Frank's Lemon Meringue Pie
All right--I admit it. I have NO idea just who the heck Frank is. But that was the name of the recipe that was in the cookbook I found it in (My Mother's Southern Desserts) so it'll do for me. It's a wonderful dessert, and marked the first time that I ever successfully separated an egg.
(Don't ask!)
Piecrust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup Crisco shortening
1/4 cup ice water
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt, then cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives till the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add the water until a ball of dough is formed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.
To bake the pie shell, preheat the oven to 425º F., grease a 9-or 10-inch pie plate and set aside.
Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out from the center (not to and fro) with a lightly floured rolling pin to a 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully fold the pastry in half, lay the fold across the center of the prepared plate, unfold it, and press it loosely into the bottom and sides of the plate. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork, trim and crimp the edges, place on a heavy baking sheet and bake until the shell browns evenly--12 to 15 minutes. Allow the shell to cool completely on a wire rack.
Filling:
1 cup plus 6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs, separated
2 Tbsp. butter
One prebaked 9-inch pie shell (see above)
Preheat the oven to 325º F.
In a medium-size, heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the cornstarch and the salt and mix until well blended. Gradually add the boiling water, stirring constantly, and cook over moderate heat until the mixture thickens, stirring. Add the lemon rind and juice and stir. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks until foamy, add a small amount of the hot lemon mixture to them, stirring constantly, and then pour the egg mixture into the lemon mixture in the saucepan, stirring. Add the butter and continue cooking, stirring, until the mixture is very thick, then pour into the baked pie shell.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until thickened, then gradually add the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, cover the pie with the meringue, being careful to seal all the edges. With a spoon, make a few peaks in the meringue, then bake just till the top has browned slightly--about 10 minutes. Cool the pie completely before serving.
Yields one 9-inch pie; 6 servings
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