Walnut-Crunch Pumpkin Pie

This pie is scrumptious, and makes a nice change from regular pumpkin pie! I originally found this in TOH's Holiday Celebrations Cookbook. Make sure you use a deep dish pastry shell; it's just the right size to hold the filling. This is also superb when left as a regular pumpkin pie, omitting the topping.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 pie

Ingredients

• Filling

• 2  eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  9 inch  unbaked pastry shell

• Topping

• 1  cup  chopped walnuts
• 3⁄4 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine, melted

Directions

1. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
3. Mix until thoroughly combined, and pour into pastry shell.
4. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
5. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.
6. Mix topping ingredients, and sprinkle over pie.
7. Cover edges loosely with foil.
8. Broil 3-4" from the heat for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Remove foil.
10. Store in refrigerator.