I love coming across old, but new recipes and this one had a lemon burst like no other. It is made with whole lemons and at the moment New Zealand lemons are in their prime. 

Makes 10-12 slices

Ingredients

Pastry

3 cups white flour

1 Tbsp sugar

Pinch salt

300g butter, cold and cut into small pieces

½ cup ice water, plus more if needed

Filling

4 unwaxed lemons

1 cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp for decorating

6 whole free range eggs

1 egg white, for glazing

Method

Allow 24 hours for the lemons to macerate with the sugar, this is very important as the juice from the lemons seeps into the sugar and dissolves it as well as softening the rind.

Wash the lemons and pat dry.  Slice as thinly as possible into rounds (the thinner the better). Put these into a non-reactive bowl along with the sugar, stir to combine, cover and allow to sit for 24 hours (approx) stir occasionally.

To make the pastry – add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of your food processor and blend lightly.

Add the butter bit by bit until a coarse texture occurs. Slowly pour in the water, with the food processor running until the dough starts to form a ball. Stop and turn out the dough onto your bench. Mold together, divide into 2 and wrap in clingfilm. Chill over night or until needed (at least 30 mins resting).

Preheat oven 200C

The next day roll out the pastry to fit either a round 20cm pie dish or a suitable dish that works. You only want the pastry. You need to line the base and sides of your tin and the remaining piece will be used to enclose the pie.

To make the filling – beat the eggs lightly in a bowl and add the lemon and sugar mixture. Mix well to combine.

Pour into your prepared pastry lined tin.

Carefully lay over the pastry to cover the pie, press firmly around the edges to secure and remove excess pastry.  Put a couple of incisions in the top.

Brush neatly with egg white, sprinkle over a little sugar.

Reduce oven to 180C and bake until golden (30-40 minutes).

Remove and cool before serving.