My Homemade Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres

These homemade pastries are finger licking good. You can enjoy them at pretty much any time you want. However, my favorite time is, in the evening with a cup of hot tea.

For all those who love using readymade pastry dough for making quick appetizers, this homemade pastry dough is a must try. All you need is a pack of cream cheese and 2 sticks of butter, 3 eggs and some flour. Believe me, it doesn’t take much to make this flaky, delicious pastry dough from scratch.

I started by kneading the dough then freezing it overnight. Next day, I transferred the dough to the fridge so that it can thaw. Then I made a spicy potato filling and allowed it about an hour to completely cool down. After that it was easy business. I rolled the dough, spread the filling on it, cut into thin pizza slices and rolled them up. A quick egg wash and bake and they were ready!

These flaky pastries are as good as they look! They are decadent and delicious. You can serve them as Hors D'oeuvre (because they are bite sized) with a Cilantro chutney and drinks or as a side dish with your dinner.

I think I have a thing for all things petite. I think they require more attention to make and must taste incredibly superb. Because they are so small in size they really have to be loaded with flavors and colors. These light golden pastries are so petite that they can safely be called Hors D'oeuvres. Doesn’t this term sound fancy? Hors D'oeuvre! Wow! I feel like I am in a French restaurant and with this easy recipe you too can make them at home.

I have a gorgeous baking handbook by Martha Stewart and it has all these fancy recipes. The only downside is, most of them are sweet. Now don’t take me wrong, I enjoy sweet confections but I think we should always know savory recipes as well. They do need a little planning ahead but it’s completely doable.

So give these delectable hors d'oeuvres a try and then post your photos and comments using #lifewithoutalu.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• Unsalted Butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
• Cream Cheese - 8 ounces, room temperature
• Egg Yolks - 3 large
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon
• Ajwain (Carom Seeds) – 1 ½ teaspoons
• All-Purpose Flour – 2 1/3 cups, plus more for dusting

Tip: Read Basic Kitchen Measurements to learn how to separate egg whites and yolks.

For the Filling:

• Potatoes – 2 large (boiled, peeled and mashed)
• Onion – ½ medium, minced
• Garlic – 2-3 cloves, minced
• Green chilies – 2, minced
• Cilantro – a handful, minced
• Salt - to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Crushed Red Pepper – 1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
• Chat masala – ½ teaspoon
• Amchur – ¼ teaspoon
• Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
• Oil - about 4-5 tablespoons

For the Finishing:

• Egg - 1 large, beaten lightly
• Pastry Brush
• Parchment Paper

Directions:

Make the dough:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the Salt, Red Chili Powder and Ajwain, beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each.
• With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour to combine.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.
• Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape into flattened disks, wrap each in plastic.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (Tip: I froze the dough overnight then thawed it in fridge for 4-5 hours, it helped shape the dough better).

Make the filling:

• Heat a wok over medium high heat.
• Add Oil in it.
• After a couple of seconds, add the Onion and Garlic and fry them till they are golden brown in color.
• Add the Green Chilies and mix well.
• Add the mashed Potato in it with Salt and mix well.
• Now add all the spices - crushed Red Pepper, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chat masala, Amchur powder and Garam Masala.
• Mix everything well and fry the mixture until it’s fragrant and the Potatoes change color to dark red and get dry.
• Turn off the heat and allow it to cool down (about 10 minutes).
• Add the Cilantro.

Roll, Fill and Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 10-inch round, about ¼ inch thick.
• Sprinkle with a third of the Potato mixture.
• Using the rolling pin, gently roll over the round to press the filling into the dough.
• Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the round into 16 equal wedges
• Beginning with the outside edge of each wedge, roll to enclose filling.
• Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets (I put the rolled side down, it helps to hold it together).
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Brush the beaten egg over the tops of the pastries.
• Bake the sheets, rotating halfway through, until the pastries are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
• These savory pastries can be kept in an airtight container/ zip lock in fridge for up to 4 days (or freeze them). Serve them at room temperature with Cilantro chutney or reheat them in a 200-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Love hors d'oeuvres? Try these as well:

• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres

My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres

When I am hosting a party, I love serving everything homemade, made from scratch. Now these pinwheel pastries may look super fancy but they are quite easy to make at home. You just need a little planning and do a couple of steps ahead of time. I am telling you, these will be gone within minutes!

You can serve these pastries as Hors d'oeuvre or as a side dish with your dinner. The pastry is prepared with an enriched dough kneaded with cream cheese and butter. The pastry swirl is very easy to make and just requires a delicious filling to accompany the flaky pastry. You can also make these with kids! They can help you to spread the cheese and the filling and then arrange the sliced pieces on the baking tray.

