Make cubes of the butter first and store in the freezer until you collect the rest of your ingredients for making the piecrust.
Set aside ¼ cup water in a bowl and ¼ in another bowl. Again, put it in the freezer until you need it.
You can make the crust in the food processor or by hand. In case you own the processor, use it.
To make the dough in a food processor:
In the processor bowl add the flour, sugar, salt and run the processor using the metal blade.
Add the chilled butter and pulse until it looks crumbly and the butter is bean-sized.
Add the egg if using and pulse 1 to 2 times.
Else, remove the dough from the processor, add a little less than ¼ cup water, and bring the dough together by hand. Use 1 tablespoon water as needed to bind the dough.
To make the dough by Hand:
In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt whisk.
Add the chilled butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers.
Mix until it looks like sand. In case the dough feels warm, put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Whisk the egg, if using, with a fork and add to the dough. Stir in the egg with the fork.
Else, add a little less than ¼ cup water, and bring the dough together by hand. Use 1 tablespoon water as needed to bind the dough.
Make a disk from the dough wrap in a cling film and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled (at least 1 hour).
To Make the Pie:
Dust the work surface and a rolling pin with flour lightly and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick.
Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan leave an inch and trim the edges.
Fold the overhanging dough to form a thick edge that is even with the rim. Flute the edge.
Freeze the pie shell for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400° F.
Cover the pie with parchment paper or foil, a bit bigger than the pie size.
This will help you to remove the paper or foil easily, fill the foil with dried beans.
Bake on the centre rack for about 20 minutes or until the dough is set.
Remove the pie from the oven and lift sides of the parchment paper to remove the beans.
Continue baking until the pie shell is lightly golden brown, about 10 more minutes.
Remove from the oven, set on the cooling rack, and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350° F.
While the crust is baking, make the filling.
Filling:
In a thick-bottomed pan, mix the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
Stirring constantly bring to a boil over medium heat for about a minute.
Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts, bourbon (if using), and the vanilla.
Cool the mixture slightly, say, for about 5 minutes.
Whisk the beaten eggs into the filling until smooth.
Check the crust in case it has cooled; if it has warm it in the oven for 5 minutes.
Put the pie shell on a sheet pan and pour the filling into the hot crust.
Bake on the lower oven rack until the edges are set but the centre is still slightly loose about 40 to 45 minutes. (If the edges get very dark, cover them with aluminium foil halfway during baking.)
Cool on a rack.
Serve slightly warm or room temperature.
Notes
[recipe]I was tempted to use the fork on the pie crust before baking. However, since the instructions did not say anything I went on. Was definitely glad I did not, as then the filling would have seeped out and would have had a mess on my hands.
In addition, you can arrange the pecans on the pie artistically.