Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

1 cup pecan pieces
1 large egg
1¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ t salt
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 t vanilla 
Seedless raspberry or strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350°F To toast pecans, spread on baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove pecans from baking sheet and cool; set aside.

Place cooled pecans in food processor. Process until finely chopped; transfer to shallow bowl.

To separate egg yolk from white, gently tap egg in center against a hard surface, such as side of bowl. Holding a shell half in each hand, gently transfer yolk back and forth between the 2 halves. Allow white to drip down the 2 halves into cup. When all white has dripped into cup place yolk in another cup. 

Place flour and salt in medium bowl; stir to combine.

Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down side of bowl once. Beat in vanilla and egg yolk. Gradually beat in flour mixture, scraping down side of bowl once. 

Beat egg white with fork until frothy.

Roll dough into 1" balls. Roll balls in egg white; roll in nuts to cover.

Place balls 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each ball with thumb. 

Bake 8 minutes or until set. Remove cookies from oven; fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam. Return filled cookies to oven; continue to bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Immediately remove cookies with spatula to wire racks; cool completely.

Store tightly covered at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months

Makes about 2½ dozen cookies