Every year around this time, I go into pumpkin pie-baking mode, occasionally mixing that up with a sweet potato pie. But I think I’ve found a new contender.

I had some kabocha in the freezer, and wondered if this could become a pie. Then I bought a fresh kabocha, too, to test out different methods. I worried that the squash would be either too bland or too savory to come out right.

Roasting pulled out the kabocha’s sweetness more than steaming. It’s also the simplest way of dealing with the squash: Roast a scrubbed, whole kabocha in a 350-degree oven until it’s soft enough to drive a knife through it. (Nearly an hour for a 2- to 3-pounder.) Let it cool, then split it, spoon out the seeds and simply scoop out the flesh. The kabocha will be tasty enough to eat as is. I saved what I didn’t need for my pie to use in another project.

Pumpkin pie is hearty and justifiable for breakfast (don’t question me on this), while kabocha pie is a silky, creamy, make-no-mistake-this-is-dessert pie. It’s naturally much sweeter than pumpkin, and I wondered if the flavor would shine through. Would it just taste like pumpkin? I can verify that it’s definitely kabocha, and that isn’t a bad thing. Mixing this squash with eggs and cream works some kind of magic.

Kabocha is always available in our supermarkets, and it does feel more luxurious since it doesn’t come from a can. I prefer this pie cold, but it could be a really good hot brulee, too. I can almost picture it becoming a savory hot pie with less sugar, some Parmesan and a pinch of curry. A savory flan, if you will.

KABOCHA CUSTARD PIE

• 1 pie crust
• 2-1/2 cups kabocha puree
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• Pinch cinnamon
• Pinch grated fresh ginger
• Dash cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 365 degrees. Roll out pie crust and place in a pie tin or pie plate. (Pie plates tend to be deeper than tins; this recipe fills a pie plate.) Shape edges however you like, then prick the crust all over. Bake about 6 minutes, just to get it hot and barely start cooking.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine puree, eggs, sugar, milk, cream, spices and salt. Puree at least 1 minute. Mixture should be very fine, with no grittiness. If you’re concerned about the texture, strain through a fine sieve.

Remove crust from oven and pour puree into crust. Bake, checking once at 30 minutes. The filling should jiggle slightly when the pan is lightly moved, but shouldn’t move in a wave like a liquid. Return to oven for 5 minutes if needed and check again.

Cool, then refrigerate overnight. Serve straight from fridge with ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on an 8-ounce pie plate crust and not including ice cream or whipped cream): 320 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 23 g sugar, 6 g protein.

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.