Chocolate Pie

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish; set aside.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt until well combined and slightly lightened, about 2 minutes.

Fold the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until no streaks remain.

Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the filling is just set at the edges but slightly soft in the center (a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the edge should come out clean, but the very center may have a few moist crumbs).

Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve slices with whipped cream and a light dusting of powdered sugar if desired.