Sara A. Solla 	27 Dec 2005
-------------------------------------------------------------

Pastry dough:

10 oz butter, chilled and cut into pieces
1 and 1/2 flour plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
3 to 4 tablespoons of ice water

Preheat oven to 350F.

Process butter and flour working quickly with fingertips until
the butter is crumbled into rice size pellets and covered with flour.
Add flour as needed (usually not more than three tablespoons) until
the coarse crumbes do not feel sticky. Add ice water until pastry
begins to hold together. Quickly assemble into a ball, flatten into
a thick circle, wrap in plastic film, and refrigerate for one hour.

On a lightly floured surface roll the the pastry doug into a 12-inch
circle and transfer to a 10-inch tart pan, preferably with a removable
bottom. Line the shell with heavy duty foil and fill with weights (rice
or dry beans). Bake for 10 minutes in a 350F oven. Remove foil and
weights, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and
let the pastry shell cool down.

Filling:

1/2 pound pecan halves
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vainilla extract

Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium flame and cook, stirring,
until butter is light brown. Add corn syrup and brown sugar and cook,
stirring, until blended. Add cream and vainilla, stir until blended,
and let the syrup mix cool while setting the pecans.

Arrange the pecan halves neatly in concentrical circles over the partially
baked pie shell, until fully covered with one layer of pecans. Pour the
syrup mix over the pecans evenly so as to cover them all. Place in 350F
oven and bake for 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature over rack.