Pecan Pie

1. For the crust: Place the flour, salt, and sugar on a large cutting board, blending with your fingers. Put butter on top of flour mixture, and use a knife or pastry fold the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal — leaving some butter pieces chunky. About 1/2 of the butter should be cut finely into the flour and the other half left in larger chunks.
2. Quickly gather the mixture into a mound and use your fingers to draw a long trench through the center. Sprinkle 1 TB of the ice water down the length of the trench, and fluff the flour so it absorbs the water. Redraw the trench and continue tablespoon by tablespoon until 4 TB have been incorporated into the flour, and the dough begins clumping together into large pieces.
3. Gather the dough into a mass with a pastry scraper and then use the heel of your hand to knead hunks of the dough in a “smearing” motion, pushing it away from you until the whole mass has been processed this way — about 6 “smears” in all. Then gather the dough together and repeat.
4. Shape it into a flat disk, then wrap in plastic wrap, pressing firmly with the palm of your hand to flatten the wrapped dough further to bind it. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before rolling and using.
5. Roll out the chilled dough into a circle 1 1/2 inches larger than your pie pan. Line the pan with the dough and trim to leave a 1/2-inch overhang of pastry around the pan. Fold this under, forming a thick edge on the rim of the pan.

FOR THE FILLING

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375° F
2. Mix the eggs, sugar, corn syrups, butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt until well blended.
3. Prick the sides and bottom of the pie shell at 1/2-inch intervals. Spread pecans on the bottom of the pastry, and pour the egg-syrup mixture over them. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until just set, but still slightly loose in the center. The pie will finish setting as it cools.
4. Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack before serving.