- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
- 8 teaspoons (about) ice water
- 1 2-ounce piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup loosely packed)
- 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir flour, salt and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and shortening and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in enough ice water by teaspoonfuls until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling.)
- Roll out dough on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough, leaving 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge under and crimp. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake crust until golden and baked through, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
- Finely chop ginger with 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons sugar in processor until moist paste forms, about 25 seconds. Combine lemon juice, water and ginger paste in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Let steep 1 hour at room temperature.
- Strain lemon mixture into bowl, pressing on solids. Discard solids in strainer. Return liquid to saucepan. Add cornstarch; whisk until dissolved. Whisk in yolks. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl; cool. Cover and chill until cold, about 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. keep chilled.)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spoon filling into crust,smoothing top. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beat until stiff and glossy. Mix in vanilla. Spoon meringue over filling, spreading to edge of crust to seal. Bake pie until meringue is light golden, about 5 minutes. Let stand at least 5 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.