Sweet & Spicy Pecans

1 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon canola oil
1½ tablespoons or more sugar to taste
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon ground red chile

Preheat oven to 300°. Spread the pecans on a sheet pan and roast until fragrant, about 25 minutes. Stir a few times so that they color evenly. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the nuts and stir to coat. Sprinkle with the sugar and salt and cook, stirring continually, over medium heat, until the sugar melts and starts to caramelize and coat the nuts, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat but keep stirring until the nuts begin to cool, then toss with the chile and turn them onto a plate to finish cooling. Makes 1 cup.