Lemon Rub Pie
It’s no wonder that this intensely lemony custard pie, which is a close relative of chess pie, is a favorite of Southern seafood restaurants like the Catfish Hotel in Shiloh, Tennessee—it’s got just the sort of pucker-inducing, palate-cleansing properties you need to set you straight after a heavy meal of fried catfish and hushpuppies. In this version, I use Cornmeal Crust to play off the cornmeal in the custard.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 9-inch pie/serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Cornmeal Crust
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have all the ingredients at room temperature before you begin.
Step 2
Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (see Know-how, page 315). Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest and juice, water, cornmeal, and salt and stir to mix.
Step 3
Place the egg whites in a separate large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and frothy. Increase the speed to high and beat to soft peaks, about 2 minutes more. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
Step 4
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell, place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Reduce the temperature to 300°F and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling sets around the edges but still jiggles in the center when lightly shaken.
Step 6
Remove pie from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour before serving; the pie will firm up completely, or “set,” as it cools. Serve at room temperature.
Cornmeal Crust
Step 7
Stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, cream, and vanilla.
Step 8
Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives in a crosscutting motion until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Work quickly so the butter remains cool and doesn’t melt into the flour. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until the dough clumps together and is moist enough to pat together. Do not mix any more than necessary.
Step 9
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and, with lightly floured hands, form into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or for up to 3 days, until firm.
Step 10
Check the pie recipe for special rolling instructions. To prepare a basic pie shell, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit for about 10 minutes. Place on a lightly floured work surface. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Fold the dough in half or gently roll it onto the rolling pin and lift it over the pie pan. Press the dough lightly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Trim the excess dough, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of dough draped over the pan. Roll the extra dough under itself to form a rim around the edge of the pan. Crimp the rim of dough with your fingers or press with the tines of a fork. Prick the bottom of the crust two or three times with a fork to create small holes.
Step 11
Cover the crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days, before proceeding with a recipe or partially or fully prebaking the crust (see Know-how, page 345).
Freestyle Lemon Blackberry Tart
Step 12
Prepare 1 recipe Cornmeal Crust (preceding recipe), prebake (see Know-how, page 345), and let cool. Cut the crust into slices or wedges and, just before serving, top each with a dollop of lemon curd, a sprinkling of blackberries and blueberries, and a spoonful of soft lightly sweetened whipped cream or Buttermilk Crème Fraîche (page 320).
