Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined.  Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds).  Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched.  Add remaining water, if necessary.  Do not process more than about 30 seconds.  Turn the pastry out onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour to chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax. 

Once the pastry has chilled sufficiently, remove from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface.  Roll out the pastry to fit into a 9 inch (23 cm) tart pan.   To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards to get uniform thickness).    To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry.  The pastry should be about an inch larger than your pan.

When the pastry is rolled to the desired size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll.  Unroll onto the top of your tart pan.  Never pull the pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan).  Gently lay in pan and with a small floured piece of pastry, lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan.  Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry.  With a thumb up movement, again press dough into pan.  Roll rolling pin over top again to get rid of any extra pastry.  Prick bottom of dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes).  Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.

To prebake the tart shell:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.  Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Fill tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface.  Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned.  Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.  Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.  Cool on a wire rack and then chop coarsely.  Set aside.

FOR FILLING:  In a food processor or electric mixer place the cream cheese and sugar and process until smooth.  Add eggs, one at a time, and process until thoroughly combined.  Add vanilla extract and half-and-half cream and process until well blended and smooth. 

Evenly distribute the chopped pecans over the bottom of the pre baked tart shell.  Gently pour the filling over the pecans and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until filling is set.   Transfer tart to wire rack to cool.  Serve warm with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 - 9 inch (23 cm) tart