Pecan Pie

Thanksgiving was at my dad’s this year for me. It’s a very small get-together, larger than last year when it was just my mother and I, but it’s just me, my dad, and my grandfather this year. I’ve never made pie completely from scratch and upon discovering my love of pecan pie bars last year, I decided to choose pecan pie as the one to make. Luckily it also happens to be my grandfather's favorite kind of pie.

Southern Style Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups pecans
• 1 pie crust, recipe as follows (or store-bought, your preference)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, gently beat eggs. Stir in sugar and flour, then the syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
Fold in pecans.
Pour mixture into pie shell. Go around edges of pie shell, pressing down with a fork, then go over edge with melted butter (this is optional, it’s just to make it look pretty and golden). Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. A knife inserted in center of filling should come out fairly clean.

All-Butter Pie Crust Dough (adapted from merrygourmet)
yields 2 9-inch deep pie crusts

• 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
• 8 tablespoons ice water (a bowl of ice water on the counter is good for this, since you may need more or less than 8 tablespoons, I only needed 4)

In a food processor, mix the flour, sugar, and salt until blended. Add cubed butter and pulse just until a coarse meal is formed. Sprinkle water into the food processor by the tablespoonful and pulse until the dough begins to form moist clumps.
If you do not have a food processor, like me: mix the flour, sugar and salt with a fork. Cut the butter into cubes, then cut the cubes into smaller cubes, then add it to the mixture. You can then try to mix it in with the fork, or just crumple it up with your hands, which I find is easier, until you have a coarse meal. Then go ahead and sprinkle in your water until the dough begins to become moist.
Pour the dough out onto a work surface and form into 2 balls. Flatten ball gently into a thick disk and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for at least an hour before rolling. Make ahead: Dough can be kept in refrigerator up to one week. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month; double wrap in plastic prior to freezing.