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Pie- Pecan Pie

List of Ingredients





Pie Dough at room temperature (recipe follows)

Flour, for rolling out dough

6 medium eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups light corn syrup

1 tbl. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups pecan halves

Sprinkle the work surface with flour. Flatten the pie dough slightly with your hands into a round shape, sprinkle the dough and a rolling pin with flour and roll out the dough evenly, working from the center out. Pinch the dough to eliminate cracks. If the underside of the dough or the rolling pin sticks, sprinkle with additional flour. Roll to about 1/8-inch thickness.
Place a 9-inch pie pan upside down in the center of the dough. Add 1 inch for an overhang and cut out a circle of dough around the pie pan. Remove the pan, and brush off any excess flour. Push the dough into the bottom and against the sides of the pan, being careful not to tear the dough. Fold the edge of the dough under and crimp the edges. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and salt, and mix until smooth. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Scatter the pecans over the chilled crust and pour the filling over the pecans. Use your fingers to blend gently until the pecans are evenly distributed. Be careful not to tear the dough. Bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes, until the center is set and the crust is golden brown.
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

Chef Jamie's tips: The pie will rise slightly in the center when it's finished. Don't allow it to rise too much because it can easily overcook, causing a dark filling and a dry, cracking pie. Perfect pecan pie should have a golden filling. The secret is long and slow cooking. If you're not positive that the pie is done, turn off the oven and let the pie rest in the oven for 15 minutes. Always be sure your pie pan is clean and that the dough has no holes. Otherwise, the filling will leak and the pie will stick. We never refrigerate pecan pie at the restaurant. You shouldn't either.

-- "Commander's Kitchen"

Recipe: Dessert, pie

PIE DOUGH

Master this recipe and it will be one of the most versatile recipes in your kitchen, good for pecan pie, crawfish pie, chicken potpie and on and on.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

8 tbls. (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

5 to 6 tbls. ice water




Recipe

Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using your hands, gently work the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are each about the size of a dime.
Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour 5 tablespoons of the ice water into the well. Fold gently to incorporate, using the additional tablespoon of water if the dough is too dry and crumbly. Fold until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll out according to the directions in recipes using pie dough.
Makes enough pastry for a single-crust pie.

Chef Jamie's tips: Machines such as food processors seem to overwork this dough, so make it by hand. Use a good quality, fresh butter.

Pecan pie is the reason we exercise. This is seriously sweet and seriously New Orleans. In fact, pecan pie, creme caramel and bread pudding are the three all-time classic New Orleans desserts. Variations on pecan pie include chocolate pecan pie and bourbon pecan pie, but I love this traditional recipe.



-- "Commander's Kitchen" Published In Baton Rouge Advocate 12/21/00