Maple Walnut Pie

FOR THE FILLING
1 1/2 c Pure maple syrup
2 tb Unsalted butter; melted
1 ts Cinnamon
1/2 ts Maple extract or flavor;
-(available at specialty
-foods shops and some
-supermarkets)
1 tb All-purpose flour
3 lg Eggs; beaten lightly
1 ts Freshly grated orange zest
3 tb Fresh orange juice
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 lb Chopped walnuts; (about 2
-1/3 cups)
Thin strip of orange zest;
-removed with a vegetable
-peeler, for garnish if
-desired
Whipped cream dusted with
-cinnamon as an
-accompaniment if desired

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Make the shell: In a food processor blend together the flour, the salt, the
butter, and the shortening until the mixture resembles meal and transfer
the mixture to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the water, toss the mixture
until the water is incorporated, adding as much of the remaining 2
tablespoons water as necessary to form a dough, and form the dough into a
ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1
hour. Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and
fit it into a 9 1/2-inch (1 1/2-quart) deep-fish pie plate. Crimp the edge
of the dough decoratively and chill the shell for 3 minutes.

Make the filling: In a bowl whisk together the syrup, the butter, the
cinnamon, the maple extract, the flour, the eggs, the grated zest, the
juice, and the salt until the filling is smooth and stir in the walnuts.

Pour the filling into the shell and bake the pie in the lower third of a
preheated 450F. oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350F., bake the
pie for
30 minutes more, or until it is golden and just set, and transfer
it to a rack. Let the pie cool, garnish it with the orange zest strip, and
serve it with the whipped cream.