By Marjorie Watkins and Suzanna Leigh
Marjorie told me that since now she is 100 years old, she is considering retiring. Not to worry, though, she is leaving us with a wonderful backlog of archived articles to draw from for future “Island Epicure” columns. Also, I am republishing some of Marjorie’s cookbooks, such as “Gluten Free Baking,” launching December 1st! It will be available at Lavender Cat Studio on the Studio Tour (December 7-8, 14-5, at 20733 87th Ave), or you can pre-order a copy for $15, by emailing me at leigh.suzanna@gmail.com.
In the meantime, this is from Marj’s Island Epicure column, dated November of 2016:
After the Turkey, Pumpkin Pie
The pumpkin pie of this Thanksgiving feast is a recent invention of mine that dodges several family members’ allergies, and comes with very little lactose and no gluten. No more eating the pumpkin-and-spice-flavored filling and throwing away the crust!
A favorite gluten-free piecrust is the Almond Meal Pie Shell, below.
Almond Meal Pie Shell
For a 9-inch pie
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
1 cup almond meal
1 cup oat, sorghum, or millet flour
½ tsp salt
¼ cup soft butter
¼ cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
In a mixing bowl, stir the almond meal, flour, and salt. Work in the soft butter. In a measuring cup, fork-beat the water and olive oil. At once, pour it into the dry ingredients. Work the mixture together. Form into a ball. Pat it flat. Transfer it to your pie pan, mooshing it and mashing it with clean knuckles and pushing it up the sides to fit the pan.
Make a decorative, fluted edge. Prick the bottom and the sides all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pie crust is crisp and the fluted edge a light brown.
Pumpkin Filling
For a 9-inch pie
1½ cups home cooked or canned pumpkin pulp
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup molasses
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp cinnamon powder
¼ tsp clove powder
3 eggs, beaten
1½ cups almond milk
¼ cup rich cream
Walnut halves
Mix all but the walnuts. Pour into prepared pie shell. Arrange walnut halves as a circle around the perimeter of the pumpkin filling. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake 40 minutes. Insert knife midway from the rim to the center. If it comes out clean, the pie is done.
If using a standard wheat flour-based crust, bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes to firm the crust. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 40 minutes more. Test for doneness by inserting a paring knife midway from rim to center. Ir it comes out clean, your pumpkin pie is done. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
