Zucchini Dessert Pie

Marg (CaymanDesigns)'s Note:

This pie is so good I actually ASK people to give me zucchini so I can make it. If you like pumpkin pie, you will probably enjoy this pie as well. (In fact, when fall rolls around, this is the recipe I use to make my pumpkin pies.) The original recipe is from my husband's great aunt Gin. I have found it works well to freeze the puree for winter use. I just warm it slightly in the microwave before adding it to the other ingredients. That way it will be more like when I make it with freshly cooked zucchini. I have also found it works fine to use a can of sweetened condensed milk in place of the evaporated milk, sugar and honey.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 (9 inch) pie crusts
• 2 cups pureed cooked zucchini
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup evaporated milk, warmed
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. To make the puree, skin the zucchini and cut it up into 1-inch chunks.
2. Microwave on high, until easily pierced with a fork, about 9 minutes, stirring once.
3. Pour off any water (very important!).
4. Puree in the blender.
5. Mix zucchini puree, honey and dry ingredients together.
6. Warm milk and add with eggs to zucchini mixture.
7. Use hand mixer to blend well.
8. Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie crust.
9. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350°F and bake for 40-45 minutes longer; OR until knife inserted slightly off center (about half way between the center and edge) comes out clean, center will be wobbly.
10. Cool for about 2 hours and then chill for several, if desired.
11. Serve with whipped cream.

Reviews

[laugh2survive]

Outstanding!!
My husband was wary, but a taste won him over! He wanted me to invite his parents over and cook one for them! We actually both like it better than pumpkin pie and our sons ate it up quite happily, wanting seconds, which is rare for them as far as dessert goes. This weekend, I was given some zucchini and our whole family was excited because it means a chance for more zucchini pie (which I'm cooking right now)!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Note: I actually decreased (brown) sugar and honey to about half a cup total since I was running low. Also used a whole grain pie crust (using my no roll pie crust) and rice milk.
I LOVE this pie!

[Sudie]

This is how I changed this recipe to fit my low-carb diet; I left off the crust, and sprayed the pie plate with PAM before baking. I used Splenda instead of the honey, and substituted diluted cream for the evaporated milk. Everything else I did just as written. It smelled yummy and I was so happy to have a "real" dessert! Very good recipe.

[noelani54_12561362]

I found your recipe while searching to see if anyone else had thought of using Zucchini as pumpkin for pie. I used an overgrown zucchini that was about 20 inches long. I peeled it and took the seeds out, then boiled the chunks. Zucchini in Italian means "little Squash", They are the same family as pumpkin and actually quite similar, so I thought it could probably be substituted. I didn't have everything you used and had to substitute. I used about three fourths of a cup of brown sugar and no honey. I didn't have evaporated milk, so I didn't drain the small amount of water from the zucchini and used a half cup of non-instant, nonfat powdered milk. I also added about two tablespoons of butter, since the that kind of milk has no butterfat. You could, of course, leave out the butter, but it probably wouldn't be as creamy. I thought the biggest problem in getting my kids to eat it might be the color. I thought I had some orange food coloring, but I didn't. I used a tiny bit of red coloring, which helped a little. Anyway, now I know what I am going to do with some of the zucchini from our garden that gets left out there too long. I'm going to peel it, cut it into chunks and cook it and then freeze it in recipe sized amounts!