The Colorado statesman., 1922-03-18

(Prepared BY the United States
of Agriculture)
Every housekeeper, IN the secret
places in her soul, longs to have some
one praise her pie. She can have pie
that can be praised If she follows
carefully the recipe for mixing and
handling the dough that Is used by
food specialists In the United States
Department of Agriculture.
Plain Pastry for Doube-Crust Pie.
III cupfuls flour 1-3 cupful fat Ia lit
2 1-3 tablespoonfuls tie more than s
water level tablespoon
2-3 teaspoonful salt
Place the flour, salt and lard into
bowl and cut with a biscuit cutter
until 1t looks mealy. Take out one
fourth cupful of the finely divided
f1our-and-fat mixture to be used later
on the upper and under crusts Add
the water gradually to the remaining
four-and-fat mixture, cutting with the
biscuit cutter until the water is even
ly mixed In.
Divide the dough into two approx
mately equal parts, one for the upper
and the other for the under crust.
Shape each into fattened ball and
roll until about five inches in diameter.
Take one of these fiat cakes of
dough; place about one-eighth cupful
Of the finely divided fiour-and-fat mix
ture which was reserved. onto the
half Of the dough nearest the worker,
and fold the other half over this.
pressing the edges together. Roll
slightly and fold the right side over
two-thirds of the way toward the op-
posite edge; then fold the left side
similarly toward the right edge, thus
making an oblong piece of three thick
nesses. Fold this oblong piece of
dough through the center to form a
square.
Shape the dough with the hands SO
as to round the corners, thus making
round cake. Roll lightly until the
dough is large enough to cover the
pan. Cover the pan with the dough,
taking pains to see that no air Is in
closed between the pan and dough.
Put the pie filling in place.
Roll the upper crust In the same
manner as that described for the low
er. Cut perforations in the upper
crust to allow for the escape of steam.
Moisten the rim of the under crust
with water, place the top crust in po-
sition, and press the two edges to-
gether with the thumb. Trim the
edges with knife and press the edges
together again, using the tines of
fork.
Bake % to 30 minutes in a mod
crate hot oven, |. e., at about 450 de-
grees F.
Special Points to Be Observed.
No more water should be added
than the recipe calls for. The proper
tions given have been tested innumer-
able times, and the addition Of extra
water will only result in cracker
like pastry. Extra flour will not OFF,
set extra water because the proper
tions of the entire recipe will then be
altered. If handled and measured cor
rectly this recipe Is always satisfac-
tory.
The old idea that only Ice water
should be used for all kinds of pastry
Is more or less of superstition. On
the contrary, If the fat is very cold, as
ii will be If 1t is kept in a cold room
or out-of-doors in freezing weather,
hot water Is better than cold for mix
ing the dough. In very warm weather,
however, it is well to use cold water
If the fat seems very soft.
In putting the pie crust on the pan
1t should be cut enough larger than
the pan to allow for shrinkage. 1t
should be well pressed into the pan
and around the bottom with the fin
gers so that no air can be enclosed
beneath it. A single pie crust or
shell, baked as undercrust for lemon
or chocolate or custard pie, should be
pricked with a fork in many places to
allow any air that is below the crust
to escape otherwise 1t will puff up in
the middle. The upper edge of this
undercrust should be rolled under the
edge of the pan. This gives a good
appearance to the finished pie.
In making custard pies, or those
containing juicy fruits like cherries or
blueberries, soggy undercrust can be
avoided If, before the filling is put In,
the crust Is baked for about ten min
utes or until the color starts to change.
1t must not be baked until brown be-
fore filling, for fear that the pie would
be dark and unpelatable. The fruit or
SustuIu SuOuiu Dc hchtcu oiu uuuSu
to the partially baked crust while the
latter is still In the oven; the baking
Is then finished as usual.
When making a number of pies 1t Is
worth while to glaze them by brush
ing the upper crust with a mixture of
three tablespoonfuls Of milk to one
well-beaten egg. For a single pie 1t
would hardly pay to use the egg un-
less what remained of the mixture
could be utilized for pudding, French
toast, or some other cooking. Brush
the glaze on with fork wrapped in