1. Pre-Prep: Set out all equipment necessary for making pie. Prepare parchment paper for holding pie weights during pastry baking. Measure dry ingredients for pastry. Mix egg wash. Measure ingredients for filling: Separate cold eggs. Grate the lemon rind. Squeeze and strain lemon juice. Bring butter to room temperature for filling. Measure ingredients for meringue. Wipe mixer bowl and whisk attachment with a paper towel dampened with vinegar to remove any fat residue that may still be on the equipment and which would prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.

Method For Pastry:

1. In medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. Cut the butter and lard into small chunks and add to the flour. Toss to coat the fats with the flour mixture. With a wire pastry cutter, cut the butter and lard into the flour until the fats resemble the size of large peas.
2. In a one-cup glass measuring cup, lightly beat a large egg with a whisk. Remove and reserve one-half of the beaten egg for the pastry egg wash. To the remaining half of the egg, add the ¾ tsp white vinegar and enough ice-cold water to measure 2/3 cup. Whisk mixture well to combine. Add the egg-vinegar-water mixture to the flour, small amounts at a time, and mix with a fork. Add only enough liquid mixture that the dough clings together and can be formed into a ball. Note that not all of the entire 2/3 cup of liquid will be needed. Using too much liquid will result in a hard, tough crust. Do not overwork dough as it will become tough.
3. Form dough into a small disk shape and place in sealed plastic bag, or an airtight container, and transfer pastry to refrigerator for about 25-30 minutes to chill. Remove pastry from the refrigerator and, on lightly floured surface, roll pastry to desired thickness, generally between 1/16”and 1/8” (2-3mm) thick and large enough in diameter to line pie plate. Transfer pastry into a deep 9”/23cm diameter pie plate that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray or very lightly greased and has the capacity to hold approximately 2¼ cups of filling plus the meringue. Trim off excess dough and finish pastry edges as desired. Dock pastry bottom in several places with fork tines to prevent air pockets from forming while the crust bakes. Refrigerate pie shell for a minimum of 30 minutes (or place in freezer for 20 minutes or so) to chill in order to reduce pastry shrinkage during baking.
4. While pastry shell is chilling, position oven rack in lowest position in oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
5. Crumple and distress a piece of parchment paper large enough to mold around the inside of the pie plate, being careful not to tear the paper and allowing enough overhang by which to grasp it to remove the ceramic pie weights or dried beans that will be placed in it for blind baking and which will be removed part way through the crust baking process. This crumpling/distressing procedure will weaken the parchment paper, allowing it to be more pliable for fitting into the pie plate. Depending on the quality of parchment paper, repeat with a second piece of distressed parchment paper, if necessary. The paper lining needs to be strong enough to hold the pie weights/dry beans when they are being lifted from the pie shell part way through the baking.
6. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator (or freezer) and place on a rimmed cookie sheet or pizza pan for ease of transfer to and from oven. Carefully fit the distressed parchment paper inside the pie shell. Repeat with the second layer of parchment paper, if necessary. Add ceramic pie weights or dry uncooked beans, filling the pie plate about 2/3 to ¾ full, and ensuring the pie weights/dried beans are evenly distributed.
7. Transfer pie shell to the oven. Bake pie shell for 18-20 minutes. Remove shell from oven and carefully remove the pie weights/dried beans and parchment paper and transfer them to a heatproof bowl. Be very careful as the pie weights/dried beans will be very hot! As some of the earlier pierced holes in the pie shell may have filled in during the blind baking process, further pierce the pie shell in several places with the tines of a fork, if necessary, to prevent it from forming air pockets as it continues to bake.
8. Beat the reserved half beaten egg with ½ tablespoon of milk or water. Using a silicone pastry brush, very lightly brush egg wash over the pastry.
9. Return pie shell to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until pastry appears dry and crisp and is a light-medium golden color. Cool shell in pan on wire rack until completely cooled before adding filling. Pie shell may be made a day in advance, if desired.

Method For Lemon Filling:

1. Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Whisk egg yolks lightly in bowl.
3. In medium-sized heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix well. Over medium heat, gradually add the water to the mixture. Stir mixture continuously until it comes just to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken.
4. Remove mixture from heat and gradually stir about 2/3 cup of the hot mixture into the lightly beaten eggs to temper them so they do not curdle. Slowly stir the tempered egg mixture, along with the lemon zest, into the egg-cornstarch-water mixture and place saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low, gently boiling mixture for 1 minute, or until mixture is thickened, stirring continuously, and reducing heat slightly if necessary to prevent mixture from scorching.
5. Remove saucepan from heat and slowly stir in the lemon juice and butter. Stir until well blended. Strain mixture through fine mesh sieve to remove any coagulated solids and bits of lemon zest. Use the back of a large spoon to press mixture through sieve and to hasten the straining.

Method For French Meringue:

1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites at low speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and increase speed to medium. Add the sugar gradually and slowly, about one tablespoon at a time, and beat until soft peaks form. When all the sugar has been added, increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat mixture until stiff and glossy peaks form. Do not overbeat and dry out the meringue. Lastly, beat in vanilla.
2. Because the lemon filling will have cooled during the straining process and while the meringue is being made, it is necessary to reheat the filling so it is hot when the meringue is added to it. The strained filling can be reheated either in the microwave until hot or transferred it to a clean saucepan and reheated over low to medium-low heat until hot.
3. Transfer hot lemon filling to the baked and cooled pie shell. Immediately spread meringue over hot filling, starting at the outside edge, spreading meringue right to the pastry’s inside edge to completely seal in the filling. It is important that the meringue adheres to the inside edge of the pastry to prevent the meringue from shrinking and weeping. Use the back of a spoon or a knife to swirl meringue into peaks.
4. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet or a large pizza pan and transfer pie to preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until meringue is golden tanned.
5. Cool pie on wire rack for approximately 1½ hours then transfer to refrigerator to cool completely and set for at least 4 hours before cutting and serving. To cut pie, dip knife in hot water and quickly wipe dry before slicing pie wedges and serving.