Pecan Pie

Memorial day is almost upon us. Being a Yankee holiday from the late unpleasantness between the states, it wasn't celebrated down here until recently. Here's a good Southern recipe.

Crust:

1. 2 cups flour
2. 1/2 tsp salt
3. (optional but good with a sweet filling) 1 tsp sugar
4. 1 stick margarine (about 1/4 lb)

Mix these together until well homogenized.  An electric mixer works great as does a pastry knife, but a fork will do the job as well.  (I’m faster with a pastry knife than a mixer, but a mixer is easier on the arms).  When done it will be about the consistency of corn meal.  Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (or longer – it will freeze well at this stage) to chill and harden the margarine.  (prepare the filling during this time).
The simple way to prepare the crust is then to add cold water in small increments, followed by mixing to form a ball that holds all of the mixture together and is not sticky (you can add a little flour to dry it out if need be).  Do the mixing by hand with a fork or a spoon as it is important to be gentle with pie crusts.  Then roll it out on  a floured board and put in the pie pan.
To make a flaky pastry,  reserve about 1/3 of the mixture and add water to the rest.  This time you want the wetted mixture to be slightly sticky.  Roll the mixture out and place some of the dry mix on it (use about a tablespoon of the dry mix).  Fold over twice (once lengthwise then once across).  Repeat rolling out, adding mixture and folding until all of the dry mix is used up.  Then roll out all the way needed for the pie and put it in the pan.  (this is a bit more complicated than the first way, and the first way works fine if you’ve never made a pie crust before).
To make the filling (for a 9 inch deep dish pie crust):

1. 3 eggs
2. 1/2 cup sugar
3. 1 cup corn syrup (I used “golden eagle” brand which is mixture of corn syrup, molasses and honey )
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 1/4 tsp salt
6. 2 tbs margarine (melt if you’re doing this by hand otherwise just blend it in)
7. 1 cup (or slightly more) Pecans

Beat the eggs, sugar & margarine.  Add the vanilla, syrup and salt.  Beat some more.  It should be slightly opaque and foamy.   Put the pecans in the prepared (unbaked)  pie crust and pour the mixture over it.  Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for about 50-55 minutes.  Remove and cool.