Used this recipe for the filling http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/11/how-to-make-pecan-pie-slideshow.html with minor alterations: 1/2 cup corn syrup, 1/2 cup full flavor molasses instead of brown sugar, toasted pecans in the microwave, on a plate for 4 minutes total, 1 minute at a time.
Rolled out dough after taking it out of the fridge - it was very stiff and cracked during rolling. Patched up the cracks the best we could and transferred into ungreased form. Crushed toasted nuts (1/2 of total 3 cups) with rolling pin inside a zip-lock bag. Pressed nuts into bottom of form ready with dough.
Mixed all ingredients for the filling, whisked a lot so the mixture lightened a shade in color and had lots of air bubbles in it. Chunks in picture are solidified butter. They broke up further with vigorous whisking.
Poured mixture into form with dough and pressed crushed nuts and decorated the top with uncrushed 1/2 cup toasted nuts. Made a foil circle for later use. Put in the oven for 20 minutes. Nuts started browning at ~18-19 min. Put foil circle on top and stuck back in the oven for another 5-10 min. Tested internal temperature and it clocked in at 189F. Should be a few degrees lower for fully cooked pie. Took out of the oven and let rest in its form on a cookie sheet for ~1hr.
Crust is very buttery, flaky and light. Home-making the crust added >1hr to the total preparation time so in the future we'll probably buy it pre-made. Might decrease the amount of molasses used. Might add chocolate.
