Tag: summer

Traditional tiramisu

If you love coffee and desserts, you are going to love Tiramisu! It is a simple yet sophisticated Italian dessert. Like the Italians say all you need is eggs, mascarpone and lady fingers. The lady fingers are dipped in strong espresso, the mascarpone along with the eggs is infused with coffee liquor and the shredded chocolate sprinkled on the top brings all these ingredients together into a fabulous, sophisticated dessert. Wow your family, guests and they will think you are the most amazing chef …

TIPS

Lady fingers

You will need Italian lady fingers. I believe it is a must and you can buy it fairly easily. I get them at Cost Plus. You can even find them at Whole Foods or make it yourself.

Eggs

Traditionally, raw eggs are used to make tiramisu. Make sure you use fresh eggs. I get my eggs at the farmers market.

Eggs are easier to separate when cold but once they’re separated they need to be kept at room temperature.

Also, I like to put the egg whites individually into a separate smaller bowl first to make sure the egg is not addled and no yolk is mixed in. Then you can collect them in a bigger dish that is suitable for whipping the whites. Of course, the egg yolk can go into another medium sized bowl that will be used to mix egg yolks and mascarpone.

Egg test

When you immerse your egg in a pot of cold water, it should lie flat on the bottom. If it goes to the top or even one side starts moving up, do not use the egg. You can only use eggs that are fresh here.

Mascarpone

Another key ingredient is mascarpone. Yes it is expensive! … but it is an important ingredient and is worth it! So what is mascarpone anyway? It is like cream cheese but is creamier and has a higher fat content as it is obtained from cream and not from milk; cream cheese has 35% while mascarpone has 70% fat.

If you don’t have mascarpone or fresh eggs, you can still make the dessert – with a little cheating of course. My mom used to make it with vanilla pudding. Make enough vanilla pudding to cover your coffee dipped lady fingers. Just follow the instructions of the package you are using and add the shaved chocolate on the top. And add the coffee liquor too if you wish!

Alcohol

The recipe uses alcohol. I used coffee liquor (brand name: Kahlua). Amaretto works well too. If you don’t want to use alcohol, simply use vanilla.

Coffee

Coffee gives tiramisu the distinctive, interesting flavor, so yes you will need a good strong Italian espresso. The lady fingers are dipped in the espresso so make sure you make a good strong brew. 1 1/2 cup of espresso should be enough for dipping. (If you have left overs, you can drink it or pour it on your plants). For 1 1/2 cups of water, I used 1/3 cup of coffee. If you don’t have a coffee grinder, purchase the coffee already ground. If you have an espresso machine, great! If you don’t, no worries! We have a simple Italian Moka pot (Bialetti). Also, another tip is you can get your espresso at your local coffee shop. When my daughter worked at a coffee shop, she told us that they had people buying coffee to make tiramisu.

Assembling the Tiramisu

You can use different size dishes to assemble the Tiramisu. If you want to put it all in one big dish, you can use a deeper dish that is 2 Qt in size. You can use anything even circular dishes. Sometimes I use ice cream serving dishes and make tiramisu individually. Just make sure that lady fingers are tightly laid down.

This dish is definitely a make ahead dessert. It needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 hours … but honestly, I think it tastes the best after 2 days … although that might be too long to wait … Otherwise, it should be consumed within 7 days.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 cups of strong espresso at room temperature (1/3 cup of ground coffee)
  • 28 lady fingers, depends on the size of your dish
  • 3 Tbsp coffee liquor or amoretto (or 1 Tbsp vanilla extract is fine too)
  • 6 fresh eggs (separated) Please see comment above.
  • 16 oz mascarpone
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2-1 cup sugar
  • shaved chocolate for decoration (I got mine at Williams Sonoma)

