Woman's Institute Library of Cookery Volume IV Part 34

21. When the filling of the pie does not require so much baking as the crust, it is well to bake the crust partly before putting the filling in. This is particularly advisable in the case of custard pie, for the custard is put in as an uncooked mixture and requires the low temperature necessary for solidifying eggs without causing them to curd.

On the other hand, pies containing certain kinds of filling must be baked slowly. When this condition exists, it is advisable to start the baking in a very hot oven, so that the crusts will have the benefit of the high temperature. Then the heat should be gradually reduced until the filling will cook and the crust will not burn.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 10]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 11]

22. Often, especially in the baking of fresh berry or cherry pie, the juice that forms inside the pie cooks out. This is a condition that must be overcome if satisfactory pies are to be the result. Various means of preventing it have been suggested, but one of the successful ones consists in rolling a small piece of paper into a funnel shape, leaving both ends open, and inserting the small end in one of the openings in the top crust. This arrangement provides a vent for the steam, and so the juice is less likely to cook out of the crust while the pie is baking.

UTILIZING LEFT-OVER PASTRY

23. In making pies, it is well to mix only the quant.i.ty of paste that is desired for the number of pies to be made. Usually, 1-1/2 cupfuls of flour will make sufficient paste for one double-crust pie, provided the pan in which it is made is not too large. In case it is necessary to make fresh pie on two consecutive days, a good plan is to make at one time enough paste for both days, for what remains after the first pie is made may be allowed to stand in the refrigerator or some other cool place. Then it may be rolled out on the second day and used in exactly the same way as on the first. However, it is a rather difficult matter to make the exact amount of paste for the pies needed. If nothing more remains, there are usually small sc.r.a.ps left over from the tr.i.m.m.i.n.g of the edge. These should by all means be put to some good use, for the material is equally as good as that which has been used in the pie and there is no reason why it should be wasted.

24. TARTS.-A very good way in which to utilize these sc.r.a.ps is to make tarts of various kinds and shapes out of them. There are a number of attractive ways in which jam, jelly, marmalade, fruit b.u.t.ter, fresh fruits, apple sauce, stewed prunes, or other cooked or canned fruit may be utilized for the making of tarts. These little pastry desserts are the delight of children, most of whom may be permitted occasionally to eat such a satisfactory delicacy.

25. Before attempting to use the pastry sc.r.a.ps, work them together with the hands. Then roll the piece out with the rolling pin until it is the required thickness and cut it out in the shape desired. To make a simple variety of tart, cut two rounds of the paste with a cooky cutter. In one of these, whichever is to be used for the top, make three or four small holes, using a thimble or some other small cutter. Bake these shapes in the oven separately, and after baking spread the whole one with jelly or jam and over this place the one containing the holes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 12]

26. Another attractive way in which to make tarts is to cut rounds of the paste, as shown in Fig. 12, cover small pans with these rounds, and then bake them. Upon taking them from the oven, remove them from the pans and fill them with any desired filling in the form of stewed fruit, jam, custards, etc. If canned or stewed fruit is used, cook it down until it is somewhat thick. These little tarts are delicious when they have had a spoonful of meringue baked on the fruit or are served with a spoonful of whipped cream.

27. Still another variety of tart may be made with very little trouble.

Cut the rolled paste into pieces about 4 inches square, and, on a triangular half of the square, place several spoonfuls of fruit with additional sugar, if necessary, and add a little flour to thicken the juice that forms. Fold the other triangular half over the fruit to cover it, turn the edges of the bottom half over the edges of the top, and press them down to keep the fruit from running out. Set in the oven and bake until the paste is brown and the filling of the tart is cooked.

28. SMALL PIES.--Sometimes there may be enough paste remaining to make one crust for a small pie. In such an event, cover the pan with the paste, add a fruit filling of some kind, such as cranberries, apple sauce, marmalade, or fruit b.u.t.ter, and then, out of the sc.r.a.ps that remain, cut several narrow strips and place them over the filling. Such an arrangement makes an agreeable change in the appearance of this dessert.

29. CHEESE STRAWS.--Small pieces of pastry that are left over may also be used to make cheese straws, which are one of the accompaniments often served with salads. To make them, roll grated cheese into the mixture until it is well blended. Then roll out the paste until it is about 1/4 inch thick, cut into narrow strips of the desired length, and bake in a hot oven.

RECIPES FOR PASTRY AND PIES

PASTRY

30. Several recipes for pastry that may be used in pie making are here given. These recipes differ as regards the ingredients used and will serve to offer variety in the making of pie crust. With the exception of the recipe for easy pastry, the principles of pastry making already set forth apply to all these recipes alike.

31. PLAIN PASTRY.--Pastry made according to the accompanying directions is the kind that is most frequently used. It requires only a medium amount of shortening, and wheat flour is used in its preparation. It is very satisfactory for any kind of pie desired.

PLAIN PASTRY

1-1/2 c. flour 1 tsp. salt 1/3 c. shortening 1/4 to 3/8 c. water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Chop the shortening into the flour with knives. When the fat has been chopped into pieces the size of a small pea, add sufficient cold water to make all the particles adhere, mixing them together with a case knife. There should not be enough water added to make the paste stick to either the bowl or the knife. Divide the ma.s.s into halves and press each into a round piece with the fingers. Flour the board slightly and roll out about 1/8 inch thick for the pie crust.

