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Pecan Pie
From Dorothy McNett's recipes at www.dorothymcnett.com. This bakes slowly so that the custard sets up nicely and the pecans brown delicately.
for the crust:
1 cup all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
a few grindings of fresh pepper, if desired
6 tablespoons very cold butter (or lard)
1/4 cup cold water
for the filling:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 9 inch unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In food processor with steel chopping blade in place (or use a hand held pastry blender) whirl the flour, salt and pepper. Add the cold butter or lard and process with quick off and on movements until mixture has the consistency of very coarse crumbs. (Or cut the flour in with the pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.) Add the cold water and process only until dough begins to cling together. With hands form dough into a ball, but do not knead the dough. Roll out into a 10 inch circle on a lightly floured pastry cloth, sprinkling with more flour as needed. Carefully transfer to an 8 or 9 inch pie dish, being careful not to stretch the pastry. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Cream the softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla, eggs, flour, salt, and buttermilk. Add the chopped pecans and pour into unbaked pie shell. Arrange the halves on top. REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 300 degrees. Bake 1 1/2 hours, or until filling sets like custard. It may puff up quite bit during the last phase of baking, but will settle back down when removed from oven. Cool before cutting.
Recipe created 1998-04-18.
