Shaker Lemon Pie

(recipe from Saveur magazine)

For the filling:
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 large lemons, zested and thinly sliced, seeds discarded
4 eggs
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. flour

For the crust:
1 3/4 cups flour, plus more
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
2 Tbsp. vegetable shortening (I used coconut oil)
1 tsp. kosher salt
5 Tbsp. ice-cold water

Start the filling:  Toss sugar, salt, and lemon zest and slices in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Make the crust:  Pulse flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles.  Add water; pulse until dough forms.  Divide dough in half and flatten into disks; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour.

Finish the filling and bake the pie:  Heat oven to 425F.  Whisk eggs in a bowl until frothy.  Whisk in melted butter and 3 Tbsp. flour; stir into reserved lemon mixture.  On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into a 12" round; fit into a 9" pie plate.  Trim edges using a knife, leaving 1" of dough overhanging the edge of the plate; pour in filling.  Roll remaining disk of dough into a 12" round and place over top of pie.  Pinch top and bottom edges together and fold under; crimp edges and cut 5 steam vents into the top crust.  Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes.  Reduce oven to 350F; bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.  Let cool completely before serving.

(I made this for Thanksgiving 2017 in Vermont with Sage and her family.  It's very different, with an intense lemon flavor.  Use a very sharp knife when cutting, as the lemon slices are not as tender as you'd like.)

Apple Pie with an Olive Oil Crust

(recipe from Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, via Bust magazine)

For the olive oil double crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup olive oil, partially frozen (see first step)
4 to 8 Tbsp. ice water
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Wax paper for rolling

For the filling:
6 cups peeled Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 lbs.)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Pinch salt

For the topping:
2 Tbsp. plain almond milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Crust directions:
About an hour before starting to bake, place the olive oil in a thin plastic container.  Freeze until it's opaque and congealed, but still soft, like the consistency of slightly melted sorbet.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt.  Quickly add the olive oil by the tablespoonful, cutting it into the flour until the mixture is pebbly.

In a cup, mix 4 Tbsp. of ice water with the apple cider vinegar.  Stir 2 Tbsp. of this mixture into the dough with a wooden spoon, adding more water gradually until you form a soft ball.  Don't over-knead the dough!

Divide the dough into two balls and press them into inch-thick disks, then place each between 14-inch long sheets of waxed paper.  Roll each into a circle about 1/4-inch thick, using a rolling pin.  Fit dough into the pie pan, letting the excess hang over the edge.  Place both crusts in the fridge until ready to use.

Filling directions:
Preheat the oven to 425F.  Combine all filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl, tossing to coat the apples.  Add the filling to the prepared pie shell.  Cover with the top crust, pinch edges together, trim excess dough to about an inch, and crimp.

Brush the top of the pie with almond milk, then sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  Make five slits in the middle of the pie to let steam escape. 

Bake for 25 minutes, then lower heat to 350F and bake for 30 to 35 more minutes, slipping on a pie-crust shield if the edges get too brown.  Place on a cooling rack and wait about 30 minutes before serving.