Hazelnut Pie

FILLING
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 pinch salt
4 teaspoons agar flakes
4 teaspoons kudzu
4 teaspoons water
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
GARNISH
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts (remove "husks" from toasted nuts) (cut in half after "husks" are removed)
1 tablespoon amaretto, (optional)
2 tablespoons maple syrup

CRUST
Because this filling does not get baked at all, you will need a completely prepared pie crust. So if you want to use a pie crust that needs to be baked such as the "Non-Gluten Pie Crust" (see recipe), then completely bake it before putting this filling into it. If you are using a crust that does not need to be baked such as the "Dried Fruit and Nut Pie Crust" (see recipe), then you can add the filling immediately.
FILLING
Blend the hazelnuts for the filling and the water at a very high speed until nuts are completely pureed (not gritty) and mixture is smooth (about 7 minutes for high speeds or longer for blenders that blend at lower speeds). Stop blender and use a spatula to dislodge any nuts that might be clinging to the inside walls of the blender, add the sweeteners and salt, and blend for another 2 minutes. Pour into a sauce pan. Sprinkle agar on top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Heat on low. Simmer for 5 minutes. Dissolve kudzu in the 4 teaspoons of water. Add to heated mixture and stir until it thickens. The mixture may not be very thick, but will thicken as it cools. Fold in the 1 cup of toasted, chopped hazelnuts and the vanilla. Pour mixture into the prepared and baked pie shell.
GARNISH
To finish pie with the hazelnut garnish, heat 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts in a skillet. Toast until the hazelnuts are nicely brown and fragrant, about 8 minutes total. Transfer nuts to a paper bag, and rub to remove as much of the nut skin as possible (this is the paper-like covering around the nut meat). Separate the nuts and the skins (that is, leave behind the nut skins when removing nuts; putting the nuts in a bowl can make it easier to leave the nut skins behind). Cut the hazelnuts in half. Return stove top to medium-high to high heat, and once the pan is hot again with the nuts in it, add the amaretto and maple syrup. Thoroughly coat nuts with syrup and cook very gently until syrup sticks to the nuts (should only take about 2 minutes). Add the glazed hazelnut halves on top of the pie in a decorative fashion (you will want to put the hazelnut halves on the pie before the pie is totally firm).
BEFORE SERVING THE PIE
Under the best conditions, if you let the pie sit out at a fairly cool room temperature (around 60-65 degrees F) lightly covered in plastic wrap, it should firm up and be ready to eat within about 4 hours. If the pie is not thick enough, refrigerate until it has achieved a thickness such that slices can be cut from the pie. Overall, how well the pie will thicken depends on a number of variables: 1) humidity, 2) how much the agar and kudzu cooked and thicken the mixture, 3) how much water evaporated during the cooking of the filling, and 4) room temperature. If the filling looks very thin (soupy), cover pie with plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator, and check the pie every couple hours until it has achieved a thickness such that slices can be cut from the pie. Remove plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator if the pie is still not getting thick enough.
If you do have the pie in the refrigerator, remove it about 1 to 2 hours before serving to allow it to soften up and come to room temperature (the flavor is better than if served cold straight out of the refrigerator).
VARIATIONS:
- As the sweetener, any combination of unrefined sweeteners (maple syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, agave nectar, etc.) can be used, and in varying amounts depending on your tastes (see "Dessert Notes" for more information about sweeteners).
- "Pecan Pie" - use pecans in place of hazelnuts at all points in the recipe.
- In addition to garnishing with hazelnuts, include small baked pie crust pieces cut into maple leaf shapes.