Page 120 - United States of Pie

Pecan Pie

There are about as many pecan pie recipes out there as there are
pecan pie lovers. In other words—a lot! While researching this book,
I baked and ate my way through many of them (hey, it’s a living!).
Some I loved; some I felt simply moderate about. While chewing on
the final bite of one of those slices of pie, I began to think about what

separates the good from the great. Pecan pie is sweet—very sweet.
The filling is almost confectionary, but the gooey sweetness plays so
nicely with the nuts. I decided that the most successful pies were the
nuttiest. How could I get the most impact from the nuts—that real
toasted flavor? My answer was to toast the pecans before adding
them to the pie. Toasting the nuts prior to baking releases their oils,
deepening the flavor of the pie.

I also decided to chop the nuts. As lovely as a traditional pecan pie
may look with pecans neatly tiling its surface, I have always found
that consuming this dessert is a little unwieldy. Stabbing a nut with
your fork is not the neatest activity, the filling oozes out the side, and
the crust falls apart. Adding the chopped nuts to the buttery, sweet
mixture allows for maximum nut impact. I do like to line the perimeter

of the pie with untoasted pecan halves, however. They toast upon
baking, and announce to diners the kind of sweet treat awaiting
them.

½ recipe Standard Pie Dough or Rich and Buttery Pie Dough

1 cup (4 ounces) raw pecan halves, plus 15 to 20 extra halves
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted