Savory Winter Squash Pie

Christmas week. James and I drove to Bellevue Saturday with a car full of gifts. Karen had decorated the house, with Rosa's help — the usual tree, the usual mantel garland, the same ancient nativity set her mother gave her in 1987. David had put on Christmas music. The house looked like every Christmas of my childhood, which was one of the gifts of having parents who did not move. Everything could be the same, year over year, as a thing you could come back to. Karen needed help holding the hot chocolate mugs now. David had poured.

Kevin and Lisa drove up Sunday. Kevin had grown a beard. Lisa teased him about it. Karen approved. I reserved judgment. The beard is not very good yet. We will see.

Christmas Day: a small dinner. Prime rib (David made it with Karen's coaching), mashed potatoes (David), green beans almondine (David, very proud), roasted carrots (David), a salad (me), bulgogi (me), kimchi (Jisoo's, sent via the winter package), pies (Karen, me, assisted). David has become the primary cook in the house over the past three months. He has been taking classes. He wakes up at 6 AM and bakes rolls. He makes Karen breakfast every morning. This transformation has been gradual and total. He is proud of himself. Karen is proud of him. I am so proud of them both I have to look away sometimes.

Jisoo FaceTimed at 3 PM. Jun-ho waved. Eunji was with her. Eunji showed us the bow she was wearing in her hair, a gift from Jisoo. Jisoo told Karen she had been praying for her every day, and Karen said, through her shaking hand on the phone, "Thank you, Jisoo. I need it." Jisoo said, "I will keep praying." Karen said, "I know you will." Eunji translated. Everyone cried. It was the fourth time I had seen Karen and Jisoo interact and it was, in its own way, the most ordinary. Two mothers, checking in on each other, asking about the weather, the tiredness, the family. Ordinary. The aspiration.

Dr. Yoon: we had a short session on the Tuesday before Christmas. She said, "How do you feel?" I said, "Like I have too many things that matter." She said, "That's not a complaint." I said, "I know." She said, "That is a life." I said, "Yes."

The recipe this week is Karen's pecan pie, for the second time this fall, because it is Karen's signature Christmas pie and because I made it with her on Christmas Eve afternoon. She rolled the dough. I crimped the edges. She stirred the filling. I poured. She arranged the pecans in a spiral, her hands trembling but determined. The spiral was imperfect. It was the most beautiful pie we had ever made. I took a photo. It is going in the archive. Pecan pie, Karen's shaking hands, December 24, 2022, the Christmas she gave me her ring.

We made two pies that Christmas Eve — the pecan spiral Karen arranged with her trembling, determined hands, and this savory winter squash pie, which came out of the oven just before dinner and sat on the counter smelling like everything good about December. I’ve made it twice since then and both times I think of her standing at the counter, coaching without being asked, present in the way she always is. It is the kind of recipe that holds a room together. That felt right.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 55 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
2 cups butternut or acorn squash, peeled, cubed, and roasted
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup Gruyère cheese, freshly grated
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

Roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cubed squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized at the edges. Set aside to cool slightly.
Caramelize the onion. While the squash roasts, melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and soft. Add garlic and thyme in the last 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Blind-bake the crust. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges, and line with parchment and pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove weights and bake 5 minutes more until the bottom is just set. Remove from oven.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, heavy cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until smooth. Stir in half the Gruyère.
Assemble the pie. Scatter the caramelized onions across the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Arrange the roasted squash cubes evenly over the onions. Pour the egg mixture slowly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère over the surface.
Bake. Bake at 375°F for 35–40 minutes, until the filling is set in the center and the top is lightly golden. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. If the crust edges begin to brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
Rest and serve. Let the pie rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Savory Winter Squash Pie — The Christmas Karen Gave Me Her Ring