Charlie's Chocolate Pie
It took me fifteen years to get this recipe. It was originally called
"Pierette Pie". For years, they served it every Thursday at Charlie's
Restaurant in Minot, North Dakota. Everybody in Minot called it
"Thursday Pie".

1 pie shell (unbaked)
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (one stick) softened butter
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs (if you worry about salmonella, use egg substitute.)
1 package vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
2 cups sweetened whipped cream

Heat oven to 400°. With fork, prick sides and bottom of piecrust.
Sprinkle almonds all over the bottom of the crust Bake until crust is
golden and almonds are toasted (about ten minutes but check after
five!). Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Unwrap chocolate and place in small bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for two
minutes. Poke at the chocolate to see if it's melted. (It won't LOOK
melted.) If it's NOT melted, add 30 seconds at a time until it is. Set
aside

In large mixing bowl, beat softened butter until fluffy. Add sugar a
tablespoon or two at a time. Beating thoroughly after each addition.
(Don't rush this! You are dissolving the sugar in the butter.) Beat
the melted chocolate into the butter/sugar stuff. Make sure the
chocolate is not too hot, otherwise it will melt the butter! Add eggs
one at a time beating thoroughly in between.

(Take about a tablespoon or two of nuts out of the cooled pie shell
and reserve. Spread chocolate stuff evenly into pie shell Refrigerate.
In a clean bowl, with wire whisk, blend pudding mix, milk and almond
extract. Whisk until smooth and thick. Spread over chocolate mixture.
Refrigerate for several hours. Before serving, spread pie with
sweetened whipped cream, sprinkle with reserved almonds.

Lynn from Fargo