Lemon Pie

Ingredients

• 2 large fresh lemons
• 2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sifted flour
• pie crust (for bottom and top)

Method

Microplane the zest from both lemons into a bowl, stopping as soon as you hit the white pith — the albedo is bitter and adds nothing. Slice the lemons in half and juice them into a separate bowl, then use a paring knife to remove the entire white skin from each lemon half. Slice the flesh crosswise into thin rounds, no thicker than 3mm, and pick out the seeds with the tip of your knife. The lemon must be naked; the pith will toughen and turn fibrous as it bakes, turning the filling grainy.

Line your pie dish with the bottom crust, then build in strict layers: lemon slices, caster sugar, lemon zest, flour. Repeat until everything is used. This layering matters because it forces caramelisation to happen unevenly — the sugar closest to the crust will melt first and colour, while sugar nestled between the lemon layers steams gently instead. The flour dusted between layers absorbs the lemon juice that will release during cooking and thickens it into a loose jelly rather than a runny syrup. Pour the water evenly over the top of the final layer.

Brush the rim of the bottom crust with water, then lay the top crust over the filling and press it gently onto the bottom crust's moistened edge. Fold the bottom crust's overhang up and over the top crust's edge and crimp firmly with your thumb and forefinger, sealing in a V-shaped ridge. This overlap keeps the filling sealed during baking; without it, the steam and syrup will push out from under the lid and weep onto the oven floor.

Bake at 190°C for 45–55 minutes. The crust should be deep golden, not pale blonde, and the filling should no longer bubble visibly at the edges — a faint wisp of steam from the vent is fine, but aggressive burbling means the fruit hasn't broken down and the starch hasn't fully thickened. The pie will set further as it cools. Serve at room temperature after at least four hours. The slices will hold their shape, and the pastry will crisp up once cooled.