LEMON MERINGUE PIE


For 8 pie shell
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup water
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 drops yellow food coloring - optional
meringue - recipe below

For 9-inch pie shell
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 plus 1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks slightly beaten
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 drops yellow food coloring - optional
meringue - recipe below
Pre-Bake pie shell as directed in pie crust recipe.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1 1/2-quart saucepan.
Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and boils.
Boil, stirring constantly for one minute.
Stir 1/2 of the hot mixture into egg yolks.
Blend into remaining hot mixture in saucepan.
Boil, stirring constantly, one more minute.
Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice, and food coloring.
Pour into prepared pie shell.
Spoon merique onto hot filling.
Spread over entire pie, pile high and carefully seal edges of crust;
(this will help keep the merique from shrinking).
Place in oven just long enough to turn merique into light golden color,
(about 10 minutes). Cool completely and then refrigerate.

MERINGUE
For 8-inch pie

2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
For 9-inch pie

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy.
Beat in sugar, one tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and gloss.
Do not under- beat. Beat in vanilla.