Categories: Pie

Ingredients

• 1 nine-inch baked pie shell
• 3 whole eggs
• 4 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/8 cup lime juice
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 4 egg whites, at room temp.
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position

2. (Using a double boiler makes this recipe foolproof, but if you’re very careful and stir constantly so it doesn’t scorch, you can make the lemon filling in a heavy saucepan directly on the stove over medium heat.)

3. Put some tap water in the bottom of a double boiler and heat it until it simmers. (Make sure you don’t use too much water – it shouldn’t touch the bottom of the pan on top.) Off the heat, beat the egg yolks with the whole eggs in the top of the double boiler. Add the ½ cup water, lemon juice, and lime juice. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until completely blended. Add this to the egg mixture in the top of the double boiler and blend thoroughly.

4. Place the top of the double boiler over the simmering water and cook, stirring frequently, until the lemon pie filling thickens (5 minutes or so.) Lift the top of the double boiler and place it on a cold burner. Add the lemon zest and the butter, and stir thoroughly. Let the filling cool while you make the meringue.

5. THE MERINGUE: (This is a whole lot easier with an electric mixer!)

6. Add the cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites and mix them in. Beat the egg whites on high until they form soft peaks. Continue beating as you sprinkle in the sugar. When the egg whites form firm peaks, stop mixing and tip the bowl to test the meringue. If the egg whites don’t slide down the side, they’re ready.

7. Put the filling into the baked pie shell, smoothing it with a rubber spatula. Clean and dry your spatula. Spread the meringue over the filling with the clean spatula, sealing it to the edges of the crust. When the pie is completely covered with meringue, “dot” the pie with the flat side of the spatula to make points in the meringue. (The meringue will shrink back when it bakes if you don’t seal it to the edges of the crust.)

8. Bake the pie at 350 degrees F. for no more than 10 minutes.

9. Remove the pie from the oven, let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack, and then refrigerate it if you wish. This pie can be served at room temperature, but it will slice more easily if it’s chilled. (To keep your knife from sticking to the meringue when you cut the pie, dip it in cold water.)

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