My Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Directions

1. Crust: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine water, ice & vinegar in a measuring cup. Cut in the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender until pea-sized. Drizzle over 1/4 cup of the liquid, and mix together with a spatula or your hand. Continue adding one tablespoon of liquid (if needed) and mixing until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
2. Shape the pie crust: Roll out the pie crust to 1/8-1/4 inch thickness, and transfer to pie pan. Trim the edge to 1 inch beyond the pie pan, and crimp. Chill in the freezer while you make the filling.
3. Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the pumpkin. Add the sugar and spices and mix well. Finally, add the evaporated milk and combine together until creamy. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl so everything is fully incorporated.
4. Par-baked crust method: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. After chilling your shaped crust for at least 10 minutes, cut a piece of parchment paper into a circle large enough to place inside of the pie shell with some overhang to use as handles. Fill with pie weights (ceramic pie weights, or dried rice or beans works too). Be sure to use your hands to nestle the weights into the edges of the pie shell to ensure even baking. With the oven at 375 degrees, bake the crust with the weights for about 20 minutes. Gently remove the parchment paper and weights and bake for another 5-7 minutes to set the bottom crust. You may need to deflate the bottom if it puffs up in the oven. Lower the oven to 350 degrees. When filled, cover the crust edges with strips of aluminum foil to protect it from browning too much in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until the filling has puffed up at the edges, but there is still a slight jiggle in the middle. Cool at room temperature, and serve as desired.
5. Direct bake method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Fill the chilled pie crust with your prepared filling, and cover the crust edges with strips of aluminum foil to protect it from browning too much in the oven. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, and then turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling has puffed up at the edges. If you'd like the crust to brown more, remove the foil 10 minutes before the pie is finished. Cool at room temperature, and serve as desired.