Piecrust

Ingredients

• one small pint cup of sifted flour
• two heaping tablespoons of the lard
• a slightly heaping teaspoon of salt
• enough of the ice water to roll easily

Method

1. 1

   Chill lard in ice water for 20-30 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix salt and flour, then cut in lard.

3. 3

   Add ice water gradually until dough forms.

4. 4

   Chill again for 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Roll out, fit into pie plate, and trim edges.

6. 6

   Add filling and top crust as desired.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated from matched ingredients across 8 servings.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The home cook book (1905) by Christine Frederick, page 181. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Piecrust— Puff Paste— Preparing Fruits for Pie— Apple Pie— Clierry Pie— Cream Pie— Sour Cream Pie — Dried Fruit Pies — Lemon Pie, Double Crust— Lemon Pie, Under Crust — Lemon Meringue Pie — Chocolate Lemon Pie — Mincemeat— Orange Pie — Potato Pie— Pumpkin Pie— Philadelphia Pumpkin Pie — Raisin Pie— Rhubarb or Pieplant Pie— Rhubarb Meringue Pie— Green Tomato Pie —Almond Straws or Tarts— Cheese Biscuit — Cheese Straws — Cream Horns— Fig Tarts— Pastry Fruit Cakes— Puff Paste Patties THE ART OF PIE-MAKING ALTHOUGH many esteemed authorities on dietetics have placed their ban of displeasure upon the pie-eating habit, declaring it to be at all times conducive to ill health, yet the fact remains that in many homes pies are freely consumed. It is not the purpose of this article either to extol or to con- done the consumption of pastry, but to give explicit directions for making the very best quality of this, if questionable, nevertheless delectable, variety of sweets. To make crisp, palatable pastry the work must be done in a cool place, the materials which enter into its composition must be of the best, thoroughly chilled, put together quickly, with as little contact during the whole process with the hands and fingers as is prac- ticable. All hard kneading must be avoided if light paste is desired. The best paste is obtained by using equal portions of butter and lard for shortening. When butter alone is used, except for puff paste, the crust will be tough. All lard produces ten- der paste, but it is white and tasteless. When freshly made butter can not be had, wash the butter thoroughly and knead in several successive waters. To mix properly the dough for pastry, first sift the salt — of which very little shoulci be used— with the flour, then by means of a knife cut the shortening into the flour. To one PIES AND PASTRIES 333 accustomed to use the hands for this purpose the operation will be awkward ; but experience will overcome this, and the result justifies the extra trouble. When the flour and shortening are incorporated, add, a few drops at a time, just enough ice water or very cold water to cause the ingredients to adhere, being careful to avoid hav- ing wet streaks. Do not knead, but turn the dough, which has been lightly gathered into a round heap, on to a well-floured doughboard, or marble slab if procurable, and divide into two parts, one for the upper, the other for the lower crust. Flour the rolling-pin, which should be straight — that is, the same size at the ends as in the middle — then, with light but effectual strokes, roll into shape. The strokes must always be fro7n the worker, and the pressure must be even. The top 'crust must have airholes in it, else it will burst. The paste will be lighter if, after mixing, it is stood in the ice-box or other cold place for two hours or more before baking. One of the banes of the pie-maker is the soggy under crust. To prevent this, bake, but do not brown, the bottom crust before putting in the filling. Further, upon removing from the oven do not take out of the baking tin until ready to serve. In- stead, stand on an inverted teacup. The air will circulate be- neath and dry the under crust. A trial of this method will convince the sceptical. Perforated pie-tins are the most satis- factory. If these can not be had use granite ware. Perhaps, after all, the success of the pie depends more upon the baking than upon any other step in the whole process. The materials may be the choicest and skilfully combined, yet if the oven be too slow the paste will not rise, but become white and clammy. In this many cooks may find an answer to the puzzle, why their pies never look fresh and flaky. On the other hand, if the heat be too brisk and the paste browns before it has time to rise, it will have a rancid taste. It will, therefore, be seen that the temperature of the oven is a matter of much moment to the successful pastry cook. The fire should be made long enough beforehand for the 334 THE HOME COOK BOOK heat to have a "body." Test before putting hi the pies by baking a bit of crust. A good formula for proportions for family pastry is : To three cups of sifted flour, to which a Httle salt is added, use one cup of shortening. If half a teaspoon of baking powder is .used three-fourths of a cup of shortening will suffice. This is sufficient for four ordinary pies. The amount may be in- creased or diminished provided the proportions are kept. PIECRUST Before making your piecrust, put some lard into a bowl, on this lay a good-sized piece of ice and cover with water. Set on the ice, or in some very cold place, for twenty min- utes or half an hour. At the end of that time put into a pan a slightly heaping teaspoon of salt and one small pint cup of sifted flour. To this add two heaping tablespoons of the lard you have in the ice water. Cut this lard through the flour with a knife, or mix quickly with the tips of the fingers. Pour over enough of the ice water to roll easily

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.