Richards Gourmet Holiday Pie Recipe

Directions:

1. This pie requires a bit of work but is well worth it.
2. Beat the egg white and water just until mixed. The mixture should be slightly murky. Brush the egg white onto entire inside surfaces of the unbaked pie crusts. This will seal the pie crusts and prevent them from becoming soggy.
3. Pour half the Pumpkin Pie filling into each crust.
4. Bake the pie at this stage in a 325 degree oven until the filling is just barely set. The surface of the pie should have formed a thin skin and the center should not have a depression.
5. Remove the pies from the oven and arrange 2 cups of pecan halves in a circular design, one layer deep, on the surface of the pumpkin filling in each pie. You will use 4 cups of pecan halves, altogether.
6. Very gently pour half of the prepared Southern Pecan filling onto the pecans in each of the pies.
7. Carefully return the pies to a 350 degree oven and bake until the pecan filling is cooked and the pecans have floated to the surface of the pies. The baked pie pecans should be the same designed arrangement you made earlier. Test the filling for doneness by inserting a knife into the center of the pie.
8. When done, remove the pies and allow them to cool before storing or serving.
9. Notes:
10. 1) Protect the top edge of the crust from over browning with strips of aluminum or a shield.
11. 2) When watching the pie fillings while baking, notice that they cook from the outside rim toward the center of the pie. The fillings will puff up as they bake leaving the uncooked center with a slight depression. They are done when the depression also puffs up. Once the pies are removed from the oven the puffiness will deflate and all the filling will be baked evenly. At this point the filling is said to be set.