I decided to try this lemon pie to celebrate my first harvest of lemons (of a small lemon plant in a vase). Some time ago I saw lemon plants on the window sills of a building and fell in love with them.
Later I bought a small plant but it seemed not to be happy as the lemons were small and green for a long time. Finally I decided to change the vase position and the lemons became yellow and bigger – real lemons ;-).
I wasn’t using them yet because I wanted a special recipe, a special occasion to begin using them. And then I found this lemon pie recipe that seemed the perfect way to begin using my own lemons.
I called this pie intense because you feel so much the flavor and taste of lemon eating it. Probably because we use the whole lemon to prepare it, not just zest and juice, but the fruit itself.
If you eat this lemon tart the same day you prepare it, it is good, but seems too sweet. The day after it is perfect…and so if you freeze it – I unfreezed it the other day and … there were no leftovers.
I found this recipe on Saveur and I didn’t change a thing, maybe only some more minutes into the oven.
- for the filling:
- a pinch of salt
- 2 large organic lemons
- 2 cups of sugar
- 4 eggs
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp of flour
- for the crust:
- 1¾ cups of flour plus flour to roll out the dough
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut in cubes and chilled
- 2 Tbsp of vegetable shortening
- 1 tsp of salt
- 5 Tbsp of ice-cold water
- Wash the lemons, grate the zest and cut them in thin slices.
- Put the zest and lemon slices into a bowl together with sugar and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 1 day at room temperature.
- The day after pulse flour, butter, shortening and salt in a food processor until well combined. Add the ice-cold water and pulse until dough forms.
- Divide the dough in two.
- Roll each half out forming a disk and cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Turn on the oven to 425°F/220°C.
- Beat the eggs until foamy and then add the melted butter and 3 Tbsp of flour. Pour into the lemon and sugar mixture.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the first disk of crust to reach 12" and lay it into a 9" pan (I used a larger one).
- Pour in the filling.
- Roll out the second disk and pinch top and bottom edges together.
- With a sharp knife cut 5 steam vents in the top crust.
- Bake for about 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C and bake for 30 minutes more or until golden brown.
- Let it cool completely before serving.
- Buon appetito!
