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With Halloween - the eve of All Hallows’ or All Saints’ Day - just around the corner the time of carving scary faces into pumpkins and putting candles inside them, to create a spooky atmosphere, has arrived. Long ago the Gaels thought that the dead could come back to life at this time of year, ruining the harvest and spreading disease. Bonfires date back to this time as do wearing masks and costumes which were believed to be necessary if you did not want to stand out as a mortal human being amongst all the wandering spirits.

What can you do with the contents of that pumpkin? Heather has got the answer: make a pumpkin pie! Please do listen to the programme for more detailed instructions and some alternative suggestion incl. the American way to make this pie. You will also hear a recipe for a mixed fruit cake, using fruit that is so plentiful in autumn.

Serves 8

For the pastry:
10 oz plain flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6 oz unsalted butter, chopped up
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 beaten egg
icing sugar to glaze

For the filling:
1and three-quarter kg or 4 lbs pumpkin, skinned, seeded and cut into chunks
300ml or half a pint of double cream
1 tbsp ground mixed spice
25gr or 1 oz fresh root ginger, grated
115gr or 4 oz caster sugar
grated rind of 2 lemons

To make the pastry sift the flour salt and spice into a food processor or a bowl, which takes longer, and blend the flour etc. with the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and about 2 tbsp of cold water to make a firm dough. Kneed it

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