PALEO-ish PECAN PIE

Prep time: 15 MINUTES  |  Cook time: 30 MINUTES

Adapted from The Healthy Foodie and Wholesome Yum

Gluten-free, flavorful and packed with minerals. As if you needed more reasons to eat pecan pie!

THE FILLING

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ lb pecans, raw
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup date paste (maybe 3/4 cup if you like it less sweet – see recipe below)
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup ghee, melted (plus more, unmelted, to grease the pie dish)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp Himalayan salt
  • 1 pie shell, (see recipe below)
  • 20 – 24 pecan halves, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Add date paste and maple syrup to a mixing bowl and stir delicately with a large whisk until well combined. Throw in eggs, melted ghee, vanilla extract and salt and resume whisking, a little more vigorously this time, until well combined. Set aside.
  3. Grease a 9”deep dish pie plate with ghee and line with bottom pastry.
  4. Spread pecans at the bottom of the pie and then pour reserved date paste mixture over the pecans. Gently tap the sides of the pie dish and delicately bang it on the counter a few times to remove any potential air bubbles.
  5. Place the pie on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is nice and golden and the filling has set.
  6. Arrange pecan halves around the perimeter and center of the pie to make it extra pretty.
  7. Serve warm or chilled.

DATE PASTE

  1. Bring about 4 cups of water to a simmer. Place 12 oz. of pitted Medjool dates into a 4 cup glass measuring cup. Cover the dates with the water and let sit for 10 minutes to soften.
  2. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking water and then drain the dates.
  3. Add the dates and 3/4 cup of the soaking water into a food processor or a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure it is blended well. You can add the remaining 1/4 cup soaking water for a smoother paste.
  4. Pour the date paste into a clean storage container and cover. (Mason jars make great storage containers!) Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

 

gluten-free pie crust

THE CRUST

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ¼ tsp Sea salt (or ½ tsp for savory pie crust)
  • ¼ cup Ghee (measured solid, then melted)
  • 1 large Egg (or ~2 tbsp additional ghee)
  • ¼ cup coconut or date sugar (optional)
  • ½ tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line the bottom of a 9 in (23 cm) round pie pan with parchment paper, or grease well.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, coconut sugar (if using), and sea salt.
  3. Stir in the melted ghee and egg, until well combined. (If using vanilla, stir that into the melted ghee before adding to the dry ingredients.) The “dough” will be dry and crumbly. Just keep mixing, pressing and stirring, until it’s uniform and there is no almond flour powder left. (Alternatively, you can use a food processor to mix it all together.)
  4. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. You can flute the edges of desired; if it crumbles when doing this, just press it back together. Carefully poke holes in the surface using a fork to prevent bubbling.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden. (Add fillings only after pre-baking)

 

Paleo-ish Pecan Pie finished