Double-crust pies, such as apple pies, are made by layering the filling between two pieces of raw dough and then baking the pie until the crust is crisp and the filling is tender. Single-crust pies, such as pecan pie, start with a pie shell, which is often prebaked. The pie shell is filled and then baked just long enough until the sweet, egg-enriched filling is set. (Although it may not look like it, pecan pie and pumpkin pie are really custard pies.) Pecan pies can be overwhelmingly sweet, with no real pecan flavor. And they too often turn out curdled and separated. What’s more, the weepy filling makes the bottom crust soggy and leathery. The fact that the crust usually seems underbaked to begin with doesn’t help matters. We created a recipe for a not-too-sweet pie with a smooth-textured filling and a properly baked bottom crust.