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Thanksgiving: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

Source of Recipe


Gourmet, November 2009



List of Ingredients



• Pastry dough (recipe follows)
  
• ¾ stick unsalted butter
  
• 1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
  
• ¾ cup light corn syrup
  
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• ½ tsp grated orange zest
  
• ¼ tsp salt
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 2 cups pecan halves (½ pound)
  
• Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
  






Instructions



1. Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet on middle rack.
   Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a ½-inch overhang. Told overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).
   
   
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, zest, and salt. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in corn syrup mixture.
   
   
3. Put pecans in pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them. Bake on hot baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely.
   
   Makes 8 servings.
   
   
   Pastry Dough:
   
   • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
   • ¼ tsp salt
   • 3 to 5 Tbsp ice water
   
   Blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps.
   
   Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Squeeze a small handful: if it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, ½ tablespoon at a time, stirring until incorporated, then test again. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough.
   
   Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into four portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with a pastry scraper if you have one, and press into a 5-inch disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
   
   Makes one 9-inch pie or tart shell.
   
   
   Cook's Note:
   • Dough can be chilled up to 3 days.
   • Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled.