We have a lot to celebrate this week: my "little" sister's birthday, now 26, and her degree in Economics (she discussed her graduation thesis last Friday). These "micro" celebrations come with a "macro" feast, the beatification of Pope John Paul II in Rome yesterday, May 1st.
Since my sister loves the fresh scent and taste of lemon, I thought to prepare a lemon meringue pie for her birthday party. Auguri!
Lemon meringue pie
(the recipe is taken from the Italian magazine Confidenze, makes 8 servings)
130 g white flour "0"
2 g vanilla baking powder
80 g butter
10 g leaves isinglass (gelatin)
200 g sugar
1,2 dl lemon juice
4 eggs
1 egg white
2 organic lemons
240 whipped cream
salt
Mix flour with a pinch of salt, baking powder and cold butter cut into little cubes. When the compound gets sandy, add 35 g cold water and work everything quickly. Wrap the paste with film and let it rest for about half an hour. Roll it out in a 24 cm cake mold. Brush the surface with a little egg white and riddle the bottom with a fork. Bake the cake at 180 C for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 170 C and bake for another 10 minutes. In the meantime soak gelatin in cold water, squeeze it and leave it aside in a covered bowl. Separate the egg whites from the yolks; cook the yolks at low flame with 100 g sugar and lemon juice, stirring until the cream gets thick. Add 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel and the soaked gelatin. Let it cool. Cook the other 100 g sugar with a tablespoon of water, bring to boil and cook the syrup until you see bubbles. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, pour the hot syrup continuing to whip. Mix the meringue with the cold lemon cream and 240 g whipped cream, pour into the brisée base. Let it cool in the fridge for two hours before serving. Decorate with additional whipped cream and lemon slices, or, as I did, with a sprinkling of crumbled Amaretto cookies and grated lemon peel.
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