Squeezing a half-cup of fresh Key lime juice is quite the upper-arm workout, but the hard labor is worth it. In this recipe the traditional graham cracker crust gets a dose of lightly toasted ground almonds. If you don’t have a food processor, purchased almond flour works just as well. Go with the meringue topping, or replace it with whipped cream for a silky bite.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

　　

For crust

1 cup zweiback crumbs or graham cracker crumbs

　　2/3 cup blanched almonds, toasted lightly, cooled completely, and ground fine in a food processor

　　1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

　　1/4 cup sugar

　　

For filling

3 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature

　　1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

　　1/2 cup Key lime juice (available bottled at specialty food shops) or fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

　　1/3 cup sugar

　　Special equipment: 10-inch pie plate

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F, with the rack in the middle.

　　

Step 2

In a medium bowl, combine well the crumbs, almonds, butter, and sugar. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of a 10-inch pie plate. Bake the shell for 10 minutes, or until it is browned lightly. Let the shell cool on a rack.

　　

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the condensed milk and stir in the lime juice, a little at a time, stirring to combine the filling well. Spoon the filling into the cooled shell and chill the pie for 1 hour.

　　

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, beating, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filling and bake for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is just golden. Chill the pie for 2 hours.

　　The Epicurious Cookbook