Put pie on your Passover table

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Servings 8

Step 2

For the crust Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place an 8-inch deep-dish pie plate or 9-inch pie plate on a baking sheet.

Step 3

Place the margarine in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat on HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted. Stir in the walnuts and brown sugar; mix until combined. Transfer to the pie plate and press to cover the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes so the crust is firm and set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool; leave the oven on.

Step 4

For the filling Combine the eggs, yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl; set the bowl over a medium saucepan filled with a few inches of barely bubbling water, over medium heat.

Step 5

Stir to combine the egg mixture, then zest 6 of the Key limes (about a tablespoon) over the mixture. Squeeze the juice from those 6 plus the remaining 8 Key limes and stir it into the mixture (1/2 cup total). Cook uncovered for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to form a thick custard. Be patient and do not stir too much. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the margarine in small pieces until the cream is smooth. Stir in the green food coloring, if using.

Step 6

Pour the filling into the prepared crust, spreading it evenly. Bake (with the pie plate on the baking sheet) for 20 minutes (at 350 degrees) or until the outside edges of the filling are set; the inside can remain a little jiggly. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Step 7

For the topping Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 230 degrees; dip a pastry brush in water and use it to brush down any sugar crystals that might form on the sides of the saucepan.

Step 8

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment or a hand-held electric mixer on low speed to start, then on high speed to form stiff peaks. Reduce the speed to low; gradually add the cooked sugar mixture, letting it fall along the side of the bowl and not directly onto the egg whites or the whisk attachment. When all of the cooked sugar mixture has been added, increase the speed to medium-high; beat for 1 or 2 minutes to form a thick, shiny meringue.

Step 9

Use a silicone spatula to spread the meringue evenly over the pie filling. If desired, use a culinary torch to lightly brown the surface of the meringue. (Alternatively, you can bake the pie with the meringue at 450 degrees for about 3 minutes to brown the top.)

Step 10

Cover carefully so the meringue remains untouched; refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Step 11

For the crust Combine the ground almonds, confectioners' sugar and potato starch in a food processor; pulse for 10 seconds to blend. Add the frozen butter, coconut oil or margarine pieces; process until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Step 12

Add the water, egg yolk and vanilla extract, if using; process just until a dough comes together, being careful not to over-mix. Gather into a ball and flatten, then break off a little more than one-third of the dough. Wrap both pieces of dough separately in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Chill in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Step 13

Remove the larger piece of dough from the freezer and let it defrost until you can press it gently. Place on a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Sprinkle the top of the dough with some more confectioners' sugar and cover with a piece of parchment. Roll the dough into a 10-inch round. Peel back the top parchment and sprinkle confectioners' sugar on the dough as you roll. Once or twice, flip over the package of parchment and dough, peel off the bottom and sprinkle some more confectioners' sugar on top. Re-cover with parchment and flip back over.

Step 14

Remove the top parchment. Place your hand under the bottom parchment, lift the dough and invert it into the pie pan. Use your hands to gently press and fit the dough to the pan. Remove the remaining parchment (which is now on top). Use a knife to trim the dough, then patch up any bare or thin spots, and use a fork to prick the dough in several places. Reserve any dough scraps for additional cutouts that will form the top crust. Cover the pie shell with plastic wrap and freeze until you're done with the filling, or up to several days.

Step 15

Roll the reserved scraps between two pieces of parchment to a thickness of about 1/3 inch thick, then remove the top parchment and cut out the shapes. Unwrap the remaining piece of dough (from the freezer) and repeat the same step to make more dough cutouts; you'll need a total of about 20. Place them on a lined baking sheet and freeze until firm.

Step 16

For the filling Make sure there are no stems on the blueberries. Place 3 cups of them in a stain-proof mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or large fork to break them down a bit. (Be careful not to make them too soupy.) Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, salt and potato starch, stirring to incorporate. Gently mix in the remaining cup of berries.

Step 17

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 18

Remove the bottom pie crust shell from the freezer and place on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Spread the filling evenly in the pie crust shell. Remove the dough cutouts from the freezer; use a thin metal spatula to transfer them one by one on top of the filling, in a decorative pattern that does not completely cover the filling.

Step 19

Use a pastry brush to brush the remaining egg white over the dough cutouts atop the pie, then sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of granulated sugar all over. Bake (bottom rack) for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the top crust cutouts are golden and the filling is bubbling. (If the edges of the cutouts or edge of the pie seem to be getting too brown before the pie is done, crimp aluminum foil loosely over them.

Step 20

Cool for at least 1 hour before serving or storing.

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