a heavy hand, and, do what thay will, their pastry is never
light. The varieties of paste and modes of making are
numerous. There is short paste, flaky or puff paste, French
paste, and the raised crust used for pork and other meat
and game pies. Sifted sugar is generally used in short
crust, which, of course, renders it unfit for use with meat.
The ingredients for a good crust are, J Ib. of butter to
i Ib. of flour, i tablespoonful of sifted sugar, and J pint
of water; or less butter may be used, with the addition of
the yolks of 2 eggs and J pint of milk instead of water.
For the best puff paste equal parts of flour and butter are
used, part of the butter being rubbed into the flour and the
rest spread in layers on the crust, which should be rolled
out several times, a very slight sprinkling of flour being put
over the butter as spread, which, when rolled out, serves to
separate the layers and make it light and flaky. Some
cooks beat the paste with a rolling pin; some set it
aside for some hours in a cold cellar, or on a marble
slab; whilst others roll it out quickly and put it in the
oven at once. We have tasted excellent pastry made
in all these ways, and also when clarified dripping,
or half butter half lard has been used instead of all butter.
For common household pastry, 8 oz. of butter and lard, or
clarified dripping, to i Ib. of flour is quite sufficient. To
make raised crust, boil J Ib. of lard, or clarified dripping,
in ij gills of water, and pour it hot on to i Ib. of flour, to
which a good pinch of salt has been added. Mix into a
stiff paste, pinch off enough of it to make the lid, and keep
it hot. Flour your board and work the paste into a ball,
then with the knuckles of your right hand press a hole in
the centre, and mould the paste into a round or oval shape,
266 OUR VIANDS
taking care to keep it a proper thickness. Having put in
the meat, well seasoned, join the lid to the pie, which raise
lightly with both hands so as to keep it a good high shape,
cut round the edge of the lid with a sharp knife, and make
the trimmings into leaves to ornament the pie ; and having
placed these on, with a rose in the centre, put the pie on a
floured baking-sheet, and brush it over with yolk of egg.
The crust of the pie should be cool and set, before putting
it into the oven, which should be a moderate heat. Some
people use a tin mould, but it is much better raised by the
hand ; in order to succeed, the crust must be moulded
whilst hot, and it also requires quick manipulation.
Paste for Venison Pasties (old recipe). — Take 4 Ibs. of
butter to \ peck of flour ; rub it all into your flour, but not
too small; then make it into a paste, and beat it with a
rolling-pin for an hour before you use it. If you please
you may beat 3 or 4 eggs, and put them in your paste when
you mix it.
An Umble Pie (old recipe). — Take the umbles of a buck,
boil them and chop them as small as meat for minced pies,
put to them as much beef suet, 8 apples, J Ib. of sugar,
1 1 Ib. of currants, a little salt, some mace, cloves, nutmeg,
and a little pepper ; then mix them together, and put it into
a paste; add J pint of sack, the juce of i lemon and
orange, close the pie, and when it is baked serve it up.
Our viands
1893Page 133
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
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a heavy hand, and, do what thay will, their pastry is never
light. The varieties of paste and modes of making are
numerous. There is short paste, flaky or puff paste, French
paste, and the raised crust used for pork and other meat
and game pies. Sifted sugar is generally used in short
crust, which, of course, renders it unfit for use with meat.
The ingredients for a good crust are, J Ib. of butter to
i Ib. of flour, i tablespoonful of sifted sugar, and J pint
of water; or less butter may be used, with the addition of
the yolks of 2 eggs and J pint of milk instead of water.
For the best puff paste equal parts of flour and butter are
used, part of the butter being rubbed into the flour and the
rest spread in layers on the crust, which should be rolled
out several times, a very slight sprinkling of flour being put
over the butter as spread, which, when rolled out, serves to
separate the layers and make it light and flaky. Some
cooks beat the paste with a rolling pin; some set it
aside for some hours in a cold cellar, or on a marble
slab; whilst others roll it out quickly and put it in the
oven at once. We have tasted excellent pastry made
in all these ways, and also when clarified dripping,
or half butter half lard has been used instead of all butter.
For common household pastry, 8 oz. of butter and lard, or
clarified dripping, to i Ib. of flour is quite sufficient. To
make raised crust, boil J Ib. of lard, or clarified dripping,
in ij gills of water, and pour it hot on to i Ib. of flour, to
which a good pinch of salt has been added. Mix into a
stiff paste, pinch off enough of it to make the lid, and keep
it hot. Flour your board and work the paste into a ball,
then with the knuckles of your right hand press a hole in
the centre, and mould the paste into a round or oval shape,
266 OUR VIANDS
taking care to keep it a proper thickness. Having put in
the meat, well seasoned, join the lid to the pie, which raise
lightly with both hands so as to keep it a good high shape,
cut round the edge of the lid with a sharp knife, and make
the trimmings into leaves to ornament the pie ; and having
placed these on, with a rose in the centre, put the pie on a
floured baking-sheet, and brush it over with yolk of egg.
The crust of the pie should be cool and set, before putting
it into the oven, which should be a moderate heat. Some
people use a tin mould, but it is much better raised by the
hand ; in order to succeed, the crust must be moulded
whilst hot, and it also requires quick manipulation.
Paste for Venison Pasties (old recipe). — Take 4 Ibs. of
butter to \ peck of flour ; rub it all into your flour, but not
too small; then make it into a paste, and beat it with a
rolling-pin for an hour before you use it. If you please
you may beat 3 or 4 eggs, and put them in your paste when
you mix it.
An Umble Pie (old recipe). — Take the umbles of a buck,
boil them and chop them as small as meat for minced pies,
put to them as much beef suet, 8 apples, J Ib. of sugar,
1 1 Ib. of currants, a little salt, some mace, cloves, nutmeg,
and a little pepper ; then mix them together, and put it into
a paste; add J pint of sack, the juce of i lemon and
orange, close the pie, and when it is baked serve it up.