Cut the butter into 6 pieces and put in the freezer. Measure out 3 Tbs.
cold water.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Drizzle the cold water over the mixture and, pinch and
squeeze the mixture until it begins to form shaggy clumps.
Scrape the dough onto a clean work surface. Gently smear the dough away
from you in sections. Gather and fold the crumbs on top of each other
and turn the pile 180°. Shape the dough into a 5-inch disk. Wrap in
plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
Put a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface, lightly flour
it, and put the dough in the center. Roll the dough from the center to
the edges into a 13-1/2-inch circle that’s about 1/8 inch thick.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Line the crust with foil or parchment, and then
fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 minutes.
Whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
Whisk in the half-and-half and vanilla. Add the eggs and whisk until
just blended. Pour the filling into the baked crust.
Bake until the center of the filling jiggles like jello when the plate
is nudged, 48 to 50 minutes.
Tips from Abigail Johnson Dodge
The pie crust can be rolled, shaped and crimped, then frozen
for up to 1 month.
