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1
To make the filling, combine milk and sugar in a nonreactive saucepan, preferably enameled iron.
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2
Strip the zest from the lemons with a sharp vegetable peeler, making sure you remove the yellow zest but none of the white pith beneath.
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3
If you do remove some of the white pith, scrape it off the strips of zest with the point of a paring knife and discard it.
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4
Add the zest to the milk and sugar and bring to a simmer over low heat.
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5
Remove from heat and allow to steep for 5 minutes; remove the strips of zest with a slotted spoon or skimmer and discard them.
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6
Squeeze lemons to make 1/2 cup strained juice.
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7
Place juice in a mixing bowl and whisk in cornstarch, then yolks.
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8
Return milk and sugar mixture to a boil over low heat and whisk about a third of the boiling milk into the lemon juice mixture.
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9
Return remaining milk and sugar mixture to a boil once more and whisk the lemon juice and yolk mixture back into it, whisking constantly until the filling comes to a boil and thickens.
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10
Allow to boil, whisking constantly, for about 30 seconds.
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11
Remove from heat, whisk in butter and pour into a nonreactive bowl.
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12
Press plastic wrap against the surface of the filling and chill until it is approximately 75 degrees.
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13
(If you prepare the filling in advance, let it come to room temperature before proceeding.)
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14
Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
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15
Roll out the dough to make bottom crust and arrange in pan.
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16
Chill crust until firm.
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17
To bake the crust, pierce it all over with the tines of a fork at 1/2inch intervals.
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18
Line it with a disk of parchment or waxed paper and fill with cherry stones or dried beans.
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19
Bake about 20 minutes, until lightly colored.
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20
Remove paper and beans and continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown.
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21
Cool crust on a rack.
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22
Spread the cooled filling evenly in the cooled crust.
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23
Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
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24
To make the meringue bring a small pan of water to a boil.
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25
Lower heat so that water simmers.
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26
Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of the mixer or if you are using a hand whisk another heatproof bowl.
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27
Place bowl over pan of simmering water and whisk gently for about 2 minutes, until egg whites are hot (about 140 degrees) and sugar has dis solved.
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28
Whip meringue on medium speed until it has cooled and is able to hold a shape, but it should not be dry.
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29
Distribute spoonfuls of the meringue all over the top of the pie, then use the back of a spoon or a small offset metal spatula to spread the meringue evenly.
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30
It should cover the top of the pie and touch the edges of the crust all around.
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31
Here and there, bring up the surface of the meringue so that it is swirled.
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32
Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes, until the meringue is colored evenly.
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33
Cool on a rack.
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34
To mix the dough by hand, combine flour, salt and baking powder in a mediumsized
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35
mixing bowl and stir well to mix.
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36
Cut butter into 1tablespoon pieces and add to dry ingredients.
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37
Toss once or twice to coat pieces of butter.
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38
Then using your hands or a pastry blender, break the butter into tiny pieces and pinch and squeeze it into the dry ingredients.
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39
Keep the mixture uniform by occasionally reaching down to the bottom of the bowl and mixing all the ingredients evenly together.
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40
Continue rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarseground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible.
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41
Sprinkle the minimum amount of water over the butter and flour mixture and stir gently with a fork the dough should begin holding together.
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42
If the mixture still appears dry and crumbly, add the remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time for the smaller quantity of dough, a tablespoon at a time for the larger quantity, until the dough holds together easily.
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43
To mix the dough in the food processor, combine flour, salt and baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade.
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44
Pulse 3 times at 1second intervals to mix.
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45
Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to work bowl.
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Process, pulsing repeatedly at 1second intervals, until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembles a coarseground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible about 15 pulses in all.
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47
Scatter the minimum amount of water on the butter and flour mixture and pulse 5 or 6 times the dough should begin holding together.
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48
If the mixture still appears dry and crumbly, add the remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time for the smaller quantity of dough,one tablespoon at a time for the larger quantity, until the dough holds together easily.
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49
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a disk (two equal disks for the larger amount of dough).
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50
Sandwich the disk(s) of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it into a 6inch circle.
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51
Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.
