Southern Pecan Pie

I haven't made or eaten that many pecan pies in my lifetime and I don't know what characteristics define the perfect pie so won't comment on how closely this recipe approaches the ideal; I will say, however, that this pie is delicious. It offers a good balance between the pecans and the sweet, gooey filling (heavy on the pecans, light on the sweet and gooey), and the pate brisee crust is crispy and flaky. Having said that, I do have a few complaints about the recipe. I appreciate the detailed visual descriptions that the book provides, but when it comes to caramelizing the sugar, I want more...."golden brown" is a little vague....a temperature for the mixture would be helpful. Also, when adding a hot liquid to raw egg, some of the egg inevitably gets cooked and the mixture needs to be sieved. I did this step but the book omits it. Though the pie is good, I found the recipe to be more labour intensive and to produce more dirty dishes than others - that are equally delicious - I've tried.