Principles of food preparation

Make a plain pie crust (see Chapter XVI, page 157), cut out the upper crust by inverting the pie plate on the sheet of pastry and cutting a circle from this at least one-half inch larger than the circumference of the pie plate. Line the pie plate with the remainder of the paste, and proceed as follows: Allow four or five good-sized apples for a pie about as large as a dinner plate. Wash the apples, divide into eighths or quarters, core, and pare. Cut the sections into thin slices, arrange these in the lined pie plate in layers, and sprinkle with sugar, allowing one to two tablespoonfuls of sugar for each apple. Add a few cloves, or a little ground cinnamon, or nutmeg. Fill the apples well in toward the rim of the pie plate. Moisten the edges of the under crust with water before covering the pie with the upper crust. Slits or openings of any preferred shape should be cut in the upper crust before the pie is baked, to allow for the escape of steam. These may be made either before or after the upper crust is adjusted — it is easier to put the crust on the pie before the openings are made; it is easier to arrange the slits in some symmetrical design before the crust is put on. The two crusts should be pressed together lightly but firmly at the edges. Pastry should be baked in a very hot oven for the first half of the time; afterwards with gradually decreasing heat. Note. Bits of butter are sometimes put on the apples before the top crust goes on, to enrich the filling. Some cooks bake the apples without sugar, and after the pie is done, and while still hot, lift the upper crust and add the sweetening. The capacity of a pie plate may be enlarged by a process that is called building up the rim. Narrow strips of paste are cut and placed on the edge of the under crust, previously moistened, before the pie plate is filled. One, two, or more strips can be thus built up into a little ridge, deepening the cavity of the plate, so that a thick, generous pie can be made. Strawberry Pie Prepare the pastry as for apple pie, and arrange the under crust in the pie plate. Hull and wash the berries. Measure as much of the berries as will fill the pie plate, and measure half as much sugar as berries. Mix the sugar thoroughly with one-fourth its volume of flour. Brush the bottom crust over with w^hite of egg, and fill the pie plate with alternate layers of berries and sugar. Put on the top crust, and bake. Note. Instead of a top crust, strips of pastry about half an inch wide may be crossed over the top and moistened and pressed down where they touch the under crust. This may be said to be a compromise between a one-crust and a two-crust pie. Cranberry Pie Before putting in the under crust, measure water nearly to fill the pie plate. Measure as much cranberries as water, half as much raisins as cranberries, and as much sugar as raisins. Take two tablespoonfuls of flour for every cup of water. Cook flour, butter, and water as for medium white sauce (see Chapter II, page 9) . Add the cranberries and the raisins (stoned), and cook together until the raisins are soft. Remove from fire and add sugar. Pour the mixture into the pastry shell, which should have been previously baked.