• Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.
• Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs. (this should be a heaping cup) Add the walnuts, and sugar and process again until everything is finely ground. Add the butter and process briefly to combine.
• Pat the crust into your pie plate, and up the sides. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the cranberries, 1 cup of the sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer the cranberries, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until they've popped and the mixture is quite thick. Let cool slightly and then puree until completely smooth.
• Whisk the puree, the eggs, yolks, salt, lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar together in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, this will take about 10 minutes or so. Stay by the pan the whole time and stir! Note: let the mixture just come up to a bubble, and then remove from heat.
• Push the curd through a mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to get it all through.
• Let the curd cool for a few minutes and then drop the room temperature butter in, bit by bit, while you stir to melt it.
• Pour the curd into the pie crust and smooth out evenly. Chill the pie until it is firm, about 2 hours or so.
• Decorate with sugared cranberries and sprigs of thyme or mint leaves if you like.

sugared cranberries

• Roll damp cranberries in granulated sugar and let dry.