Pumpkin & Praline Pie

Prepared pie pastry for 2 (9 or 10-inch) pies (single crust)

PUMPKIN FILLING
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Light brown sugar
1 tb Flour
1 tb Bitters, optional
1 ts Ground cinnamon
1/2 ts Ground ginger
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground cloves
1 Egg,slightly beaten
2 tb Butter
1 cn Pumpkin puree (29 oz)
1 cn Evaporated milk 12 oz
1/4 c Sweet milk
1 c Water

PRALINE
4 tb Butter, softened
2/3 c Light brown sugar
2/3 c Pecans, coarsely chopped
Whipped cream or whipped topping

PUMPKIN FILLING: Mix sugar, light brown sugar, flour, bitters, if desired, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl. Stir in egg; set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add pumpkin puree; simmer, stirring occasionally, until puree thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Gradually, stir hot pumpkin puree into the sugar mixture. Stir in evaporated milk, sweet milk and 1 cup water.

PRALINE: Beat butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Stir in pecans and set aside.

ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Bring dough to room temperature. Working with one disk at a time, place on a floured surface. Using half of the remaining 1/4 cup flour, roll into a 13-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Transfer and fit dough into a 9-inch deep dish pie pan; trim away excess dough and flute the edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining disk of dough to make a second pie shell. Prick each pie shell all over its surface with a fork. Preheat oven to 450F. Freeze pie shells for 10 minutes. Spread half of the praline mixture over the bottom of each pie shell. Bake until praline is golden brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes; cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 400F. Pour half the pumpkin filling into each crust; smooth the top of each with a spatula. Bake until pumpkin filling in each pie pan is firm and crusts are golden brown, about 1 hour. Cool completely and serve.

Makes 2 (9-inch) pies. Top with whipping cream or whipped topping, if desired. Garnish with whole pecans.