Thanksgiving 2013
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope the lousy weather hasn’t interfered with your plans.
I have lots of family and friends around, but I keep something else close by as I cook for the holiday. Many of my recipes, like yours too I’m sure, are family recipes…from my mother.
A LONG time ago, back in the 20th century, when H and I moved overseas, I was planning our first Thanksgiving dinner for friends, so I wrote to my mother (that’s how we did it then) for her famous Thanksgiving recipes. (WHY I didn’t think of getting them before we left, I’ll never know…)
She wrote me back on an aerogram (remember those?) and, in her beautiful script, she managed to fit the most important recipes I would need for a perfect homemade Thanksgiving – Turkey, Stuffing, her world-famous Pecan Pie and Pumpkin Pie.
I’ve kept that aerogram all these years and, boy, does it show every splatter and stain!
I finally glued it to another piece of paper and it’s by my side as I cook and I still refer to it. I look at her handwritten recipes and I remember the countless extra-ordinary Thanksgivings at her table and how patient she was about everything, but especially with the mess I used to make in the kitchen. I’m sad that she’s not here anymore, at Thanksgiving most of all, but I am truly grateful for all the years she was and for her beautiful spirit that gets passed on at least partly through her recipes.
I’ve given you this recipe before, but it’s the best of the bunch. It’s a never- fail, sweet, but not too sweet, Pecan Pie. My only contributions to the recipe are my own shortcrust (from a Cordon Bleu recipe) and, before baking the pie, I always fill in any spaces or gaps on the top with more pecans. Also I don't chill my pastry before rolling out. It can rest in the fridge while you mix the filling.
Have a wonderful day. Enjoy the cooking and company and try to swing it so someone else does the dishes.
I’ve given you this recipe before, but it’s the best of the bunch. It’s a never- fail, sweet, but not too sweet, Pecan Pie. My only contributions to the recipe are my own shortcrust (from a Cordon Bleu recipe) and, before baking the pie, I always fill in any spaces or gaps on the top with more pecans. Also I don't chill my pastry before rolling out. It can rest in the fridge while you mix the filling.
Have a wonderful day. Enjoy the cooking and company and try to swing it so someone else does the dishes.
My Mom’s Pecan Pie
Printable recipe here.
Filling:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups dark corn syrup
2 tbls. plus 1 tsp. melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves plus a few more to fill in any gaps
1 9"-10" unbaked pie shell (shortcrust recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat eggs just until blended, but not frothy. Add sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla, mixing just enough to blend.
Spread nuts in bottom in bottom of pie shell. Pour in filling. Fill in any gaps in the top with more pecans. Place pie in oven. Reduce heat to 325°F at once. Bake 50-60 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings.
Shortcrust Pastry:
1 1/2 cups flour
6 tbls. unsalted butter
2 tbls. shortening (I use Crisco)
4 to 6 tbls. ICE water
Place flour in the food processor. Add butter and shortening and pulse until evenly incorporated. Add 3 tbls. ice water and process until mixed. Add another tablespoon of water and process just until mixture comes together. You may need a spoonful or more of water. Knead into a ball and roll out between sheets of plastic wrap. Line pie dish and crimp edge decoratively.
Pie crust may be frozen in the pie dish after wrapping well. Remove from freezer about 20 minutes before filling and baking.
Printable recipe here.
Filling:
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups dark corn syrup
2 tbls. plus 1 tsp. melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves plus a few more to fill in any gaps
1 9"-10" unbaked pie shell (shortcrust recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Beat eggs just until blended, but not frothy. Add sugar, salt, and corn syrup. Add cooled melted butter and vanilla, mixing just enough to blend.
Spread nuts in bottom in bottom of pie shell. Pour in filling. Fill in any gaps in the top with more pecans. Place pie in oven. Reduce heat to 325°F at once. Bake 50-60 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings.
Shortcrust Pastry:
1 1/2 cups flour
6 tbls. unsalted butter
2 tbls. shortening (I use Crisco)
4 to 6 tbls. ICE water
Place flour in the food processor. Add butter and shortening and pulse until evenly incorporated. Add 3 tbls. ice water and process until mixed. Add another tablespoon of water and process just until mixture comes together. You may need a spoonful or more of water. Knead into a ball and roll out between sheets of plastic wrap. Line pie dish and crimp edge decoratively.
Pie crust may be frozen in the pie dish after wrapping well. Remove from freezer about 20 minutes before filling and baking.
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