Recipe: Peppermint pie

PEPPERMINT PIE

Makes 1 pie.

Note: If you prefer whipped cream rather than meringue on the top of this pie, go with that. (You're using raw eggs with the meringue, so consider who the pie is being served to -- shouldn't be the very young or very old with the meringue.) From Nora Ephron at www.oneforthetable.com.

For the crust:

• 21/2 c. crushed Oreo cookie crumbs

• 4 tbsp. melted butter

• Cooking spray

• 3/4 c. crushed peppermint sticks, or more if you feel like it (plus some shaved chocolate if you want)

• 3 pints best-quality vanilla ice cream, softened

For the top:

• 5 egg whites

• 1/2 c. sugar

Directions

Clear out space in your freezer for a fairly tall pie.

Make cookie crumbs by removing the white filling from the Oreo cookies and pulverizing the cookies. Add melted butter. Spray a 9-inch pie pan or springform pan with cooking spray and pat crumb mixture into the pan. Refrigerate.

Put peppermint sticks into a baggie and smash with a hammer. Be sure you have all different size of crumbs and chunks. Mix quickly into the softened ice cream and pour into the pie dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. You can leave it in the freezer for most of the day.

At some point, whip egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar and beat about 3 minutes until stiff. Pile onto the ice cream pie and then, using your gas doohickey (also called a kitchen torch), brown the meringue. Freeze again. (Or top with whipped cream as an alternative to meringue.)