Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is a delicious Southern staple, and often makes an appearance at Thanksgiving.  However, most recipes for it are cloyingly, tooth-achingly sweet. This recipe actually has the proper ratio of pecan flavor to sugar! It comes to me via my friend Kathleen, who modified it slightly from the Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis.

If you want to create a decorative pie, leave the pecans whole and arrange them in the pie shell in whatever pattern you desire. However, a pie made with whole pecans is harder to eat.  If you don't possess a food processor, you can easily buy crushed pecans and mix the pie filling by hand with a whisk.

Not-So-Sweet Pecan Pie

Ingredients
1.25 cups whole pecans
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup (e.g. Karo brand)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pre-baked pie shell

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Briefly pulse 1.25 cups of whole pecans in a food processor to break them down slightly. Set aside.

Blend in a food processor until thoroughly combined: 
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup

And and blend until smooth:
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pour the pecans in an even layer in the pre-baked pie shell. Carefully pour the blended egg mixture over them, transfer the pie to a baking sheet, and place it in the bottom third of the oven. Bake the pie at 350 for ~35 minutes until the filling is set. Remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack before serving.