Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Proud to partake of your pecan pie

Do you remember this scene from one of the all time greatest films out there?

Harry Burns: Repeat after me. Pepper.
Sally Albright: Pepper.
Harry Burns: Pepper.
Sally Albright: Pepper.
Harry Burns: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Sally Albright: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Harry Burns: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.
I loved When Harry Met Sally. I wrote about it in high school for my final English Paper. I quoted it endlessly. I may have *very embarrassingly* even told a few fellows that I wasn't their consolation prize. Oh the shame (and talk about dating myself!).

Anyway none of this has anything to do with the recipe I am posting today except for the fact that i can't ever see a Pecan Pie without think about Billy Crystal saying Pecan Pie and Meg Ryan trying to copy it perfectly. Sigh. If only all dating were so witty.

The funny thing is until 2010 I didn't even like Pecan Pie. Wait, I should correct myself, I didn't think I liked Pecan Pie. You see, at some point in the 1980's, probably 1982 I went to a Thanksgiving dinner at my great aunt Thelma's house. She had made many many pies, one them being Pecan Pie. I tasted it, didn't like it, and so began my vigilant avoidance of all things pecan. At the time, it wasn't so big a deal. There were loads of other dessert choices, my favorite being apple.

Fast forward nearly 30 years and I am lamenting all of the pecan pies I skipped over, assuming I didn't like them. I just ignored them, turned my nose at them, and plunged towards pumpkin or apple. Oh what I wouldn't give for a chance to apologize to those pies. Beg forgiveness.

What might have changed in 2010 to make me realise the errors of my ways you ask? For Thanksgiving we always transport cans of pumpkin from the states to Ireland and make pumpkin pie. This year with the excitement of the wedding, the pumpkin was sadly left behind. We were feeding a big crowd and needed two pies. Since I was already making apple, I decided I would make a pecan for the others. You know, those type of people, who eat Pecan Pie.

Well lo and behold. I could not get enough of the sucker. I loved it so much I made 3 more between TDay and Christmas.

The moral of the story - don't trust your 8 year old palette! Sometimes trying something again is worth the risk :)

This pie is super easy to make, but takes a long time to cook. I recommend making it immediately and sharing with as few people as possible!

Pecan Pie

½ cup sugar
4 T Brown Sugar
½ t Salt
1 cup Corn Syrup (I used light the first time and dark the rest of the time - all delicious!)
⅓ cups Melted Butter (salted)
3 Large Eggs
1 t Vanilla
1 cup Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

You have two choices - make a pie crust or use a store bought. I make mine, but the non roll kind.

Combine sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.

Place the chopped pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell first. Next pour the yummy syrup mixture over the top.

You will want to cover the pie with tin foil for the first 35 minutes of baking. Remove tin foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Continue baking until the center if firm and no longer jiggling.

Share with only people who are incredibly dear to you!



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