Preparing the Pie Crust

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Crust:

• Set the oven rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Thaw the chilled pie crust according to package directions. Unroll and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Decorate the edges if desired; for example, fold the edges under slightly and press between fingertips to create a wavy design.

Mixing the Filling

2. Prepare Filling:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk (make sure to scrape any excess from the can), eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until well blended.

Assembling and Baking the Pie

3. Assemble and Bake:

• Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and gently wiggle the pie dish to level the filling.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet. If you’re concerned about the crust edges getting too dark, cover them with a ring of aluminum foil.
• Transfer the pie on the baking sheet to the oven and bake on the lowest rack for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking until the pie is nearly set (the filling should no longer jiggle when moved), which takes about 35 to 40 minutes.

Cooling the Pie

4. Cooling:

• Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool at least 2 hours before slicing. For a chilled pie, let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature and then refrigerate for an additional 2 hours.