Serves: 2 people. Preparation time: 1½ hours.
In a saucepan combine the sugar, corn starch and salt. Stir in the milk and cook over medium heat stirring until thickened. Remove from heat. Scramble the egg and slowly fold it into the milk mixture. Cook and stir 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla (for Vanilla Pudding) and butter until it is melted. Pour the mix into a chilling bowl or individual pudding dishes. (Plastic wrap the bowls too keep the pudding top from hardening.) Chill for 1 hour or more.
For pie filling, pour into a pre-baked pie shell or tart shells at room temperature and serve.
For Chocolate Pudding, add an extra ¼ cup of sugar and use chopped chocolate squares in place of the vanilla. Stir until it's all melted and smooth.