While in the south of France, we bought the most delicious lemons to make a traditional tarte au citron. The lemons came from Menton, located about 30 km from Nice between the foothills of the Maritime Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. It is known for being one of the primary places in France where lemons grow in abundance. Historically, Menton's economy depended on the cultivation of lemons. Today, Menton holds a "Lemon Festival" each winter in celebration of its fabulous lemons!
Directions
- Sweet Pastry: Sift the flour, then stir in the salt and sugar.
- Rub the butter into the flour mixture until finely worked in.
- Beat the egg, then add to the flour mixture.
- Add the water a little at a time, mixing with a pastry scraper, until the dough begins to hold together.
- Using your hands, bring the dough together into a ball, making sure not to overwork it.
- Roll out and place into an 8–10-inch tart pan. Prick the bottom of the shell with a fork. Place parchment paper over the pastry and add rice or ceramic pie weights to weigh it down.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10–15 minutes, until the pastry is set.
- Remove the weights and continue baking until golden brown, 5–10 minutes.
- Cool before adding the custard filling.
- Lemon Custard Filling: Beat together the sugar, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, until warmed and slightly thickened.
- Set aside to cool.
- Pour into the cooled pastry shell and refrigerate for 1 hour.
℞ M.D. Notes
- Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, one of the most important antioxidants in nature.
