Sour Cream Raisin Pie With Meringue Topping - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 unbaked pie pastry (for a 9-inch bottom crust)
1 cup raisins (or use half cup raisins and 1/2 cup currants)
2 large eggs, separated
3 large egg whites (5 eggs whites total, save the 3 egg yolks for another recipe)
1 cup sour cream (use full-fat sour cream only)
1/2 cup sugar (use more sugar for a sweeter taste if desired)
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (for egg whites)

Preparation

In a bowl soak the raisins in water to cover by about 2-inches for 8 hours or up to 1 day.
Fit prepared pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
Trim dough leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, then crimp edge decoratively.
Chill the pastry in the fridge until very firm (about 30 minutes).
Set oven to 425\u00b0F (middle oven rack).
Lightly prick the pastry, then line the shell with foil.
Fill the foil with pie weights or rice and bake in middle rack for 15 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil and weights.
Place back in oven and bake for another 8 minutes.
Cool shell in pan on rack.
Reduce oven to 400\u00b0F.
To make the filling: drain the raisins well.
Separate the 2 eggs and place 5 whites in total into a bowl; set aside.
In another bowl whisk together the 2 yolks and sour cream in a bowl, then whisk in 1/2 cup sugar flour, vanilla, cloves, nutmeg and salt until very well combined.
Add in well drained raisins; mix to combine.
Pour the filling into shell and bake in center oven for 10 minutes at 400\u00b0F.
With pie still in the oven reduce oven again to 350\u00b0F and bake for another 30-40 minutes, or until filling is set.
To make meringue: Remove the pie from the oven but keep the temperature at 350\u00b0F.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the 5 room temperature egg whites until they JUST have soft peaks.
Gradually add in 1/4 cup sugar and keep beating until stiff peaks form.
Spread the meringue over warm pie, covering filling completely and making certain that the meringue touches shell all the way around (this is important!).
Bake pie in middle oven until meringue is golden (about 10 minutes).
Cool pie or serve at room temperature.