Fresh pineapple, sweetened and then simmered until tender, indeed makes a rich-tasting pie filling. But since the whole fruit can be unwieldy to handle, I recommend using an already trimmed fresh pineapple or fresh pineapple chunks; either or both can be found in most supermarket produce departments. In a pinch, canned pineapple chunks, well drained, are okay, but their flavor is not quite as pure.
Makes one 9-inch pie
Basic All-American Pie Dough for a 9-inch pie shell (page 20)
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
2¼ cups milk
4 egg yolks
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Meringue Topping (page 38)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out the dough and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim and flute the edges, then bake the pie shell fully, following the instructions on page 22. Cool completely before filling.
To prepare the pineapple, combine it with ½ cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the fruit is very tender. Set aside, uncovered, to cool for about 30 minutes, then mash coarsely; a hand-held immersion blender or an old-fashioned potato masher can be used for this. Set aside.
Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan and whisk together until evenly blended. Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth. Cook over moderate heat, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture boils. Cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks. When the mixture returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking or stirring constantly, for 2 minutes more. Stir in the reserved pineapple mixture and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat, add the butter and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, then spread evenly in the pie shell.
Preheat the broiler. Prepare the meringue topping as directed and spread it over the pie filling (which may still be warm), making sure it touches the edges of the crust all around. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tips of the peaks of the meringue are browned. Cool before serving.