METHODS

  1. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator. Separate the yolk from the whites while they are cold. Once you separate the eggs, just leave them on the counter. They need to be at room temperature when you start working with them.
  2. Make the espresso. Pour it into a shallow dish with a flat bottom. Coffee needs to be at room temperature.
  3. Immerse the lady fingers in the coffee quickly one at a time for one second. Try to do this quickly so the lady fingers don’t get soggy. Lay the dipped lady finger in a dish nice and snug.
  4. Making the Tiramisu sauce. In a double boiler, add 1/2 cup of sugar to the yolks with a pinch of salt and cook for 6 – 10 minute while stirring or until you get a nice creamy consistency. Keep checking, do not over-beat. You want to get a nice creamy, pudding like consistency. Here we are adding air to the yolks to increase volume. Take off heat and let cool to room temperature.
  5. Add the 3 Tbsp of coffee liquor and mascarpone to the egg yolks. Mix until just combined and smooth.
  6. Whip up the egg whites until the whites are solid. When you turn the bowl upside down, it should not fall out of the bowl. Do not over beat. Keep checking.
  7. Add the egg whites to the egg/mascarpone mixture. Don’t mix but gently fold it in. You just need to incorporate it into the yolk mixture keeping its fluffiness.
  8. Pour half of this mixture on the lady fingers that are already in the dish.
  9. Put another layer of the coffee dipped lady fingers on top of this mixture.
  10. Pour the other half of the tiramisu mixture on the lady fingers.
  11. Gently sprinkle some shaved chocolate on the top through a sieve.
  12. Cover the dish with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 full days but at least 6 hours.
  13. The tiramisu can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Serve in smaller bowls.

enjoy!

Photo and text by Twincitiesherbs.

Hungarian sour cherry pastry / Meggyes pite

This mouth-watering pastry makes me feel like I am in a Hungarian cafe. The fluffy sour cherry filling is placed between 2 layers of the crumbly dough. I also added ginger and additional walnuts to make this tasty dessert even more exciting. The recipe is based on Hargitai György, Master chef’s mother’s recipe.

TIP

You will need a lot of sour cherries, about 1-1.6 kg (2.25 – 3.5 lbs)! The recipe asked for 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) but I only had 1 kg (about 2 lbs) and it worked fine. Ideally, fresh sour cherries are used but honestly frozen sour cherries would work too. I bought the cherries at the farmers’ market earlier but wasn’t able to use them right away so I ended up freezing them. The frozen cherries worked well too. Just make sure they are sweet and have a nice flavorful!

RECIPE

Serves: 9 – 12 slices

INGREDIENTS
  • 4 cups (500 gr) flour, cut and sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 15 tbsp (260 gr) cold unsalted butter
  • 2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 large eggs, divided
  • 10 tbsp powdered or cane sugar, divided
  • peel and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tbsp rum (optional)
  • 1 – 1.6 kg (2.25 – 3.5 lbs) fresh or frozen sour cherries (pitted)
  • 1 tbsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp walnuts

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a baking pan (11 x 9 x 2 inches or equivalent size). Sprinkle some flour on the bottom.

Dough

  • Preparing the yeast mixture. Add lukewarm milk (92 – 98 F) to the yeast with a little sugar. Let it rise.
  • In a larger bowl, sift the salt in with the flour. Crumb the butter with the flour with your finger tips or you can use a food processor as well.
  • Add the prepared yeast mixture from earlier.
  • Add 3-4 tablespoon sugar, 3 egg yolks, vanilla extract and rum (optional). Mix quickly. Save the egg whites for later for the filling).
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile prepare the filling.

Filling

In a medium sized bowl, add ginger, cinnamon, 6 tablespoons of sugar, lemon juice and peel, 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Mix. Set aside.

Beat the the egg white saved from earlier until it is hard. Gently fold in the earlier prepared mixture.

Assembling the cake

Take the dough out of the fridge. Cut into two parts. Put 1 part back in the fridge while you work with the other.

Roll out the dough into the shape of your pan and carefully place it onto the baking pan. Place the filling on top of this dough. Sprinkle 1 cup of the walnut on the top of the filling.

Take the other part of the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into the shape of the pan. Place it on top of the filling.

Lightly whisk 1 egg and spread it on top of the assembled dough. Sprinkle a little sugar on top. Prickle the top with a fork.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the top has a nice golden color top.

Take out of the oven and let the cake completely cool off. Slice the cake.

Source: Hargitai György: Édesanyám meggyes pitéje. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2pKA2Vrzg

Text and photo by twincitiesherbs.

Home made Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Try this delicious healthy meal. It is a popular dish sold in American health food stores. Quinoa and black beans are drizzled with some olive oil, lime juice and spices. It is vegan and gluten free and can be served as a main dish. It can be taken to parties and is easy to make!

