--FOR THE MERINGUE SHELL--
3 lg Egg whites
1 pn Salt
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
2/3 c  Granulated sugar
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1/3 c  Finely chopped walnuts
-OR- pecans

FOR THE FILLING
5 oz Semisweet chocolate
1/4 c Hot milk
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 pn Salt
1 3/4 c Whipping cream
2 tb Confectioners sugar
Chocolate curls *

* (To make chocolate curls, scrape a bar of chocolate with a vegetable
peeler) PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 275F. 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. Slowly beat in the sugar. Beat until meringue
is very stiff. Beat in the vanilla. Grease a 9-inch glass pie pan. Spread
the meringue over the bottom and sides, building up the sides as high as
possible. Sprinkle the nuts over the bottom. Bake for 1 hour. (If, after 10
minutes, the sides start to sag, gently push back into place.) Turn off the
oven and let the shell cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Cool completely on
a wire rack. TO MAKE THE FILLING: Melt the chocolate in the top of a double
boiler over hot water. Add the milk, vanilla and salt. Stir until smooth.
Cool. Beat 1 cup cream until stiff and fold into the cooled chocolate
mixture. Spread evenly in the meringue shell. Refrigerate 4 hours. Before
serving, beat the remaining cream with the confectioners sugar until
stiff. Spread over top of pie. Decorate with chocolate curls.