Lemon Meringue Pie

Fathers' Day was today, so my whole family got together to have a dinner.  Smoked salmon, corn on the cob, baked potato, broccoli... so good!  But, the real treat came for dessert-- Strawberry Souffle and Lemon Meringue Pie!  Both were my grandmother's recipes, and she is the greatest cook I know.  She, my mom, and I all pitched in.  It was so much fun, and they tasted wonderful!
Happy Fathers' Day, Dad and Nanni!!

This is the recipe for my grandmother's Lemon Meringue Pie--

Filling

Ingredients 

9" pie shell- baked

5 tbs corn starch

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt 

1 1/2 cup hot water

3 egg yolks (whites for meringue) 

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 

1 tsp grated lemon zest

2 tbs butter 

Directions

Mix corn starch, sugar, and salt in sauce pan.  Stir in hot water gradually and bring to boil over direct heat.  Then, cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and clear.  Remove from heat, stir several spoonfuls of hot mixture into beaten egg yolk.  Mix well.  Pour egg yolk back into sauce pan.  Bring to boil.  Then, cook over low heat 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and gradually add lemon juice, lemon peel, and butter.  Cool filling.  Pour into cooled, baked pie shell.  Top with meringue 

Meringue

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1 tsp fresh lemon juice (1 1/2 is better)

6 tbs sugar (8 is better)

Directions

Place egg white in medium size bowl and add lemon juice.  Beat egg whites until they stand in soft peak.  Then, add sugar gradually and continue beating until all sugar is used and whites stand in firm, glossy peaks.  Spread meringue over cool filling.  Start at edges and work toward center.  Be sure to attach meringue securely to edges of crust.  Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool before serving.