RECIPE

Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup dried black beans (15 oz canned black beans), rinsed
  • 1 cup quinoa, washed and rinsed
  • 2 cup stock (vegetable or chicken) or water
  • 1/2 cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • juice of 2 limes or 4 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 bunches scallions, chopped
  • 1 smaller cucumber, cubed
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
  • chopped tomatoes, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Clean and soak the beans for 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid, discard. Cook the beans in fresh water for 1.5 hours. Strain. (Omit if using canned beans).

Wash the quinoa well with cold water. Let it soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Add the stock or fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 10 – 15 minutes or until all the water has cooked away. Turn off heat and keep lid on for 15 more minutes. (You can omit the soaking time if you don’t have time).

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a medium sized bowl, mix oil, lime juice, spices, salt. Add the quinoa, scallions, tomatoes, black pepper and cilantro to this mixture and stir.

You can serve with pita bread and feta cheese .

Enjoy!

Photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Authentic Minestrone Soup

When we go on vacation, I always get inspired by dishes that we eat at restaurants. This year, it was the Minestrone soup that we ate at an Italian restaurant in the middle of the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. The owner of the restaurant was from Verona, Italy and created a thriving restaurant slightly off the touristy area. You might say oh there is nothing special about Minestrone soup. Well, when the only places where you can eat are chain restaurants and you happen on this simple, delicious and filling soup, things might change…

Minestrone soup is basically a vegetable soup but there is a little more to it. Yes we always order it when we go to Olive Garden, but it really should have seasonal vegetables from your garden or the farmers market. You start with the trio of carrots, celery stalk and onions and add other seasonal vegetables and some delicate beans like Borlotti or Cannelloni beans. Of course, kitchen spices are also a crucial part of the recipe. I used oregano, fennel, thyme and added a little paprika. Usually some pasta is added at the end but potatoes are also used instead of pasta in some parts of Italy. Finally, add the beans with some of its liquid to make it a filling, satisfying soup. Also, it actually taste better the next day.

Buon Appetito!

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • vegetable oil
  • 6 cup vegetable or chicken broth
  • seasonal diced vegetables (I used 1 cup of each: green beans, zucchini,spinach)
  • 1 cup potatoes, diced
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped or 1 can 14 oz
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dried delicate flavored beans of you choice like cannelloni, borlotti or 15 oz canned beans
  • 1 tsp of each: dried oregano, ground dried fennel seeds, dried thyme, paprika
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)
  • cheese rind (optional)
  • parsley to garnish

Method

Soak the beans overnight and cook for 1 1/2 hr or until they are soft but don’t fall apart. Omit if using cans

Sauté the onions in some oil until translucent for about 5 minutes. Add the diced celery, pancetta if using and keep sautéing for 5 minutes.

Add the crushed garlic and Italian seasoning, cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes. Cook for a 10 minutes or until the tomatoes fall apart.

Add the vegetables, bay leaves and the stock. Bring to a boil and slowly cook for a 1.5 hour on low heat.

Add cooked beans with the liquid. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 more minutes.

Use salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with parsley and cheese if you wish!

Enjoy!

Text and photos by twincitiesherbs.

Cannellini Bean Vegetarian Meatballs

Wow that is quite a mouthful for the name of a simple recipe!

We were invited to a school banquette where the organizers decided that the vegetarian alternative to spaghetti with meatballs dinner would be to leave out the meat; however, most vegetarians like protein so leaving out the meat is not a solution. So I decided to come up with a vegetarian alternative. This challenge got me this amazing recipe though so no complaints.

These bean balls are mouthwatering, even my feisty corgi thinks it is meat. How do I know he likes it? He starts putting out his paw to shake my hand without being asked and he licks his bowl for another 10 minutes after he finishes eating hoping he can find some more.

Let’s talk about the cannellini beans briefly. They are the main ingredient and with their high protein content they replace the meat easily.

When trying to find a replacement for meatballs, cannellini beans seemed like the perfect choice as they are a vital part of the Northern Italian cuisine. These nutty, savory flavored beans taste more like chestnuts so they really add a lot of flavor to the dish.

I would suggest to make the beans at home from scratch rather than buying the canned version. I could taste the difference for sure.

Enjoy this tasty dish!

