Lemon Meringue Pie

Directions

1. Crust
2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add the butter. Rub and pinch the butter into the flour using your fingers to coat the butter pieces and form small pea-sized balls.
5. Create a well in the center of the mixture and add the water, mixing it together using your hands.
6. Pull away walnut-size pieces of dough and smear them using the heel of your hand. This technique is called fraisage and it helps produce flaky layers.
7. Form the flattened pieces into a ball and then slightly flatten it to form a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
8. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and place the dough on a floured surface. Roll a floured rolling pin from the center of dough disk to the edge, rotating the dough until the circle is an ⅛-inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
9. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and lift the pin over the edge of a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently unroll the dough over the pan. Lightly press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan.
10. Crimp the edge of the crust by placing two fingers on the crust’s outside rim while placing one finger on the inside and pressing outward to form a V.
11. Cover the pie dough with parchment or foil, making sure to cover the bottom and sides.
12. Fill the pie pan with pie weights (dried beans or dry rice work well too).
13. Bake the pie crust with the weights for 15 minutes.
14. Remove the crust from the oven. Remove the weights and parchment or foil.
15. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork to prevent bubbling and return it to the oven.
16. Bake the crust for an additional 5 minutes or until the bottom of it looks dry.
17. Remove the crust from the oven and set it aside.
18.  
19. Filling
20. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, water, and lemon peel in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
21. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the egg yolks, whisking.
22. Return the filling to the heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
23. Remove the filling from the heat and whisk in the butter and lemon juice.
24. Pour the filling into the pie crust and cover it with plastic wrap until the meringue is prepared.
25.  
26. Meringue
27. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
28. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a medium bowl until foamy.
29. Add the sugar gradually, beating until stiff peaks form. They should be glossy and stand straight.
30. Top the pie with meringue, spreading it to the edge of the crust and making sure no lemon shows through.
31. Bake the pie for about 10 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. If the crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover it with strips of foil.
32. Remove the pie from the oven and chill it in the refrigerator until set.