Southern Pecan Pie

From the garden

• 2 cups shelled pecan halves, toasted, about 1 cup roughly chopped and 1 cup left whole · about 8 oz shelled, from roughly 1 pound in the shell

From the pantry

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour · for the crust
• ¾ cup butter, 1/2 cup cold and cubed for the crust, 1/4 cup melted for the filling
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar · a little acid keeps the filling from tasting flat
• ¾ tsp salt · 1/4 tsp in the crust, 1/2 tsp in the filling
• ¾ cup heavy cream, softly whipped (optional) · for serving

1. Make the crust: toss the flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt, cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the biggest pieces are pea-sized, then stir in 3–4 tablespoons of ice water, a spoonful at a time, just until the dough holds together when squeezed. Press into a disk, wrap, and chill 30 minutes (this can be done a day ahead).
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a sheet pan and toast 8–10 minutes until fragrant and a shade darker; they burn fast, so pull them as soon as you smell them. Roughly chop half and leave the rest as halves.
3. Roll the dough to a 12-inch round on a floured counter, lay it into a 9-inch pie plate, trim the overhang to about 1 inch, and fold it under and crimp. Freeze the shell 10 minutes while you make the filling; a cold crust holds its shape.
4. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in the brown sugar, honey, melted butter, vanilla, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until no sugar lumps remain. Stir in the chopped pecans.
5. Pour the filling into the shell and arrange the pecan halves over the top in rings or rows; they float up and toast in the oven. Bake on the lower rack 50–60 minutes. It is done when the edges are set and puffed and the center still wobbles slightly like gelatin when you nudge the pan; if the crust edge browns too fast, tent it with foil.
6. Cool completely on a rack, at least 2 hours, before slicing. The filling firms as it cools; cutting it warm gives you pecan soup. Serve at room temperature with softly whipped cream.