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Pastry

Pastry
Having sifted your flour and weighed the butter or lard, the proportion of one to the other must be regulated by each person's notions of healthiness and economy. One third lard makes better pastry than if all butter is used. If one third lard is used, rub the lard, with a tea-spoon of salt, into the flour. The least possible time should be taken in doing this as the heat of the hands will soften the lard too much. Add the water, in which have been beaten one or two eggs. If the paste is made wholly of lard, allow a tea-spoonful of salt to every pint or pound of flour. Some people put in a small tea-spoonful of soda. Put the salt into the flour, and the saleratus into the water with which you mix your paste. When you have put in the water, stir it up quickly, as stiff as you can, with a spoon. Put it on to your pasteboard as soon as you can roll it. A large slate makes a very good pasteboard for those who are not lucky enough to have a marble one. Roll from you always, not back and forth. When rolled, lay the butter (which should have been worked to a cream the day before wanted, and put on ice) on all parts of the paste, in thin cuttings. Dredge a little flour over the butter, and fold up the dough in a long roll; flatten it a little with the pin; double it by laying the two ends meeting in the centre. Roll again-flour, butter, and roll, in same manner, for three successive times. It is well to divide you butter into three equal parts, putting one part in the dough at each roll. This being done, set the paste into a cool place. It is of importance to observe that the paste should be neither too stiff not too soft, but of a proper consistency; it will be better when it is a little too soft than when too stiff.
Paste should not be made softer in summer than in winter; for if your butter has been creamed and put on the ice, it will be of the same consistency as when it is used in winter. As soon as your paste is made set it on the ice. When the paste is used, cut off enough to make two or three pies; set the remainder on the ice. In rolling out the paste to cover the pies, cut a piece from your roll crosswise orcornering. This makes the paste more flaky. Press the rolling-pin equally on all parts, that it may be of equal thickness.
Having your place buttered, lay on the crust. Pass your hand over it so that all parts may touch the place. Take the place on the palm of your left hand, and with your right trim the edges of the dough even with the dish by holding a knife with the handle under the place, and the blade slanting outwardly. Wet with water the rim of the paste, and put round another thickness; then fill your pie. Wet the rim again and cover the pie. Some people make a less rich paste for the under than the upper crust of their pies.
- Taken from The American Matron 1851

Found in 1850 | Victorian Living 1840-1900 | Browse By Era | Browse By Subject | Cooking and Recipes

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