Waaah! Look at this amazing squash Kira grew (and I biked back to the Bronx!) It's Japan's answer to a pumpkin, and if you ask me, sweeter and lovlier than our own Halloween icon. I made it into a pie with no sugar and it was just fantastic.
To prepare squash, simply cut it in half, take out the seeds, put it face down in a dish with a little water (to keep it from burning) and bake at 350*F for about 40 minutes, or until soft. The smaller the squash, the shorter the baking time, and vice-versa.
Pie is easy to make. For a simple crust, I mixed whole wheat flour and white flour in equal parts, added an egg and oil until it was pliable, and spread it thin along the bottom of a greased pie dish. This is a very basic, plain crust, but it maintains a flaky texture and I like it.
To make the pie filling, I simply baked the squash and blended it (you can use a food processor or mash it by hand) with some spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, the usual). If you're so inclined, as I was, you can wisk in an egg or two and a half-cup of cream or so. I've been known to add honey or brown sugar, although I'm steering clear of sweeteners now that the cold weather has set and plants are getting sweet on their own.
