Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie With Gingersnap Cookie Crust

1/2 cup of pecans
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of gingersnap crumbs (from about 20 cookies)
5 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
1 lb. of cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup of sour cream, room temperature
1 cup of canned solid-pack pumpkin
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of ground ginger
Pecan halves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the 1/2 cup pecans and sugar in food processor and process until finely chopped, about 20 seconds. Pour into large bowl, add gingersnap crumbs and mix. Pour in the butter and stir well to combine. Turn mixture into 10 inch pie dish and press evenly against bottom and sides to form crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. (Leave oven on.) In large bowl, beat cream cheese and brown sugar until soft and well blended. Stir in sour cream and pumpkin. Gradually beat in eggs, one at a time and the cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Place pie dish on baking sheet and pour in filling. Bake in middle of oven for 45 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool on rack. Arrange pecan halves around edge of pie. Makes 12 servings.