Coconut Custard Pie

This is a quick, old-fashioned pie that really delivers on coconut flavor! You can make your own pastry or use a ready-made crust, but the filling comes together easily in one bowl. You can top this pie with whipped cream, or even a meringue, or serve it with a little vanilla ice cream on the side. It's also wonderful as-is! When I make pastry, I always make a double-crust recipe, even when I'm baking a single-crust pie like this one. I wrap up the half I'm not using well, and put it in the freezer for later use. Recipe for double-crust pie: 2 cups flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sugar 2/3 cup shortening (you can use vegetable shortening or butter or a combination of the two, or you can use lard) 7-8 TBSP ice cold water Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl. Add shortening and cut into flour mixture with a pastry blender. Continue until you start seeing pieces that resemble the size of gravel. Sprinkle over with 4 TBSP cold water, and toss with a fork. Sprinkle over remaining cold water and toss until it starts to stick together and then form a ball. Gather with hands and shape into ball. Cut in half with knife. Shape each half into disk and wrap each with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes before rolling out. If not using both disks, freeze extra one. Filling: 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 2 TBSP flour 1/4 tsp. salt 2 tsp. vanilla 1 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut In a large bowl, beat buttermilk, butter, eggs, sugar, flour, salt and vanilla together until well blended. Add coconut and stir in. Transfer filling to a 9-inch pie plate lined with an unbaked pastry crust. Bake in center of a 325 degree oven for 50-60 minutes, until top of pie is golden brown and center is set. Allow pie to cool completely before cutting. Keep any leftover pie in the refrigerator.