Ingredients

Makes 1 pie

　　1/2 box vanilla wafers

　　1 stick lightly salted butter

　　1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

　　1 can condensed milk, preferably Eagle Brand

　　1 egg yolk

　　6 egg whites

　　1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

　　1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　Accompaniment: grated lemon rind

　　

Special equipment:

Special equipment: pie plate

　　

Step 1

In a food processor, finely crush vanilla wafers. Melt butter for flavor (not sweet butter). Pour vanilla wafers and melted butter into a pie plate and shape into a pie shell with your fingers.

　　

Step 2

In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, condensed milk, and egg yolk. Pour mixture into pie plate. In another bowl, beat egg whites* with cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and sugar until stiff white peaks form. Pour over pie and top with freshly grated lemon rind.

　　

Step 3

Bake in oven at moderate heat just long enough for meringue to brown, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature and put in the refrigerator until ice-cold. The result, as Tennessee Williams always said, "is good enough to slap your Mama."

　　

Step 4

*If salmonella is a concern in your area, we suggest using a powdered egg white substitute.