The Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie – No Weep

1. For the pie shell, mix flour, salt, and sugar in food processor
fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture,
tossing to coat butter with a little of the flour. Cut butter into
flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening; continue cutting in
until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal with butter
bits no larger than a small pea, about 1-second pulses. Turn mixture
into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cold water over mixture. Using rubber
spatula, fold water into mixture; press down on dough mixtue with
broad side of spatula, fold water into mixture; press down on dough
sticks together. If dough will not come together, add up to 1
tablespoon more cold water. Shape dough into ball, then flatten into
4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour, wrap in plastic, and
refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling.

3. Generously spinkle work area with 2 tablespoons graham cracker
crumbs. Place dough on work area. Scatter a few more crumbs over
dough. Roll dough from center to edges, turning it into a 9-inch
disk, rotating a quarter turn after each stroke and sprinkling
additional crumbs underneath and on top as necessary to coat heavily.
Flip dough over, and continue to roll, but not rotate, to form a
13-inch disk slighly less than 1/8-inch thick.

4. Fold dough in quarters; place dough point in center of 9-inch
Pyrex pie pan. Unfold to cover pan completely, letting excess dough
drape over pan lip. To fit dough to pan, lift edge of dough with one
hand and press dough in pan bottom with other hand; repeat process
around circumference of pan to ensure dough fits properly and is not
stretched. Trim all around, 1/2-inch past lip of pan. Tuck 1/2 inch
of overhanging dough under so folded edge is flush with lip pan;
press to seal. Press thumb and index finger about 1/2-inch apart
against outside edge of dough, then use index finger or knuckle of
other hand to poke a dent on inside edgeof dough through opening
created by the other fingers. Repeat to flute around perimeter of pie
shell.

5. Refrigerate until firm, aout 30 minutes. Prick shell at 1/2-inch
intervals; press a doubled 12-inch square of aluminum foil into pie
shell; prick again and refrigerate a least 30 minutes.

6. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, heat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake, checking occasionally for ballooning, until crust is firmly
set, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, remove
foil, and continue to bake until crust is crisp and rich brown in
color, about 10 minutes longer.

7. For the Filling, mix first four ingredients in a large,
nonreactivve saucepan. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat,
whisking occasionally at beginning of the process and more frequently
as mixture begins to thicken. When mixture starts to simmer and turn
translucent, whisk in egg yolks, two at a time. Whisk in zest, then
lemon juice, and finally butter. Bring mixture to a good simmer,
whisking constantly. Remove from heat, place plastic wrap directly on
surface of filling to keep hot and prevent skin from forming.

8. For the meringue, mix cornstarch with 1/3 cup water in small
saucepan; bring to simmer, whisking occasionally at beginning and
more frequently as mixture thickens. When mixture starts to simmer
and turn translucent, remove from heat. Leet cool while beating egg
whites.