Pies for People Recipes

Pies for People: Local Food and Collaborative Efforts Feed a Community
Butternut squash from High Mowing Seeds, harvested by University of Vermont (UVM) students, transported to Craftsbury’s Pete’s Greens for processing, baked into pies in the Sterling College Kitchen, and delivered to the Hardwick Food Bank. November's second annual Pies for the People set the simple but flavorful squash on a remarkable path from test crop to a holiday feast. You can read more here. And we'd like to share with you our contribution - Steven's recipes for the project.


Butternut Squash and Black Bean Soup
3 Cups black beans, soaked in a gallon of water overnight
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
10 bay leaves, ground up in spice grinder
1/4 cup of ground cumin, paprika and black pepper
1/8 cup of ground allspice and clove
1T grated nutmeg and ground cinnamon
1 cup of oil of choice or butter
5 onions, peeled and chopped
2 heads of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 quart of butternut squash puree
12 cups chicken stock
salt to taste


Heat a large pot over medium heat with the oil or butter. Add the 5 onions and sweat for 10 minutes. Next add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add all the spices and ground bay leaf and cook for a few minutes more. Drain the black beans and add to the onion garlic mixture, along with the squash puree and the chicken stock. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil and stir. Reduce heat and cook to low/medium and cook for 1 hour. Season with salt to taste and add more stock if desired.



Butternut Squash Pie
Yield filling for 1 9" pie
Preheat oven to 350
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar or evap. cane juice
1/4 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger and cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground black pepper, cardamom and star anise
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups squash puree
1 1/4 cups cream


Combine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in mixer, and process until smooth. Add squash puree, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine. Scrape filling into prebaked shell, and bake until filling is set 2/3 in from perimeter and center still jiggles, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack.