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1
Mix 3 tablespoons flour and yeast in small bowl to blend. Add 3 tablespoons warm water; whisk until smooth. Let mixture stand until puffed, about 12 minutes.
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2
Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sour cream, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, salt, and yeast mixture in large bowl of heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until dough is sticky, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons water if mixture is too dry, about 5 minutes. Add butter; beat until dough is smooth and soft, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough is slightly firmer and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until at least doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
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3
Preheat oven to 400u00b0F. Toss pecans and oil on rimmed baking sheet to coat. Bake until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle nuts with 1/8 teaspoon sea salt; cool on sheet. Coarsely chop pecans.
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4
Scrape dough out onto floured surface. Toss dough to coat with flour and press gently to deflate. Line work surface with long sheet of parchment paper; sprinkle paper with flour. Roll out dough on prepared parchment to 16x14-inch rectangle. Using offset spatula, spread butter lengthwise in 5-inch-wide strip down center of dough. Sprinkle sugar, then nuts over butter. Cut unfilled dough on either side of filling into 3/4-inch-wide diagonal strips. Fold alternating strips over filling on slight diagonal, forming lattice top. Fold loose ends under bottom edge of bread. Slide parchment with bread onto large rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free area until very puffy, about 1 1/2 hours.
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5
Position rack in top third of oven and preheat to 350u00b0F. Brush bread with egg glaze. Bake until golden, turning sheet after 15 minutes, about 25 minutes total. Slide parchment with bread onto rack and cool at least 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, wrap in foil, and store at room temperature.)
