Grandma Dial’s Famous Lemon Pie

Ingredients

PIE

For the filling:

2 cups sugar

4 egg yolks

2 cups water

1 / 2 cup cornstarch

Dash of salt

8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

 

For the meringue:

4 egg whites

8 tablespoons sugar

1 / 4 teaspoon cream of tartar

 

ALL-PURPOSE PASTRY MIX

Alice Ann keeps this all-purpose pastry mix on hand to save time when baking pie.

7 cups flour

4 teaspoons salt

2 cups lard

Instructions

PIE

To mix the pie filling: Blend sugar, egg yolks, water, cornstarch and salt. Cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles up. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and butter. Pour the filling in a pre-baked pie shell made from Alice Ann’s all-purpose pastry mix (see recipe below) and cover immediately with meringue.

To make the meringue, beat the eggs whites until foamy. Add sugar and cream of tartar. Beat slowly until peaks form. Spread on pie, and bake the pie for 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

ALL-PURPOSE PASTRY MIX

Combine all ingredients together to create a crumbled consistency, but make sure the mix doesn’t clump together. Store mixture in a covered container in the refrigerator.

For a single crust:

  • 1 1 / 2 cups all-purpose pastry mix
  • 3 tablespoons ice-cold water

For a double crust:

  • 3 cups all-purpose pastry mix
  • 5 tablespoons ice-cold water

Combine the all-purpose pastry mix and ice water until the mixture leaves the sides of the bowl. Then roll out the dough. If you’re making a pie shell for a lemon meringue pie, place the crust in a pie plate and prick the dough with a fork on the bottom and sides before baking the crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes.