Coconut Meringue Pie

Crust:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 c. shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

1. Stir together flour and salt using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened.
   Form dough into a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from
   center to edge into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin.     Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate.

Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it.

1. Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate.     Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edges as desired. Prick bottom and edge of pastry with fork. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil.     Bake 5 to 6 minutes until golden.

Custard:

2/3 cups sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
¾ cup coconut (for custard)

1. Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in a sauce pan.
2. Blend milk and egg yolks, gradually stir into sugar mixture.     Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
3. Remove from heat, blend in butter and vanilla.
4. Stir in ¾ cup flaked coconut.
5. Immediately pour into baked pie shell.

Meringue:

 4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
2. Beat in sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time
3. Continue beating until stiff & glossy.     Do not underbeat.
4. Beat in vanilla
5. Spread over coconut custard and shape into peaks.
6. Sprinkle ¼ coconut over meringue
7. Bake on 400 until the meringue turns golden or about 8-10 minutes

Note:     Watch carefully to make sure the meringue does not burn; adjust heat if needed.