Key Lime Pie with Nut - Graham Crumb Crust

The best key lime pie I have ever tried, the crust is amazing too.

Crust
1c graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup almonds or macadamia nuts, toasted, cooled and ground in a food processor till about the diameter of a pencil lead.
1/2 stick (1/4c) butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar

Pie
3 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice (approx 3-4 Key limes)
grated rind of two of the limes

Meringue:
1/3 cup sugar
reserved egg whites

[I like this both with the egg white meringue or omitting the meringue and just using whipped cream instead]


Mix the crust ingredients well and press into a glass pie plate, going up the sides. Bake the shell at 350 for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and let cool.

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the condensed milk and stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon filling into baked shell.

If making the meringue: place uncooked pie into the refrigerator for 1 hour. In a bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, beating, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filling and bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350'F oven for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is just golden. Chill the pie for 2 hours.

If making without the meringue: Chill pie for 1 hour and then bake at 350' for 15 minutes. Chill and then top with fresh whipped cream.


[recipe adapted from Gourmet 1990]