Gammie Garrett’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Crumb Crust
1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 ounces) gingersnap crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Preheat your oven to 325. Crush your gingersnaps with a rolling pin or make the crumbs in a food processor. Combine crumbs, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl and stir. Add melted butter and stir until well-blended. Press and pat mixture over bottom and sides of 9-inch pie pan. Don’t make your sides too thick. Bake crust 8 minutes and cool completely before filling.

Filling
3 fresh organic eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups fresh baked and pureed pumpkin (or canned pumpkin if you must)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon each salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger
1/4 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 pint whipping cream

To slightly-beaten egg yolks add 1/2 cup of your sugar, the pumpkin, milk, salt, and spices. Cook in the top of a double-boiler until thick, stirring constantly; don’t let it get lumpy. Pour the cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin into it. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add this to hot pumpkin mixture. Mix thoroughly, then cool. When it begins to thicken, add remaining sugar and fold in stiffly-beaten egg whites. Pour into crust and refrigerate.

Whip the cream, but don’t sweeten it--the pie is plenty sweet. Add a tablespoon of brandy just toward the end of whipping if you like.

Take your pie out of the frige 15 minutes before serving so the crust won’t stick to the pan. Serve with whipped cream.