Smoked Pumpkin Pie

Mix the Pie Crust

1. To make the pie crust, begin by mixing flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor fitted with steel blade. Add the pats of butter evenly over the top of the dry ingredients.
2. Process the mixture for 7-12 seconds or until mixture resembles cornmeal. When it's ready transfer the mixture into a medium-sized bowl.
3. Drizzle the flour mixture with 3 tablespoons of water and use the blade side of a rubber spatula to cut mixture into little balls.
4. Once you see little balls, press down on mixture with broad side of spatula so balls stick together in large clumps.
5. If dough is dry and resists sticking together, sprinkle remaining water over dry, crumbly patches and press a few more times.
6. Form dough into a ball with your hands; wrap in plastic, then flatten into a 4-inch disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll Out the Dough

1. Clean a 2-foot square work area and sprinkle lightly with flour. Remove dough from wrapping and place disk in center; sprinkle the top with flour.
2. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough in all directions, from center to edges, rotating a quarter turn and sprinkling more flour on top and underneath as necessary after each stroke.
3. When the disk reaches 9 inches in diameter, flip it over and continue to roll in all directions, until it is 13 to 14 inches in diameter and just under ⅛ inch thick.
4. Fold the dough circle in half and then in half again to form a triangle. Place the corner in the center of a Pyrex pie plate measuring 9- to 9 ½-inches across top.
5. Gently unfold dough to cover pan completely, with excess dough draped over edge of the pie pan. With one hand, pick up edges of dough and use the index finger of other hand to press dough into the pie plate bottom.
6. Use your fingertips to gently press dough against pan walls. Trim dough overhanging the pan to an even ½ inch all around.
7. Tuck the excess dough under itself so the folded edge is flush with the edge of the pie plate. Press the double layer of dough with your fingers to seal.
8. Once it's sealed press the dough at a 90-degree angle, press thumb and index finger about ½-inch apart to flute the edges. Repeat procedure all the way around.

Chill and Parbake the Pie Crust

1. When the pie crust is shaped in the pan, refrigerate for 20 minutes (or freeze for 5 minutes) to firm dough shell.
2. Flatten a 12-inch square of aluminum foil inside shell, pressing it flush against corners, sides, and over rim. Prick the foil bottom and sides in about a dozen places with a fork.
3. Chill shell for another 30 minutes (preferably an hour or more), to allow dough to relax.
4. When you're ready to bake, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Bake the pie crust for 15 minutes, pressing down on foil with mitt-protected hands to flatten any puffs.
6. Remove foil and bake the pie shell for 8 to 10 minutes longer, or until interior just begins to color.

Make the Filling

1. While the pie crust is baking gather the ingredients and start making the filling.
2. Place the pumpkin, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt inside the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade and blend for 1 minute.
3. When mixed, transfer pumpkin mixture to a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring it to a slightly boiling simmer over medium-high heat.
4. Cook pumpkin, stirring constantly, until thick and shiny, about 5 minutes. As soon as pie shell comes out of oven, whisk heavy cream and milk into pumpkin and bring to a bare simmer.
5. Place the eggs into the food processor until whites and yolks are mixed, about 5 seconds. With motor running, slowly pour about half of hot pumpkin mixture through feed tube into the food proecssor.
6. Stop the food processor and use a rubber spatula to scrape in remaining pumpkin. Process 30 seconds longer.

Smoke the Pumpkin Pie

1. Immediately pour the warm filling into hot pie shell.
2. Place the pie into a smoker that's using maple wood, a sweeter type of wood that's great for smoking desserts.
3. Smoke the pie at 250° F for about 90 minutes, checking every 20-30 minutes.
4. When ready, remove from the oven and allow the pie to cool on the counter. Serve warm or chill to serve later on.
5. Mix together the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Serve up smoked pumpkin pie with the whipped cream.
7. Enjoy!
8. Every bite!