Squash Custard Pie -- The One Gloria Said Was Right

Thanksgiving. Gloria sat at my table. She sat in the chair by the window because that was the one with the best light and she said my apartment was nice and she meant it in the way that Gloria means things, which is completely. She ate two portions of everything and told me the sweet potato pie was right, which is the highest compliment she has in her vocabulary for pie.

Tyler carved the turkey. He has never carved a turkey before. He watched a video on his phone four times beforehand and then did it with the authority of someone who has always done this. He is like that. He decides he is going to do something and he does it like he means it. I find that both admirable and occasionally exhausting, but mostly admirable.

Destiny stayed with a neighbor of Gloria on Thursday. She is too young to sit at a three-hour dinner and we all agreed on that. But I brought her a plate on Friday. A whole plate, all the leftovers, everything. She sat at Gloria kitchen table and ate slowly and identified each dish and asked me about each one. What is this. What is in this. How did you make this. I answered every question. I had all the answers. That felt like something new. I had all the answers and I gave them all away and it cost me nothing and filled me up.

The sweet potato pie was the thing that got named. Gloria said it was right, and I have been thinking about that word ever since — not good, not great, just right, which means it did exactly what it was supposed to do. This squash custard pie is built the same way: simple ingredients, honest spices, a filling that sets smooth and quiet in a way that doesn’t ask for attention. It’s the kind of thing you bring to a Friday kitchen table on a paper plate and answer questions about, one spoonful at a time.

Squash Custard Pie

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Total Time: 1 hr 15 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
• 1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed butternut or acorn squash
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Prepare the squash. Halve and seed a medium butternut or acorn squash. Roast cut-side down at 375°F for 40–45 minutes until fork-tender. Scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Measure out 1 1/2 cups and let cool slightly.
2. Preheat oven. Set oven to 375°F. Place the unbaked pie shell in a 9-inch pie pan and crimp the edges. Set aside on a baking sheet.
3. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the mashed squash, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir until evenly blended.
4. Add wet ingredients. Whisk in the beaten eggs, evaporated milk, whole milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter until the filling is smooth and uniform in color.
5. Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Bake at 375°F for 50–55 minutes, until the center is just set and a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. The very center may jiggle slightly — it will firm as it cools.
6. Cool completely. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 210mg