The Ranger wrote:

> Well this certainly falls under the "Whaddya Know" category.
>
> I entered KRTY's Pie Bake and am going to be entering my Ohio
> Shaker Lemon Pie in the Santa Clara Home Show on Sept 7. Looks to
> be a fun time!
>
> The Ranger
> --
> The following recipe is adapted from one that the early Ohio
> Shakers made often. This lemon pie, a refreshing finish to a
> hearty meal, shows how the thrifty Shakers were unwilling to waste
> even the skin of a fruit that had to be purchased rather than
> grown in their gardens.
>
> OHIO SHAKER LEMON PIE
>
> INGREDIENTS
> 2 lemons
> 1 ¾ cups sugar
> pte brisée*
> 4 large eggs
> ¼ teaspoon salt
>
> METHOD:
> In a large saucepan of boiling water blanch the lemons for 30
> seconds, drain them, and rinse them under cold water. Trim the
> ends of the lemons, discarding them, and cut [1] the lemons
> crosswise into paper-thin slices. In a bowl cover the lemon slices
> with the sugar [2] and let the mixture stand, stirring [3] once
> after 1 hour, for 8 hours or overnight.
>
> Preheat the oven to 425°F. Roll out half the dough 1/8 inch thick
> on a lightly floured surface, fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) pie
> plate, and trim the edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Remove the
> lemon slices from the sugar and arrange them in the shell. Add the
> eggs and salt to the sugar, whisk the mixture until it is combined
> well, and pour it over the lemon slices.
>
> Roll out the remaining dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly
> floured surface, drape it over the filling, and trim it, leaving a
> 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under the bottom crust,
> pressing the edge to seal it, and crimp the edge decoratively. Cut
> slits in the crust with a sharp knife, forming steam vents, and
> bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. Reduce the
> temperature to 350°F. and bake the pie for 20 to 25 minutes more,
> or until the crust is golden. Let the pie cool on a rack and serve
> it warm [4] at room temperature.
>
> Gourmet
> November 1993
>
> [1] If you have an electric slicer, this is quickly done and the
> uniformity for the cuts is almost assured.
> [2] I use 2 cups of sugar because my lemons seem to carry a lot of
> pucker-power. Some people I've given the recipe to have only used
> 1 1/3 cups of sugar, wanting to bring out the tartness of the
> lemons. Playing around with the measurements is half the fun.
> [3] I use a spatula to stir the mixture. The thinness of the
> slices does not allow aggressive mixing and it's very easy to end
> up with pulpy-rinds.
> [4] I also serve a single scoop of French Vanilla Ice Cream as a
> contrast to the lemon pie.
>
> *Pte Brisée Recipe
>
> INGREDIENTS:
> 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
> 9 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits
> 3 Tbs. cold vegetable shortening (I use Crisco)
> a scant 1/2 tsp salt
> 3 Tbs. ice water, plus any additional if necessary
>
> METHOD:
> In a large bowl, blend the flour, the butter, the shortening,
> and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add the ice water,
> toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding any
> additional water to form a dough and then form the dough into a
> ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapping it in wax
> paper, for 1 hour.

I have a similar recipe but I've never had the nerve
to try it. I'm afraid the white pith of the lemons will
give it a bitter taste I won't like. I know there's
tons of sugar and I supposed it almost gets candied, but
then I'm not a huge fan of candied citrus rinds of any
sort. Small quantities I can eat but I'm thinking - "A
whole pie of this stuff?" So can you taste the pith or
what? Or is it more like marmalade where the taste of
the pith is neutralized?

Kate


--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?