---------------------------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.