Pecan Pie freshly baked in the oven. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Video: How to prepare Pecan Pie. Video by Liddie Martinez
By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
Española Valley
Holidays call for dusting off those baking dishes and breaking out the family recipes. Our home was always the place where extended family gathered to celebrate, share stories of old, seek advice, connect with old friends, share musical talents and feast. It is a time-honored tradition that my husband and I now have the honor of hosting for our family.
When all my nieces and nephews were still young, I used to make everyone’s favorite pie for Thanksgiving and they all carried it home to share with their friends. One year I made an array with dozens of flavors that included everything from pumpkin, sweet potato and apple maple to banana cream. But pecan pie is my son’s favorite and it is a pie I make most often.
Pecans are native to northern Mexico and southern states of the US. I visited a grove that was originally planted at a hacienda in Valle de Allende, Chihuahua when the Spanish colonized. During that time, Oñate and his troops were cooling their heels in that valley waiting for the Spanish Crown to give them permission to advance north for exploration. The acequia that runs through that community was established then to water the pecan groves. I have visited that orchard and the acequia that has ties to the ingredients cultivated on our farm for my own kitchen. Over the years we have seen the southern part of our state expand its pecan operations and it is now recognized nationally as 35% of all pecans grown in the United States are from the Mesilla Valley near Las Cruces.
The last time I made this pie, my son was coming home for a visit. I was already mixing ingredients when I found that I didn’t have enough light corn syrup. I substituted with honey and that small adjustment has elevated this pie on my own list of favorites. Give it a try!
Pastry
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
½ cup cold butter cut into pieces
1 cup ice water (you will not use it all)
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl and add butter. Cut butter into flour using a pastry cutter turning bowl and scraping edge with butter blades. Keep cutting until mixture looks like coarse sand. Add water a little at a time keeping ice cubes out. The amount you will need will vary depending on the humidity of the day. Add small amounts of water until the pastry begins to pull together in clumps. Do not knead. Make a dough ball similar to making a snow ball patting gently to keep it together. Refrigerate while making the filling.
Flour rolling surface and press gently into a disk then roll out dough. Line pie plate, flute edges and place pecans in the pastry. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425°
Filling
5 eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 cup light corn syrup
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/3 cup pecan halves
In a large mixing bowl slightly beat 5 eggs with a whisk. Add sugar, honey, syrup and salt and combine well. Add butter that has cooled. Don’t over mix. Pour into pastry lined pie plate and bake in center of the oven for 15 then reduce temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Cool on rack completely before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
Editor’s note: Liddie Martinez is the author of the popular award winning Chile Line Cookbook: Historic Recipes of Northern New Mexico, which is available online at www.pajaritopress.com.
