Jean Ballou's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

My mother in law makes a killer pumpkin pie with a praline layer at the bottom. The girls at park day were salivating and I've been getting death threats if I don't share it. She doesn't say this below, but you have to be careful that the nuts aren't too big or they will float to the top.

Praline Pumpkin Pie

Pastry
1 & 1/2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C shorting
4-5 T cold water (Frieda says milk)

Praline Layer
1/3 C ground or finely chopped pecans – packed
1/3 C brown sugar
2T soft butter

Filling
2 eggs
1 C pumpkin (canned or fresh cooked)
(to cook a fresh pumpkin – slice in 1/2, scoop out strings and seeds, place unside down on a cookie sheet, cook at 350 for about 60-75 minutes. Once cooled, put in food processor, freeze in 1 to 1 and 1/2 Cups)
2/3 C brown sugar
1T flour
1/4 tsp Clove
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1C Cream (light)

Make pastry: sift flour and salt, cut in shorting until size of peas. Add 1T water/milk at a time, form a ball, flatten on lightly floured surface, roll out and put in pie pan.

1. 9” unbaked pie shell
2. Pre heat over 400 degrees
3. Make praline layer, blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Press gently into bottom of shell
4. Make filling: In medium bowl, with rotary beater, beat eggs til foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order. Beat only until well mixed.
5. Pour into pie shell, bake 50-55 minutes or until knife inserted in filling comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack. May be served with whipped cream