Make and blind bake the pie crust:

1. Prepare pie dough according to recipe instructions up to the step where you chill it in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. When ready to bake, roll the chilled pie dough into a disc about 12 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a pie dish, trim the overhang to about 1 inch, and crimp the edges.
3. Line the pie crust with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans, pushing the weights up against the sides to keep the sides of the crust from shrinking down during baking. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Prick the crust all over with a fork, then return it to the oven and bake for another 7–8 minutes, or until the crust is just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Make the cranberry curd:

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the berries pop and the mixture thickens.
2. Optional step: Puree the cranberry mixture with an immersion blender. Alternatively, transfer to a standard blender and blend for 30–60 seconds or until smooth. This step results in a stronger cranberry flavor and more vivid color in the final product.
3. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium mixing bowl. Pour the cranberry mixture into the sieve and use the back of a spoon to press it through the sieve into the bowl. This step is a bit tedious and takes a while, but it’s essential to create a smooth cranberry curd. Keep pressing the curd through the sieve until the mixture in the sieve is dry. You should be left with about 1/4 cup of solid pulp, which you can discard. Set the saucepan aside for later.
4. Working a tablespoon of butter at a time, whisk the softened butter into the hot cranberry mixture you just strained into the bowl.
5. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks until smooth. Scoop about a cup of the hot cranberry mixture into the eggs and whisk until smooth (this tempers the eggs and prevents them from scrambling). Pour the tempered egg-cranberry mixture back into the rest of the cranberry mixture and whisk together.
6. Pour the cranberry curd back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, whisking frequently, until thick and barely bubbling. This should take about 10 minutes.

Make the meringue:

1. While the cranberry curd simmers, make the meringue. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed for 1 minute, then on high speed for 4 minutes, until they reach soft peaks.
2. With the mixer running on high speed, slowly add the sugar and salt. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture reaches stiff peaks.

Assemble the pie:

1. Pour the hot cranberry curd into the pie crust and spread evenly.
2. Spoon the meringue on top of the hot curd and spread all the way to the edges so it touches the crust. Use the back of your spoon to create decorative swirls in the meringue if desired.
3. Bake on the bottom rack for 20–22 minutes. If the meringue starts to brown too quickly, carefully tent it with aluminum foil without the foil touching the meringue.
4. Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 4 hours before slicing and serving.