Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book

process. Then place on the ice to harden. When cold, roll into rectangular shape one eighth of an inch thick ; place it on a baking-pan, and with a pastry cutter dipped in hot water, cut into strips Pies. The Boston Cook Book, like, for pies witliout an upper crust. Fill the plate with the material to be used. Roll the upper crust larger than the plate, make a cut in the centre to let the steam escape, wet the rims, put the crust on the edge even with the rim and slighth' fuller in the centre, to allow for shrinking in baking ; otherwise the crust, as it is forced up by the steam within, will draw awa}' from the edge. Wet every spot of the rim and edge, and press closel}^ but lightly together, to keep the juices from boiling out. All pies, meat pies especial!}^, with a top crust should have several holes cut in the crust to let the steam escape. All fruit pies are better flavored if made with fresh, rather than stewed, fruits. If to be filled with juicy fruit, or cream, they are more wholesome prepared as follows : Bake the two crusts separately, stew the fruit, fill, and put the two together. Or fill with a mock filling of pieces of clean cloth, bake, remove the cloth, and just before serving fill with the prepared fruit. Pies should bake from half to three quarters of an hour, or till brown. Use tin plates, as pies bake better on the bottom in them. No greasing is needed, and the pies should be changed to earthen plates as soon as done. Pastry for One Fie, — One heaping cup of pastry flour, one saltspoonful of baking-powder, one saltspoonful of salt, and from one third to one half of a cup of butter and lard mixed. Mix the baking-powder and salt with the flour, and rub in the lard. Mix quite stiff with cold water. Roll out, put the butter on the paste in little pieces, and sprinkle with flour. Fold over, and roll out. Roll up like a jelly roll. Divide in two parts, and roll to fit the plate. Cream Paste. — Mix half a teaspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of soda with one cup of cream, and stir in flour enough to mix to a stiff paste. Roll half an inch thick. Cut half a cup of butter into small pieces, and put it on the paste. Sprinkle with flour, fold and roll out thin ; roll up, cut a piece from the end, and roll to fit the plate. 324 The Boston Cook Book. Plain Paste, {Mrs, Tilton,) — Beat the white of one egg with one tablespoonful of lard. Work it into one quart of flour with the hands, till fine as meal. Add about one cup of ice water. Roll out, and put half a pound of butter on the paste in little pieces, either all at once or half of it at a time. Dredge lightly with flour. Fold the edges over, roll up, pat, and roll out. Lemon Pie, No. 1. — Mix one heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch with one cup of sugar; add one scant cup of boiling water and boil five minutes. Add one teaspoonful of butter, the juice of one large lemon, and one egg, well beaten. Bake between two crusts.