Almost any winter squash can be made into good pie, but delicata's rich, slightly sweet taste is particularly well-suited for such treatment.
To make the crust: Grease and flour a 9" pie pan. Roll the chilled, rested pie dough to a 12" to 13" circle and fit it into the pan. Trim and flute the edge, then put the lined pan in the refrigerator while preparing the filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Bake, cut side down, in a 9" x 13" pan with 1/2" of water in the bottom. After 30 to 40 minutes, press the squash with your finger; when it's soft, it's done. Remove from the oven, and when it's cool enough to handle, scoop out 2 cups of the flesh. Purée until smooth. Increase the oven's temperature to 425°F.
To make the filling: Combine the evaporated milk or cream, sugars, spices, salt, and eggs. Add to the squash and blend until smooth with a hand mixer or immersion blender. Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. To dress up the pie, add a swirl of cream or evaporated milk on top, or sprinkle with cinnamon.
To bake: Placed the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake it for 15 minutes at 425°F. Reduce the oven's temperature to 350°F and bake for another 40 to 45 minutes, until the pie is mostly set, and a 1" to 2" circle in the center still wobbles a bit when you nudge the pan. Remove the pie from the oven and cool it completely before slicing.
This recipe is from Emily Hilliard's Nothing in the House blog and website, and can also be made with a half recipe of Nothing in the House Pie Crust.