32. ECONOMY PASTE.--When both wheat flour and fat must be saved, economy paste should be tried. Barley flour is subst.i.tuted for part of the wheat flour, and this with the wheat makes an excellent combination.

ECONOMY PASTE

1 c. wheat flour 1/2 c. barley flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. shortening 1/4 to 3/8 c. water

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Chop in the shortening until it is in particles about the size of a small pea. Add water until the ma.s.s will cling together. Roll into sheets about 1/8 inch thick for pie crust.

33. QUALITY PASTE.--The accompanying recipe gives directions for a very good quality of paste. As will be noted, the lard, which is used for part of the shortening, is added to the flour, and the b.u.t.ter, which forms the other part, is worked into the dough. If the directions here given are carefully followed, excellent results can be expected.

QUALITY PASTE

2 c. flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 c. lard 1/3 to 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. b.u.t.ter

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the lard and chop very fine. Add enough water to make a stiff dough. This will require just a little more water than the pastes previously given. Roll the paste in a rectangular form, spread the b.u.t.ter evenly over the paste, and fold so as to make three layers. Turn half way round and roll out so as to make a rectangle in the opposite direction. Fold, turn, and roll in this way four times, handling the rolling pin and paste as lightly as possible.

Use to cover the pan and bake in a quick oven.

34. SOUR-CREAM PASTRY.--A slightly different kind of pastry can be made by using sour cream for the liquid and adding a small quant.i.ty of soda to neutralize the acid in the cream. Besides providing a means of using up cream that has become sour, this recipe makes a pastry that appeals to most persons.

SOUR-CREAM PASTRY

1 1/4 c. flour 1/3 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. soda 3 Tb. shortening 1/4 to 3/4 c. thick sour cream

Sift the flour, salt, and soda together in a mixing bowl. Chop in the shortening and add the cream. Knead the paste slightly and after taking it out on the board, divide it into halves. Proceed in the usual manner for making pastry.

35. EASY PASTRY.--A departure from the usual kind of pastry is easy pastry, directions for which are given in the accompanying recipe. It is more moist and a little more difficult to handle than pastry made in the usual way; consequently, it is more ideal for single-crust pies than for double-crust ones. Besides being easy to make, pastry of this kind will stand a great deal more handling without injury than any other kind. It may be placed on the pan and patted out where it seems too thick or patched where it pulls apart. The amounts given here will make one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies of medium size.

EASY PASTRY

1/2 c. fat 1/4 c. boiling water 1 3/4 c. flour 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt

Measure the fat into a mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over it, and stir until all the fat is softened and melted. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir into the water and fat. Divide into two portions and roll for crusts. If the crusts are to be baked before they are filled, p.r.i.c.k them well with a fork to prevent the formation of bubbles.

DOUBLE-CRUST PIES

36. As has already been learned, double-crust pies are pies that have both a bottom and a top crust and contain a filling of some kind. The amounts given in the recipes for pastry are sufficient to make the two crusts required for pies of this kind. Any of these recipes may be followed, depending on the variety of pastry desired.

37. APPLE PIE NO. 1.--To make the best possible apple pie, tart apples should be used, for besides giving a good flavor they cook soft inside the pie much more readily than do apples that are more nearly sweet. If sour apples cannot be obtained, lemon juice sprinkled over the apples after they are placed in the crust will help to make them tender. The amount of lemon juice depends, of course, on the sourness of the apples.

Any desirable spices may be used for flavoring, cinnamon and nutmeg being the most popular ones. If the apples are very juicy, a little flour mixed with the sugar and sprinkled over them will help to thicken the juice, but usually this is not necessary. A little b.u.t.ter dotted over the apples before the top crust is put on also helps to improve the flavor.

For pie, the apples may be cut in as large or as small pieces as desired. However, it is best to cut them into thick slices or about sixteenths, that is, to cut each quarter into four pieces.

APPLE PIE No. 1

1 qt. apples 1/2 to 3/4 c. sugar Salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon or 1/4 tsp. nutmeg Lemon juice

After the pan has been covered with the paste, peel the apples, cut them into pieces of the desired size, and place them into the paste in sufficient quant.i.ty to heap the pan. In the process of cooking, there will be a certain amount of shrinkage caused by the apple juice filling in the s.p.a.ces as the apples cook and soften; therefore, in order to have a pie thick enough when it is baked, the apples must be heaped in the pan before baking. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar, to which has been added the nutmeg or the cinnamon. Sprinkle lightly with salt, add 1 teaspoonful of lemon juice, and, if the apples seem dry, a few tablespoonfuls of water. Dot with b.u.t.ter, wet the edges of the under crust, and place the top crust in position. Bake for about 45 minutes in a moderate oven.

38. APPLE PIE NO. 2.--Another variety of apple pie is made by cooking the apples, putting them between crusts, and then baking the whole. This pie does not require so much time in the oven, but it needs a hot oven.

It has a somewhat richer flavor than the preceding pie, due to the brown sugar used in making it.

APPLE PIE No. 2