat: 19g; sat. fat 8g; sodium 48mg; carbs: 8g; fiber 1g; sugars 2g; protein 7g
Note: For those who want a little more sweetness, drizzle a little honey or whip some real cream and add to the warm pie.