This rolled up feta, chicken sausage and caramelized onions topped with parsley is indeed a fancy treat. This pastry dough is decadent, flaky and easy to work with. Just make sure to use a cool space to roll out the dough because we don’t want the butter to melt.

Before trying this recipe, I used to look longingly at the bakery windows wondering how they could create such petite masterpieces. Well, making these swirls or pinwheels may sound intimidating but the recipe is actually pretty easy. The first step is rolling the dough into a thin rectangle. If the shape is not perfect don’t be afraid to use the knife and give it a little trim. Stick the pieces where appropriate using a little water (so that it sticks) then sprinkle a little flour on it to dry it up. Once you get the perfect shape, spread the sausage and caramelized onions on it, followed by the feta cheese and chopped parsley. Now all that is left is to roll the pastry dough into a log, cut it into slices and bake.

So give these delicious and beautiful pinwheel hors d'oeuvres a try and then post your comments and photos using my hashtag #lifewithoutalu.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• Unsalted Butter - 2 sticks, room temperature
• Cream Cheese - 8 ounces, room temperature
• Egg Yolks - 3 large 
• Salt – ½ teaspoon 
• Red Chili Powder – ½ teaspoon 
• Fennel Seeds - 3 tablespoons 
• All-Purpose Flour – 2 1/3 cups, plus more for dusting

Tip: Read Basic Kitchen Measurements to learn how to separate egg whites and yolks.

For the Filling:

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – ¼ cup 
• Chicken Sausage - 1 pound, casings removed
• Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – ½ teaspoon (optional)
• Salt – a big pinch
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
• Feta Cheese - 8 ounces, crumbled
• Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley Leaves – ½ cup, washed and coarsely chopped

For the Finishing:

• Egg - 1 large, beaten lightly
• Pastry Brush
• Parchment Paper

Directions:

Make the dough: 

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. 
• Add the Salt, Red Chili Powder and Fennel Seeds, beat until combined and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine after each.
• With the mixer on low speed, beat in flour (a couple spoonfuls at a time) to combine.
• Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface. 
• Divide into 3 equal pieces and shape into flattened rectangular disks, wrap each in plastic. 
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. (Tip: I froze the dough overnight then thawed it in fridge for 4-5 hours, it helped shape the dough better).

Make the filling:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
• Crumble sausage into pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. 
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet along with the onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. 
• Add the Red Pepper Flakes and season with Salt and Pepper. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until Onion turns golden red, about 8 minutes. 
• Add the reserved sausage, and stir to combine. Remove from heat, and let cool completely. 
• Stir in feta cheese and parsley; set filling aside.

Roll, Fill and Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. 
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 10X12-inch rectangle, thin like a roti or tortilla.

• Sprinkle with a third of the Sausage mixture.

• Gently spread the filling all over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides.
• Starting at the long (12-inch) edge, roll the pastry into a log.

• Turn the log down so that the open edge is on the kitchen counter. Using a sharp, serrated knife, carefully cut each log into ½ -inch-wide slices. 
• Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling. 
• Brush the beaten egg over the top of the pastries.
• Bake the sheets, rotating halfway through, until the pastries are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• These savory pastries can be kept in an airtight container/ zip lock in fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them. Serve them at room temperature or reheat them in a 200-degree F oven for 10 minutes. Enjoy! 

Tip:

• It may be difficult rolling the dough into a thin rectangle. If the shape is not perfect don’t be afraid to use the knife and give it a little trim. Stick the pieces where appropriate using a little water (so that it sticks) then sprinkle a little flour on it to dry it up. 

Love serving Hors d'oeuvres? Try these as well:

• Debarshi’s Amuse Bouche
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)
• My Homemade Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres 

Plum Chutney

Chutney or as we Bengalis call it - Chaatni is a quintessential Bengali lunch item. It is served after the meal as a final course. When Debarshi’s mom prepared this Plum Chutney for lunch, I had no idea this could be so versatile. The fact is, you can have this with anything. Below are a few ideas:

• With your authentic Bengali lunch (of course!)
• As a preserve with a good Bread and Cheese
• With leftover roasted meat
• As a dip with grilled chicken
• As a spread for your turkey sandwich
• As a dip with your burger
• As a dip with savory snacks like Samosa, Pakora, Kabab and spring rolls
• Pair with plain Parathas
• As a spread on crackers with cream cheese

Plum, raisins and just enough sugar makes this perfect chutney. If you are used to readymade chutneys and preserves, then it is time to give homemade a try. If you love making chutneys at home, this is the right recipe for you. The very taste of this chutney will tingle your senses with sweet and tangy flavors. Plus, by preparing this yourself you will be assured that no artificial preservatives or spoiled fruits have been used. This is delicious, lip smacking and absolutely unique. And, it has been tried and tested by my mom-in law for several years. 

