This old-fashioned crust recipe produces a flaky, golden, beautiful pie. The filling is rich, deeply spiced, and not too sweet. I added caramelized pecans on top for a special touch, and their crunch and sugary coating truly take it to another level. The crust can easily be made ahead and kept in the fridge in plastic wrap, or even rolled out and frozen inside a pie shell until you're ready to use. Filling and pecan topping can also be made a day ahead.