We had a wonderful evening at the woods last week, we ended up having a feast in the barn, probably the last of year, as it was getting just a little too chilly. We put a large piece of lamb in the outdoor pit oven at 12.30pm. We had 12 of us for dinner so it needed a long time to cook! After 6 hours we took out the lamb and cracked open the bread dough around it which had protected it from the ash and stones. Alex lit the candles on the long table, the baked potaotes and carots came out the oven and we seated everyone around the table on various stools and chairs. At that moment the rain came down, so the sheep and Otto joined us for dinner in the barn. Hot food and warm spiced cider made up for the fact we needed to be in hats and coats!
I made a pumpkin pie for pudding as we had a friend over who originated from Cape Cod- I nerviously waited his approval of my tart, which he said was a gooden! It was a lovely evening despite the rain.
(Recipe for pumpkin pie below)
Rosie’s pumpkin pie
Ingredients
Base:
wholemeal flour, 1 tbsp icing sugar, 175 gms butter
Filling:
1 small pumpkin
can of condensed milk
3-4 tbsps of double cream
3 eggs
1/2 tsp mixed spice
Firstly make a sweet pastry base. Mix the flour and butter and icing sugar, use your finger tips to make breadcrumbs. then add a little cold water ( enough to bind the pastry). Leave the pastry in the fridge for 1/2 an hour a greeced flan tin. Prick with a fork and place baking beans or a piece of greece proof paper with lentils on the top ( to stop it rising up while cooking). Put in the oven (190degrees) for 20 minutes, remove the baking beans and let the middle cook a little then take out the oven and brush with a beaten egg and put back in the oven to seal and pastry. Putting the egg on and letting it cook stops your pastry going soggy!
Meanwhile make the filling;
Cut up the pumpkin and put it in the oven on a baking tray and let it bake in the oven for 45 minutes. When the pumpkin is soft scoop out the flesh and put it in a bowl, pour oven the tin of condensed milk, add the cream and the three eggs. Blend all of these ingredients with a hand blender and add the spice. pour the mixture onto the flan base and bake in a medieum oven for 30-45 minutes- until golden brown.
Serve warm with creme fresh- delicious and perfect for November.
