This pretty-as-a-picture pecan pie veers a bit from tradition. For one thing, the filling is made with honey instead of the more-often employed corn syrup. The two key additions of honey and olive oil transform a classic pecan pie from overwhelmingly sweet to far more subtle and interesting to more developed palates.
Start by blind baking the pie crust. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pie dough in a pie plate, and flute the edges if desired. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. The idea here is to look for a matte finish on the pie, not golden doneness. Blind baking the crust will ensure that it remains crisp, not gummy, when the pie is baked with the filling.
Toast the pecans (this can be done concurrently with the pie crust, on a different rack in your oven). Scatter the pecans on a baking sheet, and bake in a 325 degree F oven for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant.
Let both the crust and the pecans cool to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. This will take about 30 minutes. You can turn the oven off while you wait, if desired.
Once you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, olive oil, salt, and lightly beaten eggs. Stir to combine. Apply medium heat, and stir the mixture constantly until it begins to lightly bubble and thicken. What you’re looking for here is not necessarily boiling, but you want the mixture to thicken to the point where it seems resistant to drop from the spoon. This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, but probably no longer.
Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla.
Add the pecans to the mix, and stir so everything is evenly coated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating at the 20 minute mark, or until the pie is set on the edges and just a little jiggly in the center. It will firm as it cools.
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
Servings 8