Old school simplicity:  The rustic “cracks” that often happen with pumpkin pies don’t bother me but a smooth top on a pumpkin pie is impressive. The easiest ways to avoid the cracks begin when you assemble the filling. Don’t over mix the ingredients. Gently stir to blend. Don’t over whip the egg whites and fold them in as gently and with as few “mixes” as possible. Lastly, bake the pie at a reasonable temperature and watch the timing as it bakes. Over baking can also result in cracking. 

Using fresh squash for the filling: If you want to compare and make a filling from fresh squash, I recommend mixing 2 different kinds. I love Kabocha squash (dark green exterior) because it has a firm flesh and a nutty flavor. Mix that with a classic Butternut squash for a great squashy filling. Sugar pumpkins and Acorn squash are also great to blend. I find Acorn a little “low yield” so you may need more squash of that kind to get enough for filling. Another solution? Buy whatever kinds of squash you like and use that.

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Make the crust: Grease the pie tin with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Clear and clean off a large, flat surface. Lightly flour the area.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Work the shortening and the butter in with your fingers until the mixture is almost smooth.  Add almost all of the ice water and continue to mix with fingers.  Add the remaining water if the dough feels to dry or crumbly.
4. Place dough on the floured surface and roll it out until it is at least 2-3 inches wider than a 9-inch pie tin. Gently place the dough into the pie tin, and press into the bottom and the sides of the tin. Pinch any excess at the top. Place the pan in the refrigerator to chill down and “rest”.
5. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they double in volume. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form, 3-5 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until the whites become stiff and shiny, an additional 3-5 minutes.
6. Assemble and bake the pie: Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the pumpkin filling. Take care not to over mix. Pour the filling into the pie tin and place the pie in the center of the oven to bake. Bake until the top browns lightly, 40-45 minutes. Gently shake the edge of the pie tin. The filling should be fairly solid. Allow the pie to cool before serving.