I don’t have to write here the numerous health benefits Plum have. They are rich in antioxidants, relieve constipation and lower cholesterol levels. They are also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and fibers. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a box of plums on your next grocery shopping. Eat some fresh and cook some for this chutney. This fresh chutney is indeed a refreshing change from our usual condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce. 

This chutney also makes a cute present. Just spoon it into a small mason jar and tie it up with a beautiful ribbon. It can be kept in the fridge for at least 10 days (that’s the time period we had it in our fridge).

Ingredients:

• Plum – 4, cut into big pieces
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• White Vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• White Sugar – ¼ cup
• Raisins – ¼ cup

Directions:

• Boil the Plums in a pressure cooker with the Salt over medium high heat.
• Once the pressure drops, crush the plums with a wooden spatula or a potato masher.
• Add the White Vinegar. Mix and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Add the Sugar. Mix and continue boiling for another 3-4 minutes.
• Add the Raisins. Mix and reduce the heat to low.
• Continue cooking for 20 minutes till it reaches a thick consistency.
• Cool and serve.

Serve this chutney with the following:

• My Cheap and Delicious Cheese Plate
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Tandoori Chicken
• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Indian Spiced Tzatziki Sauce (Cucumber Raita)
• Shorshe Diye Bata Mach (Bengali recipe: Fish in Mustard Gravy)

Palak ke Pakore (Gram flour and Spinach Fritters)

Super Bowl is incomplete without finger foods and every year I try to prepare something new. Last year I prepared a Creamy Cream Cheese Dip to go with the delicious sausages and this year I decided to prepare a North Indian snack. I had a huge bag of Spinach in my fridge and I thought how about I prepare some Spinach and Gram Flour fritters? This combination tastes amazing and it can be easily prepared within 10-15 minutes. I fried them crisp which developed that beautiful crunch in the leaves. Now you don’t have to buy the powdered spices, you can always use whatever you have available in your pantry. Serve the fritters hot with some Chaat masala and you got yourself a delicious homemade finger food! If you are preparing these for guests, you can fry them beforehand and keep them warm and toasty in the oven. Serve them with Cilantro chutney or ketchup.

Ingredients:

• Spinach – 2 cups, thoroughly washed
• Besan (Gram Flour) – 1 cup 
• Onion Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Ginger Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Red Chili Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Fennel Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Coriander Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Cumin Powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Water – ½ cup plus a little more (for the batter)
• Salt – to taste (about ¼ teaspoon)
• Oil – 2-3 cups (for frying)

Let’s prepare the batter:

• Mix together the batter ingredients (Besan, Onion Powder, Ginger Powder, Red Chili Powder, Fennel Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Asafoetida and Salt) and gradually add the water in it. 
• To ensure that there are no lumps in the batter I whisk it continuously while adding water.
• Wash the Spinach thoroughly in a colander and keep it aside.

Directions to fry the Fritters:

• Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat.
• Keep an oven safe dish on the kitchen counter and line it with a paper towel.
• Test the temperature of the oil by dropping just a little bit of the batter into the oil. If there isn’t any bubbling, then the oil isn’t ready. If it’s furiously bubbling and there is smoke, that’s too hot. If the temperature is perfect the batter ball will take a dip and immediately float to the surface of the oil and change color.
• At this perfect temperature, start dropping a couple of spinach leaves into the batter. Coat them up with a spoon, then drop them carefully into the oil. You can add a couple spoonfuls of leaves at a time making sure not to over crowd the wok. Keep an eye on the color and temperature of the fritters.
• Keep frying the fritters till they are light golden brown in color. 
• Remove from the wok using a spider spoon and place them on the plate.
• Dust some Chaat Masala on them and serve hot with ketchup or Cilantro chutney.

