Pumpkin pie

Pumpkin is so hot right now. Not just because it’s Halloween (although this really is the biggest night of the year for the pumpkin), but look around and you’ll see it in everything; soups, curries, desserts, even crisps and lattes! As well as being a versatile vegetable, pumpkin is packed with vitamin A and fibre, so it’s a healthy choice. This yummy pie has been made with plenty of natural ingredients and spices, to make it a tasty, nutritious dessert.

Ingredients (serves 6 – 8)

For the crust:

50g pitted dates
65ml hot water
1tbsp sunflower oil
200g ground almonds
1/8tsp ground nutmeg

For the filling:

600g roughly chopped pumpkin
1tbsp sunflower oil
3 eggs
1tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp mixed spice
1tsp vanilla extract
1tbsp coconut flour
2tbsp agave syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3, and line a 15cm (6in) tart tin with baking parchment.

Soak the dates for 10 minutes in the measured water, then drain.

Put all the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until they come together to form a ball. Carefully tip the ball into the tin and press the ‘dough’ evenly all around.

Prick the dough and bake for 15–20 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before adding the filling.

Roast the pumpkin with the sunflower oil for 20 minutes until it is soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Transfer the roasted pumpkin to a blender and whizz until smooth. Then add the eggs, spices, vanilla extract, coconut flour and agave syrup and blend again until you get a super-smooth mixture. Scoop the mixture up and transfer into the crust and bake for 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

No need for any accompaniments, it’s delicious just on its own.

Recipe courtesy of Natasha Corrett, with ingredients available from Holland & Barrett’s new Free From offering.