Recipes excerpted from Party Nuts! by Sally Sampson. Photography by Duane Winfield. Published by Harvard Common Press, Boston, MA. Copyright 2002. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Roasted Southern Pecans Sweet and Piquant

Look out: These are addictive! For a hotter and even more pungent dish, go with the larger amount of cayenne. Watch these carefully – Worcestershire burns easily.

1 large egg white (2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups raw pecan halves

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the egg white in a large stainless steel bowl and whisk until frothy. Whisk in the sugar, paprika, Worcestershire, cayenne, and salt. Add the pecans and toss until completely coated.

3. Transfer the pecans to the prepared sheet and arrange in a single layer. Place in the oven and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until lightly colored and dried out, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven, immediately loosen the nuts with a metal spatula, and set aside to cool before serving.

Makes 2 cups.

If you’re sipping: Serve with iced tea or lemonade.

Not just for snacking: Try mixing broken pieces into cornbread for a spicy, crunchy sensation.