Lemon-Sumac Pie With A Salty Crust

While a lemon tart or lemon pie is a classic dessert, chef Paola Velez has come up with a seriously interesting spin on the favorite. She is an expert when it comes to no-bake pies, which are perfect for making without having to fuss over tart doughs that require chilling and a lot of planning ahead of time. This delicious lemon pie is scented with sumac and features a crust with Ritz crackers, giving a perfectly salty and buttery balance to the lemon filling. Recipe adapted from Chef Velez’s recipe on Food & Wine.

What You Need

For The Crust:

2 sleeves of Ritz crackers or any other kind you like (about 65 crackers)

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For The Filling:

1/4 cup bottled pineapple juice

2 1/2 powdered gelatin

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups unsalted butter

1/4 cup lemon zest

1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sumac

pinch of salt

6 eggs

8 egg yolks

What To Do

Using a food processor, blend up the Ritz crackers until they’ve reached a sand-like consistency. Once reached, slowly add in the melted butter until fully incorporated.

Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie dish that has been lined with plastic wrap. Press the crumbs tightly onto the bottom and sides of the dish, making sure to press it down with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. Cover it with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for a few hours until it fully sets.

To make the filling, add the pineapple juice into a small bowl and stir in the gelatin over the surface. Mix it well and let is sit to bloom.

In a saucepan, mix together the sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, sumac, and salt. Heat over medium heat, until the butter melts, mixing every once in a while, and bring it to a simmer. This should take about 6 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Whisk the eggs and egg yolks in a separate bowl. While whisking, slowly add in the hot sugar mixture. Transfer this mixture back to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until you have reached curd consistency and big bubbles start to rise to the surface. This should take between 5 to 8 minutes, so don’t give up after a few minutes!

Remove the pan from the stove and stir int he bloomed gelatin. Whisk well until fully combined, and then pour the mixture through a sieve into a different bowl. Once strained, pour it into the prepared pie crust.

Cover the pie and chill for at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. When you’re ready to serve, you can serve it with fruit, whipped cream, or anything else you’d like.