Pumpkin Curd Tartlets

Curd

2 pound pumpkin, halved, seeded, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks (to make 2 cups purée)

2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 cups preserving sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butler, cut into cubes

4 eggs, beaten

Shells

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and diced

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)

For the curd: Put the pumpkin in a saucepan, add 1 cup water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Purée the solids in a blender, adding enough liquid to make the blades run.

Squeeze the grated ginger and reserve the juice; discard the solids. Put the lime zest and juice, ginger juice, pumpkin purée and sugar in a medium saucepan; stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. Strain into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Add the butter and stir until melted.

Strain the beaten eggs through a fine strainer into the bowl and stir well. Cook gently, stirring often at the beginning, then continuously at the end until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes. Do not let boil or the mixture will curdle. Remove from the heat and pour into warm sterilized preserving jars. Seal and let cool. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

For the tartlet shells: Put the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Put the egg and milk into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add to the food processor and pulse a few times, then process until the dough forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes or up to one week.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Knead the chilled pastry briefly to soften, then roll out on a lightly floured surface to about -inch thick. Cut into rounds with a 2-inch cookie cutter, then use to line a 12-cup muffin pan. Prick the bases with a fork and cover the remaining pastry with plastic wrap. Bake about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven, cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Wipe the pan clean and repeat with the remaining pastry.

To serve: Fill each tartlet with a large spoon of pumpkin curd, dust with confectioners' sugar, if using, and serve. Leftover curd makes a marvelous spread on toast for breakfast.

Makes about 3 cups (3 jars), 36 tartlets.

Nutrition values per serving: 100 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated), 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, 45 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium.

"Pumpkin Butternut & Squash" by Elsa Peterson-Shepelern (2007 Ryland Peters Small, $12.95)