Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients:

1 gingersnap crumb crust, baked and cooled
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-oz can)

Filling preparation:

Make gingersnap crumb crust and reserve.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pulse sugar and ginger in a food processor until ginger is finely chopped, then add cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Add eggs, milk, flour, nutmeg, and salt and pulse until just combined.

Reserve 2/3 cup cream cheese mixture in a glass measure. Whisk together remaining 1 1/3 cups cream cheese mixture and pumpkin in a large bowl until combined.

Pour pumpkin mixture into gingersnap crumb crust. Stir reserved cream cheese mixture (in glass measure) and drizzle decoratively over top of pumpkin mixture, then, if desired, swirl with back of a spoon. Put pie on a baking sheet and bake until center is just set, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then chill, loosely covered with foil, at least 4 hours. If necessary, very gently blot any moisture from surface with paper towels before serving.

Crumb Crust:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for greasing
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (10 graham crackers or 24 small gingersnaps; about 6 oz)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

a 9- to 9 1/2-inch pie plate (4-cup capacity)

Instructions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter pie plate.

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl and press evenly on bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes, then cool on a rack to room temperature, about 45 minutes.

Cook's notes:
• To make cookie crumbs, break up crackers or cookies into small pieces, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
• For this recipe, use 4 (not 5) tablespoons melted butter plus additional for greasing.