Lemon Meringue Pie

This recipe came from my grandmother, Lily (Nana) Redman, who lived outside of Houston in River Oaks. She made it especially for me in the late 40’s and early 50’s). There’s no better lemon meringue pie. It’s well worth the effort if you like lemon meringue pie..

Pie Shell

1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
¼ t. salt
1 t. sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp ice water

1. Put flour, salt and sugar in a medium-sized bowl and mix with a dinner fork
2. Add shortening and, with fork, stir and mash shortening into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly, some of it still very coarse.
3. Gradually sprinkle in ice water, stirring lightly with fork until dry ingredients hold together.
4. With pastry still in bowl, work gently together with one hand to form a ball.
5. Remove from bowl, shape in thick patty on a square of waxed paper, wrap and chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
6. Lightly flour both aides of pastry; put on lightly floured board or pastry cloth.
7. Cover rolling pin with a stocking and run in a little flour. Keeping pastry round, roll from center to 1/8 inch thickness and 12 inches in diameter.
8. Fold in halves or quarters and fit loosely in a 9 inch pie plate (1-1/4 inch deep) and press with fingers to remove air pockets.
9. With scissors, trim edges in necessary so that about ½ inch of pastry hangs over the rim.
10. Fold edges under, making sure pastry comes right to the edge of the rim.
11. Firmly place right index finger on inside of pastry rim and, with left thumb and index finger, pinch pastry at that point. Repeat every ¼ inch. Leave flutings rounded or pinch into points.
12. With dinner fork, prick pastry well.
13. Put on rack in center of preheated very hot over (450 degree) and bake 12-15 minutes. Pastry in aluminum pan will take longer.
14. Cool on cake rack.

Filling:

3 large eggs
1 t. grated lemon rind
½ cup fresh lemon juice
7 Tbsp cornstarch
1-1/2 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt
1-1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbsp butter or margarine

1. Separate eggs while cold, putting whites in large bowl of electric mixer. Put yolks in medium bowl and beat slightly with a fork. Set whites aside at room temperature to use for meringue.
2. Prepare lemon rind and juice.
3. Measure cornstarch, sugar and salt in to heavy 2-quart saucepan that measures about 5-1/4 inches across bottom. Mix well using a wooden or metal spoon.
4. Add hot water and stir until smooth.
5. Put over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
6. When mixture begins to thicken, reduce heat to medium and let bubble 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Mixture will be very thick.
7. Remove from heat and stir several spoonfuls of hot mixture into egg yolks, mixing thoroughly.
8. Stir into mixture in saucepan, scraping bowl with rubber scraper.
9. In small saucepan, mix cornstarch and cold water until blended. Mixture will be extremely thick.
10. Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon rind.
11. Add lemon juice in fourths and mix until smooth.
12. Scrape out into same bowl used for egg yolks and cool thoroughly at room temperature.

Meringue

1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water
½ cup boiling water
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 egg whites
6 Tbsp sugar

1. In small saucepan, mix cornstarch and cold water until blended.
2. Stir in boiling water, put over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until thickened.
3. Remove from heat and set pan in small amount of cold water to hasten cooling to room temperature.
4. Add lemon juice to egg whites and beat in electric mixer or with rotary beater until whites stand in soft peaks.
5. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition. Then beat until whites stand in firm, glossy peaks.
6. Add cornstarch mixture all at once and beat well until blended.

To Complete and Serve Pie

Put cooled filling in cooled shell, spreading to sides. Top with meringue, spreading to edges and making sure mixture touches crust al all points. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350 degree) for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and put in draft-free spot to cool 2 - 3 hours before cutting. Meringue cuts easily, but dip knife in hot water first, if preferred. Pie is best not refrigerated before serving.