Pastry for a 9-inch pie shell

* 3 eggs
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1 cup mashed pumpkin, canned is perfect
* 2 slightly rounded tablespoons finely cut preserved or candied ginger
* 1/4 cup cognac (use at least V.S.O.P.-level, real French cognac or
substitute armagnac or dark Haiitian rum, or bourbon)

Method:

To prebake the pie shell: Prick the bottom of the pastry in 8 to 10 places with the tines of a table fork. Line the shell with foil and fill with dried beans. (Warning: Do not press the beans into the shell or the foil will stick.)

Using a baking sheet to slide it onto the middle rack of the oven, bake the bean-filled shell in a preheated 425-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Using the baking sheet again as a pallet, remove the shell from the oven and remove the foil liner and all the beans. Return the shell to the oven for 2 minutes longer. It's alright to let it cool if you intend to fill it later. To prepare filling: In a medium or large mixing bowl, using a whisk, beat the eggs lightly to mix well, then gently beat in all the remaining ingredients in the order given.

To bake: Place the pastry shell on the baking sheet and fill the shell with all but 1/4 cup or so of the filling.

Place the filled shell, still on the sheet, in a 375-degree oven, then spoon the last of the filling into the shell, while it is in the oven, on the pulled-out middle rack. (If the oven was previously preheated to 425, it's perfect. Otherwise preheat to 425 because working in front of the open oven door will reduce the heat, then set it at 375.)

Bake about 30 minutes, or until a knife point inserted in nÿe center of the pie is clean when removed. The pumpkin custard will still jiggle.

The pie can be served warm but I prefer to serve it at room temperature.

Since the center often cracks as it cools, you can use that as an excuse to pipe-on rosettes of whipped cream. If a slightly cracked pie really bothers you -- makes you feel that you did something wrong -- you could also cut the pie in the kitchen and serve wedges with a big dollop of whipped cream.