Tips:

• One question which may baffle a newbie cook is the measurement of pinch. Traditionally it is the amount of salt or pepper you can hold between your forefinger and thumb. Now if you want to be more accurate then you may use a measuring spoon and it will be approximately 1/8 teaspoon.
• If you don’t have the powdered spices, use 2-3 tablespoons of chopped Onion and 1 teaspoon of Ginger. If using Green Chili, two should be enough, chop them up as well.
• Prepare the Masala given in the Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki article and dust it on these Pakoras for an extra flavor.
• Skip the green chilies or the red chili powder if you don’t want the fritters taste hot. Always remember to improvise the recipe as per your palate.
• Keeping the heat on medium ensures a longer frying time and helps cook the batter evenly. You should of course turn it up a bit if the fritters are looking greasy or taking forever to cook. Now if the fritters are changing color quickly you may want to turn down the heat a bit.
• Try to use the back burner to deep fry the fritters. Always be careful when dealing with hot oil.

 

Recommended Reading:

• How to Deep-Fry food with Confidence? 
• How to check if the Oil is hot enough to fry
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• French Chops
• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Alur Bora (Mamma’s Potato with Garlic fritters)
• Kabiraji
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat (Crispy Fried Potato Patties with Dried Peas, Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Methi Pakora (Gram flour and Fenugreek leaves Fritters)
• Dhania Chutney (Cilantro Chutney)
• Saag Bhaja (Bengali style Stir-fried Spinach)
• Palak Paneer (Fresh Cheese in Spinach gravy)
• Chochchori (Bengali style mixed vegetables)
• Make Cumin Powder at Home
• Excited to use new spices? Know more about Hing (Asafoetida)
• Creamy Cream Cheese Dip
• My Cheap and Delicious Cheese Plate
• Dhaba Wala Saag Chicken (Chicken in Spinach Curry Rustic Indian Style)
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Loknath wali Meethi Lassi (Sweet Yogurt based drink)
• Namkeen (Savory Deep Fried Indian Snacks)
• My Homemade Sausage and Feta Hors D'oeuvres
• My Homemade Spicy Potato Hors D'oeuvres 
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Alu Palak Sabji (North Indian Dish: Stir-fried Potatoes with Spinach)
• Baked Cumin / Nigella Seeds Namkeens
• Egg Devil (Bengali recipe of Croquettes with egg and minced meat/ Indian Scotch Eggs)
• Bread Pakora (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Potato filling)
• Vegetable Cutlets
• Bread Pakora with Soa Alu (Deep fried Bread Fritters with Dill and Potato filling)
• Paneer Pakore (Fresh Cheese Fritters)
• Air fried Pakoras (Fritters)

Tamarind Chutney – sweetness with tang

Recipe courtesy: Mamma

Tamarind chutney is one of the most common chutneys prepared in almost every North Indian household. Well, every home with a chatori (a girl who loves chat) in it! It is quick to prepare and delicious to eat. Traditionally this chutney is prepared with Jaggery (raw cane sugar) which is considered to be a healthy substitute for the granulated sugar. Tamarind chutney is used in many dishes but my favorites are Alu Tikiya ki Chaat, Samosa and Dahi Bara (fried lentil fritters in yogurt and spices). I learnt this recipe recently from my mom for a get together party at our home and needless to say I loved it. This is definitely a better and cheaper alternative to the ready made chutneys I usually use. The preparation is pretty straight forward, boil the Tamarind and Jaggery together on low heat and the chutney will be ready in no time. Normally this chutney is spiced with some salt, red pepper flakes and ginger powder (also known as Saunth), however, since I was already adding a lot of spices in the masala (see Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki article) I decided not to add anything more in this chutney. However, it is totally up to you and if you do decide to add the seasoning, here is a tip: my mom said that the seasoning should be added right before you are going to consume the chutney otherwise it will change the overall flavor.

Since I didn’t have any Jaggery, I decided to go with Brown Sugar which I must admit turned out pretty good. The texture of this chutney is thick which makes it easier to store and use. I filled it up in a plastic ketchup dispenser which you can easily find at most grocery stores and I must say using a dispenser makes all the difference. They are very easy to use and quite efficient to pour chutney into a Phulki or on Chaat. This chutney is a delicious combination of the tangy tamarind and sweet brown sugar and as long as you are not adding any seasoning in it, it should be good for several days in any airtight container.

Now where to buy the Tamarind? Well, you can easily get a packet of Tamarind from your local Indian store. A typical pack will look like this:

As you can see, Tamarind pack will have seeds which we will discard after making the pulp. Now let’s move on to the process of making this lip-smacking tangy and sweet chutney.