RECIPE

Makes 10 bean balls (2 inch in diameter).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried cannelloni beans (15 oz canned), strained
  • 1 small yellow onion, grated or 2 Tbsp dehydrated onion
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • oil for baking
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • a handful of hazelnut or walnuts, chopped
  • a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning,
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt

Tomato sauce:

  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • garlic
  • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Qt jar of tomato sauce

Italian seasoning

  • 1 tsp fennel, ground
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1/4 tsp chili pepper

METHOD

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Soak beans overnight or at least for 8 hours. Next day discard the soaking liquid. Add cold water and in a large pot cook the beans for 2 hours or until done. (Omit if using a can).
  • Coat a baking sheet with a thin film of oil.
  • Put the beans in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients chopped pistachio nuts, 1 egg, breadcrumbs, oil, tomato sauce, parsley, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and onion.
  • Mix well.
  • Using about 1/4 cup of the mixture, form balls by rolling between the palms of your hands.
  • Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet evenly spaced.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until the balls have a nice golden brown color on the outside.
  • While the bean balls are baking, prepare the tomato sauce. Choose your favorite Pasta sauce, add 1/4 balsamic vinegar, 1 bay leaf, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, garlic and salt to taste. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Boil a big pot of water and cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
  • Serve warm with tomato sauce and spaghetti.
  • Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

enjoy!

Receipe, photos, text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Gin cocktail with cucumber and basil

This is a savory, refreshing summer drink made with gin, basil and cucumbers.

Serves 1 drink

Ingredients

  • 1 shotglass of gin (I used Prairy organic gin)
  • 1/2 – 1 shotglass of simple syrup (Please see recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup spritzer water
  • 5 basil leaves or more to garnish
  • 8 thin cucumber slices
  • pinch of ground black pepper
  • juice of 1/2 lime or more to garnish
  • pinch of salt
  • ice, optional

Methods

  • Make the simple syrup. It is very easy. Slowly cook 1 cup of water with a 1 cup of sugar in a small pot. Be careful not to boil it. When you see a nice thick syrup, it is done. Take off heat and let it cool. You can refrigerate what you don’t use for later use – if not used up in a few days.
  • Preapre the drink in a jar big enough to hold 1 cup of liquid. Add the gin, the simple syrup, spritzer water, lime juice, basil leaves, cucmber slices and salt. I also like to put in the lime peel. Put the top on and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove the plant material before serving.
  • Add ice if you wish.
  • If you don’t have time to put the drink in the refrigerator, you can use a muddler to gently bruise the vegetables with the simple sugar to get the juice out for a few minutes and then procede with the rest of the recipe from above.
  • You can garnish with fresh basil, cucumber slice and lime slice if you wish.

enjoy!

Shakshuka with pitta bread

This is a tasty vegetarian dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is made with simple ingredients that you most likely have in your kitchen. The eggs are poached in a delicious sauce made of tomatoes, green peppers, onions, garlic and the warming spices of North Africa. I served this dish with home-made pita bread, Hummus and Eggplant Parmesan.

Shakshuka is made throughout Middle Eastern countries today and there are numerous recipes around; however, it originated in Northern Africa. This recipe uses the lovely spices of Northern Africa, the special trio of cumin, coriander and paprika. Enjoy!

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp ground cumin powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander powder
  • 1 tsp ground paprika
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • hot pepper flakes to taste
  • 4 eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves
Pita bread

Methods

  • On medium high heat, sauté the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes.
  • Add the green peppers and continue sauteing while stirring frequently for another 5 minutes. Add the spices (cumin, coriander, paprika), stir for 1 minute and add the garlic.
  • Quickly add the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce, stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Turn down the heat and let the mixture simmer for 15 minutes covered.
  • Uncover and let the dish cook for another 5 minutes or so until the sauce thickens.
  • Using a wooden spoon, clear some space in the sauce or make a ‘well’ and drop 1 egg in. Do this three more times with the other eggs. Cover and let the eggs poach in this lovely, well seasoned sauce until the whites are set and are not runny.
  • Uncover. Add salt, pepper, parsley, mint leaves and hot pepper flakes.
  • Serve it warm with pita bread (recipe).
  • I also served it with Hummus (recipe) and Eggplant Parmesan (recipe).

