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Spiced Cushaw Squash Pie

Posted By Suzanne McMinn On October 1, 2009 @ 1:04 am In Pies & Pastries,The Farmhouse Table | 39 Comments


Cushaw, also known as kershaw, is an heirloom winter squash. It comes in a number of different varieties, but the green-striped is the most common. Now is the time to find it at your local farmers market. Next year, I want to grow my own! Though we did get these for free. They had a few flaws and were sent away to the island of misfit produce (aka my kitchen). Lucky me, I get pies! Each of these cushaws made enough puree for two pies.

Cushaws keep really well once harvested (store them in a cool, dark place and they’ll keep for a year) and they can be used in all the same ways you might use pumpkin in baking. They’re a bit sweeter, and once you make a cushaw pie, you might never want to use pumpkin again!

To prepare cushaw for baking in recipes, cut it apart. Remove seeds and strings.

Place pieces face-down on a greased baking sheet and bake at 350-degrees for an hour and a half (or until tender when pierced with a fork). Cool then scoop cushaw out of skin. Puree with a masher or food processor to the consistency of mashed potatoes. Use cup for cup in recipes as you would canned solid-pack pumpkin. Refrigerate up to a week before using or store in the freezer for several months.

Don’t toss those seeds out! Rinse and dry seeds then toss in a small amount of olive oil (amount depending on how much seeds you have) then place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt and roast at 375-degrees until lightly golden. It makes a great snack and it comes as a free bonus with your squash!

In coming up with a pie recipe for my very special squash bounty, I looked at several pumpkin pie recipes as a starting point then made some changes including the addition of more spices to warm it up and take advantage of the extraordinary flavor you get with a cushaw.


How to make Cushaw Squash Pie:

2 cups prepared cushaw squash puree
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces evaporated milk
pastry for single-crust pie

Combine cushaw squash puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla then beat lightly with a whisk. Stir in evaporated milk. Mix well. Pour into a pastry-lined pie plate. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 375-degrees for 50-60 minutes (until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean). Chill before serving.

This is a rich, delicious pie, full of flavor. And while it’s baking? It’ll make your house smell like autumn. Enjoy!

*You can replace the cushaw squash in this recipe with pumpkin or any other winter squash.

See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes and save it to your recipe box.


See All My Recipes


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