A Shaker Lemon Pie for Pi Day
Shaker Lemon Pie
In the early 1800’s the Shakers received their lemons from New Orleans . They felt lemons were a “worldly good” they could not do without and a “sin” to waste any part. This recipe uses the entire lemon. The pie’s flavor is bright and tart and with Meyer Lemons, my favorite lemon pie. I learned about the history of the Shaker Lemon Pie in a 1989 New Yorker article by Sue Hubbell.
3-4 Meyer lemons, very thinly sliced
2 cups of white sugar
4 eggs, beaten
Very tiny pinch of salt (optional)
1 recipe for double crust pastry
Slice the lemons as thin as possible, the thinner the better. Put them in a bowl with 2 cups of sugar. Mix with a spoon and let them sit overnight or atleast 4 hours.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 450F.
Add the beaten eggs, salt and mix well.
Roll out the bottom crust and pour the lemon/sugar/egg mixture in.
Roll out top crust and cover. Crimp edges and cut vent holes.
Brush with egg white wash and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 450 for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375 for about 25 minutes more. (Check at 20 minutes.)
The pie is done when an inserted knife comes out clean.
Happy Pi Day to you all.
Be Happy and Make Pie!
P.S. I just entered this very pie in a Pie Slam today. Much like a poetry slam, the words and pie had to reflect one another. I won first place!
Congratulations! This pie sounds wonderful. Love that you use the whole lemon especially when they are Meyer lemons.
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