Source

  • Photos: twincitiesherbs.com

Rhubarb muffins

If you are like me and just can’t get enough of rhubarb right now, try these delicious, filling muffins. The tangy rhubarb works nicely with the whole wheat dough. They were gone fast in our house …

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 cup whole wheat flour (or white flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cup rhubarb stalks, chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dried ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy or use an electric mixer.
  • Lightly beat in 1 egg and mix in 1 cup buttermilk.
  • Sift the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt.
  • With a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just barely combined, then add 2 cups of the fresh rhubarb and fold until evenly distributed.
  • Let the dough rest for 8 hours. Omit if using white flour.
  • Bake in a preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes until a toothpick poked into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around each muffin to release from the tin and turn out onto the rack. Put the muffins on a wire rack and let them sit for another 10 minutes.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.

Mushroom tempeh stroganoff

This new spring energy is as vibrant as it can be. Simple vegetarian dishes would be very nice to eat right now. I would like to share my recipe that I have been cherishing for years and making in the spring. This is a vegetarian take on the classic beef stroganoff dish. I used the nutty tempeh to replace the meat and added mushrooms to create this delicious dish. Enjoy!

RECIPE

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg tempeh (500 gr)
  • olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of shallots, finally chopped
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 16 oz mushrooms (oyster, crimini, portobello, white button)
  • 8 oz green vegetable (spinach, broccoli)
  • 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup wine
  • 1 cup stock (vegetarian or meat)
  • salt
  • red hot pepper flakes, optional
  • few springs of thyme
  • 10 cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • black pepper
  • parsley
  • pasta
  • graded cheese (Parmesan)

Method

  • Sauté the tempeh in a little oil for 10 minutes or until the sides are nice and brown. Set aside.
  • Make the pasta according to its directions. Set aside.
  • In a large pan, heat some oil. Sauté the shallots for 5 minutes on medium high heat.
  • Add the mushrooms and continue sauteing for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp flour, stir for a few minutes. Add the paprika and garlic. Stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the wine and the cold stock. Stir making sure there are no knots left from the flour. Add the thyme,vegetables, red hot pepper flakes (if desired), tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes covered.
  • Take out larger thyme pieces.
  • Take off heat. Add salt, pepper, parsley and cream.
  • Add the tempeh cubes so it can soak up some of the liquid.
  • Serve over pasta with graded cheese.

enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by Twincitiesherb.

Lemon meringue cake

The lemon yellow color can bring sunshine into our homes! This delicious dessert could become the center piece of your Easter celebration instantly. The tart and tangy lemon filled cake is topped with the fluffy sweet meringue. I like using lemons in baking because they offset the sweetness of desserts and give an interesting flavor. Also, it is packed with the important theme of Easter, eggs of course. It is super easy to make and delicious at the same time. In our house, my daughter will be making it for Easter this year.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

Crust

  • 12 Tbsp (165 gr) butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla concentrate
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, cut and sifted

Lemon filling

  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice + the zest (2-3 fresh lemons)
  • 1/4 cup flour

Meringue

  • 3 egg white, room temperature
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). Set the rack in the middle of the oven. Grease and line a 9″ baking dish with parchment paper.

Separate the 3 eggs for the meringue now as it is easier to do when eggs are cold. Make sure they are at room temperature when you beat them.

Make the crust. Cream the sugar, vanilla extract and the butter. Gradually add the flour with salt mixing by hand just until a crumbly ball forms.

Place the prepared dough in the pan. Using your hands press against the bottom and about 1 inch (2 cm) up the sides. Poke the dough with a fork about 6-8 times. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dough has a nice golden brown color.

Make the lemon filling. In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest and the flour together. Make sure you grade the lemons before you can them up. (It is almost impossible to zest a cut lemon).

When the crust is done baking, remove it from the oven. Pour the lemon filling over the crust and return it to the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the filling no longer jiggles and the center is mostly set.

Make the meringue in the last 5 minutes before the shell is done baking. In a clean, medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Add about half of the sugar and the cream of tartar, whip for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the sugar and whip until combined.

Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip or zip-lock bag with a corner snipped off. I piped the meringue on the top covering the entire surface making large peaks each time.

Return to the oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until the meringues are lightly browned.

Let cool completely, then refrigerate for 1 hours.

Serve at room temperature.

enjoy!

Text, recipe and photo by Twincitiesherbs.