Chef notes
One Thanksgiving, I decided I wanted to make pecan pie that my family would actually eat. We're not fans of overly sweet desserts, but my father absolutely loves pecans. The answer to creating a less cloyingly sweet filling was simple — paht! Not only is the red bean paste far less sugar-y than the typical custard-like filling of a traditional pecan pie, I knew my family would instantly appreciate the familiar flavor. I presented my little pie that Thanksgiving, and since then, I have been asked to make it every year.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup cold vegan butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3-4 tablespoons ice water
- 3/4 cup brown rice syrup
- 6 tablespoons soy or oat milk
- 1 cup paht (red bean paste)
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 3½ tablespoons potato starch
- 1 cup pecan halves
Preparation
For the pie crust:
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt, and pulse while adding the butter, a few pieces at a time. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough starts to form.
Shape the dough into a ball. Do not handle more than necessary. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but best if overnight.
For the pie filling and topping:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.In a medium bowl, combine the brown rice syrup, soy milk, paht, brown sugar, melted butter, salt, vanilla, chopped pecans and potato starch.
3.Place the pie dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pie dough gently until it is large enough to line a 9-inch pie pan. Ease the crust into the pan and trim any excess dough at the edges with kitchen shears or a sharp paring knife. Pour in the filling. Top the filling with pecan halves.
4.Transfer the pie to the oven and bake until the pie filling sets (i.e. doesn't jiggle too much), 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool the pie on a wire rack for 2 hours before serving.
From The Korean Vegan Cookbook: Reflections and Recipes From Omma's Kitchen by Joanne Lee Molinaro, to be published on 10/12/2021 by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2021 Joanne Lee Molinaro
