| 1 | * (to make chocolate curls, scrape a bar of chocolate with a vegetable peeler) preheat the oven to 275°F. |
| 2 | To make the meringue shell: beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar together in the large bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. |
| 3 | Slowly beat in the sugar. |
| 4 | Beat until meringue is very stiff. |
| 5 | Beat in the vanilla. |
| 6 | Grease a 9-inch glass pie pan. |
| 7 | Spread the meringue over the bottom and sides, building up the sides as high as possible. |
| 8 | Sprinkle the nuts over the bottom. |
| 9 | Bake for 1 hour. |
| 10 | (if, after 10 minutes, the sides start to sag, gently push back into place). |
| 11 | Turn off the oven and let the shell cool in the oven for 30 minutes. |
| 12 | Cool completely on a wire rack. |
| 13 | To make the filling: melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water. |
| 14 | Add the milk, vanilla and salt. |
| 15 | Stir until smooth. |
| 16 | Cool. |
| 17 | Beat 1 cup cream until stiff and fold into the cooled chocolate mixture. |
| 18 | Spread evenly in the meringue shell. |
| 19 | Refrigerate 4 hours. |
| 20 | Before serving, beat the remaining cream with the confectioners" sugar until stiff. |
| 21 | Spread over top of pie. |
| 22 | Decorate with chocolate curls |
