Serves 8
SHAKERS ATE WHAT THEY COULD GROW THEMSELVES, AND THEY GREW AN ENORMOUS variety of produce. But one thing that wouldn’t grow in the Midwest was lemons, so they became one of the few items Ohio Shakers would purchase. Therefore, there would be even more frugality when it came to lemons, not a single scrap wasted. The result is Shaker lemon pie, the ultimate in thrift and flavor. This pie uses whole lemons—zest, pith, pulp, and all. And in the spirit of the Shakers, the ingredient list here is minimal, but the process not rushed—I find macerating the lemon slices in sugar for a full 24 hours really gets the best out of them.
The type of lemons used really makes a difference between liking this pie and falling in love with it. Meyer lemons, the Elizabeth Taylor of citrus, are my top pick for this pie. If you make this pie in the winter months (and really you should, because can’t we all use a little sunshine at the end of January?) you’re more likely to find Meyers, which are sweeter than regular lemons, ambrosial, beautifully perfumed, and thin-skinned. A thin skin means less pith—the sort of wooly, fibrous, extremely bitter white layer between the zest and fruit—and the more pith in the pie, the more bitter it will be. (Ask your produce guy to cut one open for you so you can get a sense of what’s in the lemon bin.)
½ pound/225 g unwaxed organic Meyer lemons
1½ cups/300 g granulated sugar
¼ cup/56 g light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons/42 g heavy whipping cream
Nonstick cooking spray for pan
All-purpose flour for dusting
1 double batch My Favorite Pie Crust (here)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling
Prepare the filling: Trim off the ends of each lemon. Cut them in half lengthwise, then into half-moons as thinly as possible—so thin they are almost translucent. You can do this with a thin, sharp knife and careful cuts, or a mandoline. Remove any seeds and place the lemon slices in a large, nonreactive bowl (glass is good). Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and stir to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 425°F/220°C. Spray a 9-inch/23 cm glass pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour, knocking out the excess.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a 12-inch/30 cm circle. Place the dough in the prepared pie dish.
Complete preparing the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Whisk in the cream. Add the lemon mixture and stir to blend well. Pour the filling into the bottom crust.
Roll out the second dough disk to a 12-inch/30 cm circle. With your sharpest knife, slash 6 vents around the center of the top crust. Drape the dough over the filling. Press to seal the top and bottom crust edges together; trim to ½-inch/1.25 cm overhang. Fold overhang under; crimp decoratively.
In a small cup, whisk together the egg, water, and salt. Brush lightly over the top crust, and sprinkle with the sugar.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the pie on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the pie at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Rotate the pie 180 degrees. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C. Bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until deeply golden and the filling causes the top crust to puff up just a bit. If the pie’s edges begin to get too brown at any point during baking, simply roll the foil from the lined baking sheet up over the pie’s edges.
Allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature on a wire rack before slicing and serving, at least 3 hours.