Pumpkin has never been fully appreciated in this country. Indeed, there was quite a debate about it in The Times in 1932, triggered by a letter from a gentleman who spoke of the prodigious growth of his pumpkin vine, but who added: “Whether it is a food worth eating remains to be seen.”

This opened a floodgate of letters to the Editor in reply, many of which were from Australian and American visitors to Britain.

On September 27, one François Latry, the maître des cuisines at the Savoy restaurant, no less, was moved to add his thoughts on the subject. “Sir,” he wrote, “ I have read with great interest the letters appearing in your columns relating to the pumpkin.

“I venture to think that your readers might like to know the traditional method which I use to prepare pumpkin pie for the Thanksgiving Day banquets of the American Society in London.

“The skin and pips are removed from a ripe pumpkin, which is then cut into cubes and boiled.

“I then add cream, caster sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, the yolks of eggs and a tablespoon of brandy,” he continued.

“The mixture is then placed in a tin lined with pastry and baked in a moderate oven. The result is a piquant and delicious dish, which deserves far greater popularity in England than at present.”

The problem Monsieur Latry might have failed to see is that the average British winter squash is pale, tasteless and watery — by far the scariest thing about Hallowe’en, which is this Sunday.

Instead, look for the charming and nutty onion squash, the cute kabocha squash and the shapely butternut squash, or its fluorescent orange French equivalent.

SWEET PUMPKIN PIE
Serves 6 to 8

Prep: 1hr
Cook: 35min

1kg good pumpkin or squash
400g shortcrust pastry, thawed
3 medium eggs
3tbsp fine dry breadcrumbs
1tsp ground cinnamon
½tsp ground nutmeg
½tsp ground ginger
200g soft brown sugar
Pinch of sea salt
100ml canned evaporated milk

METHOD

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cut the pumpkin into large chunks and bake for one hour until tender. Allow to cool slightly, discard the skin and seeds, and whip to a purée.

Line a 23cm tart tin with pastry, prick the bottom, line with weighted paper and chill for 30 minutes. Bake at 200C/Gas 6 for 10 minutes until firm, remove the covering and bake for 5 more minutes, then allow to cool.

Lightly beat the eggs. Add the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, sugar and salt, and beat well. Beat in the evaporated milk and 350g of pumpkin purée. Pour to the top of the pastry case (there may be filling left over) and bake at 200C/Gas 6 for 30 minutes or until it is set.

Serve warm, with thick cream.

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