In a medium sauce pan, mix pumpkin, cream, milk, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and orange zest. Scald by heating just until it starts to boil but remove from heat before it boils.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and very slowly, drizzle in the hot pumpkin liquid, tempering the eggs, until all of the liquid has been whisked in. If you add too quickly, the eggs will scramble. Place this mixture in the refrigerator for one hour to cool. Save the egg whites for later.

While that mixture is cooling, make the crust by placing the walnuts in a food processor and pulse until they are ground but not so much that they start to puree or get gummy. Add flour and salt and pulse a few times. Add shortening and pulse a few times to mix. Add a little water at a time and pulse after each addition just until the dough comes together and is pliable.

Scrape the dough into a 9” pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides, making a decorative edge when done. Do not try to roll the dough, pressing it into the pie plate is the easiest. Refrigerate until the filling has cooled.

After the pumpkin mixture has cooled, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the cooled pumpkin mixture then pour the filling into the prepared pie plate.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 25-35* minutes more or until the center is firm and a tooth pick poked into the center comes out clean.

Whip the heavy cream if using.

Cool and serve with whipped cream.