I grew up in California with my grandma who was from the Midwest, which meant ample access to citrus during the winter and a lot of pies on the table. One of my favorites was a lemon shaker pie: tart and zingy filling wrapped in an extra buttery crust topped with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. I loved those months because we would drive the two hours to the L.A. farmers market and pick all the citrus we could find and, on the drive back home, plot our baking plans. Though I never got the chance to write down her recipe, I have spent much time in the kitchen trying to replicate her beloved Shaker pie. While working in professional kitchens I began using Meyer lemons more often, finding the same acidity I was looking for but with a more mellow tartness and subtle floral notes –– plus I could use the rinds, minimizing waste. This recipe uses Meyer lemons, minimizing the bitterness that Eureka and Lisbon lemons have. The rinds add texture to the pie and thicken the filling. Enjoy this pie at room temperature or chilled with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance the tart pie. Though this isn’t exactly like the pie my grandma used to make, I think she would approve of this version. 

Tart and floral, Meyer lemon Shaker pie is great during winter citrus season. Justin Burke/UP

Meyer Lemon Shaker Pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients
1 pie dough recipe, here
2 large Meyer lemons
1¾ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions 

1. Cut lemons into ¼-inch slices using a mandoline slicer or knife, discarding the ends and seeds. Coarsely chop lemon slices into ½-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with juices. Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt, then cover and let rest at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Remove pie dough from the refrigerator and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. On a well-floured work surface, roll out one of the dough disks into a circle about 12-inches in diameter and ⅛-inch thick. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie pan and press it gently into the bottom and sides of the pan. Roll out the remaining dough into a 12-inch round and set aside. 
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Add eggs and melted butter, whisking until well combined. Add flour mixture to the macerated lemon mixture, stirring until well combined; pour into prepared crust.
5. Brush dough edges with egg wash.
6. Carefully place the 12-inch round over filling, then trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold edges under the bottom dough, and crimp as desired. Refrigerate the pie for 30 minutes. 
7. Brush dough with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. 
8. Bake for 25 minutes, covering edges with foil to prevent excess browning, if needed. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. 
9. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream.