Parmesan in a pecan pie? It sounds a little wild — until you taste it. Sartori Parmesan brings a savory nuttiness and a touch of saltiness to this rich, chocolatey dessert, balancing out the sweetness of the pecans and chocolate. The result is a sweet-and-salty pie that’s a little unexpected, completely delicious, and proof that Parmesan can have a place beyond the cheeseboard.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
- 3 cups pecan halves, divided
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed and melted
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 ounces Sartori Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
- Sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Roll out pie pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 10-inch circle. Transfer pastry to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch of plate; flute edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Line pastry with parchment paper or double thickness of aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until crust is light brown. Carefully remove parchment and pie weights. Cool on a wire rack.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Coarsely chop 2 cups pecans. Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla bean seeds in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips, parmesan and chopped pecans.
- Pour filling into crust; arrange remaining pecans over top. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until filling is set. Lightly cover with foil if crust or pecans are over-browning. Cool on a wire rack.
- Serve pie with whipped cream.