Ultimate Cantaloupe Pie: The Secret Ingredient You Won’t

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Cut cantaloupe in half, remove seeds, and scoop flesh into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil; mash cantaloupe as it heats. This should make about 2 cups pulp.

3. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and salt in a medium bowl; add to pulp in the saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until thick.

4. Whisk together egg yolks and water in a large bowl. Whisk in a little of the hot pulp to heat yolks gradually, then pour egg yolk mixture into remaining pulp in the saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring, until filling is thick and creamy. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in butter and extract until incorporated. Pour filling into baked pie shell.

6. Beat together egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer in a second large bowl until frothy. Continue beating, adding 6 tablespoons sugar gradually; beat until thick peaks form. Spread meringue over filling.

7. Bake in the preheated oven until meringue is delicately brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Tips

The amount of flour may seem large, but it takes considerable thickening to obtain the correct consistency.