Lemon Buttermilk Pie & Pecan version

This recipe came from my pen pal Jackie. She recommends rubbing the lemon zest into the sugar and I agree - otherwise the zest can clump. She also said that she prefers it with regular lemons - so that's what I used and I would not bother with Meyer lemons.

The instructions suggest that you just dump everything in one bowl - and mix - which probably works, but most recipes with eggs and milk will recommend slightly beating the eggs to break up the yolks and white and then stirring in the milk - so that's what I do - in a smaller bowl - which makes it a two-bowl recipe - but that's not bad.

You can go to the link at the end for the full recipe - or here are the ingredients - with abbreviated instructions.

Prior to making the pie - put 4 eggs and 1 c buttermilk out to come to room temp. It takes an hour - or 2 hours is better. 

Preheat over to 350°

Prep: Start by zesting a couple lemons to get 1 T zest and then squeeze to get 3 T juice. Then melt 1 stick of better. Get your pie crust ready.

Assembly:

In a large bowl rub 1 Tablespoon lemon zest into 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar and set aside.

In a smaller bowl - slightly beat (with a whisk) 4 eggs (at room temperature) and 1 cup buttermilk (at room temp) until they are smooth

Add eggs and milk to sugar and lemon zest - and add

1/2 cup (one stick) melted butter

3 Tablespoons cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Blend with a whisk and then add 1/4 cup flour - and stir until just combined

Pour into an unbaked 9-inch pie shell and bake 60 minutes

***from the link

• Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust and bake for 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crackly. To further assess doneness, jostle the oven rack slightly and look at the filling. The custard should jiggle when moved, but shouldn’t look liquidy or loose in the center.
  

  • Let the pie cool for at least 45 minutes before serving. Note that while the pie cools, it will deflate slightly, and this is normal because of all the eggs in the filling. When cooled, slice and enjoy!
    ***back to meI like it better chilled - but it is fine at room temp. I also like to serve it with a few berries because it is very sweet and the tartness of berries is a nice contrast. I also stuck a skewer in to make sure it was done - rather than relying on the jiggle method. I only use the unroll Pillsbury pie crusts for this kind of pie. Custardy pies always melt into the crust and prevent any possibility of flakiness. It's not worth it to bother with a homemade crust. Just my opinion - 
    
    

Here is an easier version with pecans on top - I have not tried it yet - but I will be adding vanilla.

The recipe suggests you can *make* buttermilk by adding vinegar to whole milk - but, I've read recipes for buttermilk pie that say it has to be actual buttermilk and I know I would not bother trying that substitute. 

https://www.midwestliving.com/recipe/pies/uss-missouri-buttermilk-pie/