Recipes from the Southwest US :: Southwestern Desserts

Sift 1 c. of the flour and the salt into a large bowl. Add butter, and working quickly with a light touch, cut butter into the flour with a spoon and fingertips until mixture is the texture of coarse cornmeal. Add ice water and stir until well blended. Form the dough into a ball and place on a flat surface floured with the remaining 3 Tbsp. flour.

With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 to 1/8 in.. Place an ungreased 8 1/2-in. round pie pan face down on top of the dough and cut around the pan, leaving a 3/4-in. border. Lightly flour the top of the dough and fold it in quarters. Carefully place dough in the pie pan, with the points of the folded dough centered. Unfold dough and line the pan bottom and sides, gently pressing dough into place and draping a little over the rim. Flute the edges. Refrigerate prepared pie shell until ready to use.

Pecan Filling
1/2 c. pecan pieces or halves, dry roasted until dark
3 large eggs
1 c. sugar
1 c. dark corn syrup
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. pecan halves

Process roasted pecans in a food processor until they become a relatively smooth butter, 2 to 3 mins., scraping sides down as needed with a rubber spatula.

Place eggs in a med.-size bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed a few seconds until frothy. Add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla extract, salt, and pecan butter. Beat on med. speed a few seconds until well mixed, pushing sides down as needed. Stir in the unroasted pecan halves. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit for 40 mins.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees fahrenheit and bake until filling is browned on top and crust on edges is lightly browned, about 40 mins. more.

Remove from oven and let cool at least 1/2 an hour before serving.