Ingredients:

• Tamarind - 1 cup 
• Brown Sugar – 1 cup

Let’s do some preparations first:

• Cut the Tamarind with a sharp knife and put it in a bowl. Cover it with water. In India we normally wash the Tamarind before this step. However, since here it is available in packets, I usually skip this step.
• Soak the Tamarind in water for at least 4 - 5 hours or overnight.

Directions to prepare the chutney:

• Transfer the Tamarind into a skillet or wok along with the water and let it cook over low heat. 
• After about 5 minutes add the Brown Sugar into it. Stir to mix.
• After 15-20 minutes, you will see the mixture getting thick. This means the chutney is now ready. Remove it from heat and allow it to cool down a bit.
• After 5-10 minutes, strain the mixture using a fine mesh strainer (use a spatula) and you got your tangy-sweet pulp. Chutney is ready!

Before serving:

• Add a little Salt, Red Pepper Flakes and a little Ginger Powder in this chutney and enjoy with delicious Samosas, Pakoras or Phulki and Tikiya.

Tips:

• If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water in it. The consistency of the chutney depends on your preference. 
• Tamarind and Sugar should be used in equal amounts. Keep this in mind if you want to make more or less amount of chutney.

Recommended Reading:

• How to make Tamarind Pulp?
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Samosa (Spicy Potato stuffed Pastries)
• Meethi Chutney Matar Phulki
• Alu Tikiya ki Chaat (Crispy Fried Potato Patties with Dried Peas, Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• My Cheap and Delicious Cheese Plate
• Alu Cutlet (Crispy Shallow Fried Potato Patties)
• Indian Spiced Tzatziki Sauce (Cucumber Raita)
• Mamma’s Dahi Bara (Lentil Fritters with creamy Yogurt, Chutney and Spices)
• Mayo Mustard Sauce with Herbs
• Fresh Homemade Salsa

Easy Pecan Pie

Photo courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

Thanksgiving for us means Pecan Pie and lots of good food. As I have mentioned before, it is a thanksgiving tradition for us to go to Vicki and Calvin’s place and enjoy a delicious homemade meal with them. Vicki would prepare a ton of mouth watering southern dishes with the turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans. Victoria would bring homemade bread with cranberry sauce and we usually take an Indian side dish with us. For dessert, Vicki would bake her delicious Pecan Pie and even though we would be totally full by that time, we would enjoy it with them and stuff us till we groan! Yes, that is how we celebrate Thanksgiving with them. They are our family away from home. 

This year since we moved to Kansas City, we couldn’t visit them during thanksgiving and it was definitely a downer for us. Specially for Debarshi, since he had been visiting them for 7 years! So, to cheer up both of us, I decided to bake a Pecan Pie. Now, normally I would go all the way and start from scratch, right from preparing the pie dough. However, this time I decided to go for a shortcut and I should say, it turned out really good. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words so what do you think?

Now this recipe is pretty simple and straight forward. Make the filling, bake the pie, cool it, refrigerate then serve and enjoy! I was a bit uncertain about the result (as I am always with the new recipes) but when we finally ate it, it was delicious! We loved the Pecans and the corn syrup and since the recipe is so easy I am going to bake this again for one of our get together parties. 

If you are a Pecan Pie lover, don’t wait, this delectable pie uses only seven ingredients so try this today!

Ingredients:

• Granulated Sugar - 1 cup 
• Light Corn Syrup - 1 cup 
• Butter - 2 tablespoons, sweet, unsalted, melted 
• Vanilla Extract - 1 teaspoon
• Eggs – 3, large
• Pecans - 1 ½ cups, halves
• Deep Dish Pie Shell - 1 (unbaked and frozen)

Let’s make the filling: 

• Mix the Granulated Sugar, Light Corn Syrup, Butter, Vanilla Extract and Eggs together in a bowl. The mixture will be thick so make sure the sugar is mixing well with everything.

Directions to Bake the Pie:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Pour the pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. 
• Pour the syrup mixture over the top.

• Place the Pie plate on a cookie/ baking sheet. 
• Bake for about 60 minutes, then gently shake the pie to check if the filling jiggles slightly in the center.
• Take it out of the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely (approximately 2 hours) then refrigerate. 
• Serve with whipped cream (optional).

Tips: 

• Spray or grease the cookie pan before placing the pie crust on it. This will help an easier clean up in case the syrup overflows.

Recommended Reading:

• Breadsticks
• Pyaz Ke Pakore (Onion Fritters)
• Cranberry Orange Muffin
• Pecan Cake with Rum Frosting
• A superb day in London with Pecan Pie
• Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Pecans
• Mary Berry’s Victoria Sandwich Cake