Shaker Lemon Pie

Meyer lemons are going crazy right now - they are everywhere!  Instead of the basic zest & juice for freezer, lemon bars & lemonade, I wanted to try something different.  I read some recipes for Shaker Lemon Pie - standard recipe for a double crust pie is - macerate 2 thinly sliced lemons (no seeds) in 2 cups of sugar for several hours or overnight, put the drained lemons into the pie crust and beat 2 eggs into the sugary syrup - pour on top and bake.

Since the East Bay Vegan Bake Sale was coming up - I wanted to  do something with these gorgeous lemons and put together three versions of the pie.

INGREDIENTS & PROCESS:

• 2-3 Meyer lemons, depending on size - slice thinly, removing seeds as you go, place into a bowl and cover with
• 2 cups of granulated sugar

Stir the lemon slices & sugar - keep stirring it every hour or so to ensure the sugar is totally dissolved.  It's ok to leave it overnight - I left it on the counter with a lid on the container. 

• Strain lemons from sugary syrup and lay out in the pie crust

• Add 1/3 c of arrowroot and 2 Tb agar flakes to the sugar - beat very well and pour over the lemons in the pie shell.

• BAKE in preheated oven at 400 for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350 for 35-45 minutes. 

Depending on the agar & arrowroot, you may have a more firm or more loose pie filling - I had one pie come out with a very firm almost jelly like consistency and another that was a loose marmelade consistency.  Both were very good - but one was easier to slice & eat!

• Deliver to your bake sale!

Apple pie...

I have a love hate relationship with pie crust. When I try to follow directions, I end up with something I don't like as well as when I follow my instinct. I got everything - marble board, marble rolling pin, shortening, flour, water super cold, cold, cold. The first pie crust was such a bitch to roll out.

The second was better - the last two I let set out of the fridge longer and they were much easier. I think the first one didn't work so great because there were too big patches of shortening resulting in a few gaps in the crust. I didn't want to do double crust or lattice, I just rolled out the leftover pie crust dough and cut out heart shapes, putting 5 hearts on top of each pie.

After mixing the apples with the flour, sugar, spices and lemon, I let them set and then put them in the crust with a slotted spoon, leaving the juice in the pot. None of the pies overboiled and messed up my oven.

I cut up the rest of the pink apples for a batch of apple sauce which is a gorgeous light shade of pink.

YIELD:
4 - 9" apple pies
7 - 16 oz jars of unsweetened pink applesauce