Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

A little while ago I was looking in my freezer and found a pie crust in a ziploc bag.  Since I didn't recall making pie crust in the recent past (in fact I realized that this had been made last time I posted about pie crust, which was December!) I decided I'd better see if it was still good.  It was!  Delicious, in fact.  And I made what has long been my favorite pie.  Or one of my favorite pies.  My mom swore off making this pie when we were little.  We had it once or twice and then she declared it "too rich."  But it isn't, not really.  I adjusted the recipe a little so it would be not quite as gooey-buttery (but still, quite sufficiently gooey), and so it would have a little more fluffiness and less oiliness.  Slice it thin and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it's as delicious as you could wish for.  The top forms a chewy, caramely crust that is UNBELIEVEABLY good, and then there is the soft buttery filling beneath, and the melted chocolate, all underpinned by that delicate, flaky bottom crust.  It's just the thing to cheer up a cold day.  Like today.

We call it Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.  Or my brother (he always has to be contrary; he called our cat Pussywillow "Ivan" for the duration of that cat's life) calls it "Chocolate Chip Cake Pie."  I don't know why.  I suppose it's really "Toll House Pie," but what information does that give you?  None.  Or worse, misleading information.  Do you have pay a toll to eat this pie?  Or live in a house?  You do not.  Or maybe it takes its toll on you by making you as big as a house.  But don't think of that; just think of:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 unbaked pie crust (use this recipe)
½ c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. flour or so (about 5 oz.)
1/4 t. salt
2 T. milk
1-1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips*

Heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars; add eggs. Beat in vanilla, flour, and salt. Blend in milk (filling may look a little lumpy), then stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour filling into prepared pie shell and smooth it with a spoon. Bake for about 50 min. When done, top will be dark golden brown and filling will be set except for the very center, which may jiggle when you tap the pan. Serve warm, with ice cream.  Or it is also quite delicious cold, sliced and picked up and eaten with your hands like a cookie.

*If you want, you can stir the chocolate chips together with the dry ingredients first, before adding them to the egg mixture.  This is supposed to coat the chips with flour and make them less likely to sink to the bottom of the pie.  But it doesn't really work that well.  Maybe it helps a little, but they still don't distribute throughout the pie evenly.  Anyway, I kind of like the two-layer look myself, so I usually don't bother.

(Another pie, warmer.  More chocolate chips in this one.  I like both ways.)