White: Patriot proud of this chocolate cream pie

These days, there is little that interests me more than the National Football League’s playoffs. I said on a recent Saturday night, as nine of us ate dinner in the dining room of my home: there are two things for which I am grateful to my ex-husband — my terrific daughter and my love of football.

It all began in our first small apartment in Ithaca. He was a student at Ithaca College and I worked in the drama department at Cornell University. On a Sunday, with little money, one car, one television and one couch, he would watch football. He would sit on the couch, intense; I sat on the rug, trying to understand football, asking questions which, rather nicely, he would patiently answer. (Why are there four downs to get another down? Why can’t the defense run with the football? Why do they call it football, when rarely does anyone kick the football?) The names Frank Gifford, Kyle Rote and Y.A. Tittle were important in our little household.

The marriage lasted less than four football seasons, but I continue to love the game, even though my daughter has never been interested in football. Some years later I met my best and only husband. He didn’t care much for football, but he would do the crossword puzzle in the New York Times Magazine on Sunday afternoon to keep me company.

Not too many friends of mine these days are wild about football, but, then again, I will also even watch golf on television. But I like company while I watch football, and now, with the Giants (who used to be my favorite) and the Patriots in the playoffs, it’s easy to get people to come for dinner and the games. So for that dinner party I made appetizers, an entrée and two desserts; then, nine of us watched the Patriots do us proud. One of my desserts did me proud, too.

Black-Bottom Chocolate Cream Pie

Adapted from Good Housekeeping, February 2012

24 chocolate wafer cookies

(Nabisco's Famous chocolate cookies)

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

one-third cup cornstarch

one-quarter teaspoon salt

3 and one-half cup milk

4 large egg yolks

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped finely

1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In food processor, pulse wafers into very find crumbs (you should have 1 and one-quarter cups). Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and 1 tablespoon sugar into the crumbs and process until the crumbs are slightly moist. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up side of a 9-inch pie plate.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until set. Cool on wire rack.

4. In heavy 3-quart saucepan, whisk cornstarch, salt and 1 cup sugar. While whisking, gradually add milk. Cook on medium-high 7 to 8 minutes or until boiling and thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.

5. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks until blended. Whisk in about one-half cup of hot milk. Do that once again. Then pour milk-egg mixture into the hot milk mixture in the saucepan. Place saucepan onto the cooktop and whisk on medium 4 to 6 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until melted, then stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Stir in rum, if using.

6. Pour mixture into cooled pie crust and spread evenly. Press sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight, or until cold and stiff. When serving, slice pie into wedges and top with whipped cream.