While the materials which are used in making pastry are wholesome and nutritious, they are combined in a form which makes them somewhat difficult to digest, so pastry should be used sparingly in the diet.

The requisites for good pastry are that it shall be tender, flaky, and light. The first quality will depend upon the amount and the kind of fat used, upon the manner in which the pastry is handled in mixing and rolling, and upon the amount of water used in making the dough. If but little water is used, the gliadin and glutinin of the flour do not unite to form as tough a gluten, and the pastry is more tender. It was noted in bread making that working the dough made the gluten elastic, and as this is not desired in pastry making, the dough should be handled as little and as lightly as possible.

The flaky quality of the pastry will depend upon the number of layers of flour and fat that are formed in the dough by the methods of rolling and folding. The shortening used should be very cold and firm, so that it will not soften and mix with the flour. All pastry is improved if the dough is placed in a napkin and put near the ice for some time before being rolled into shape for baking.

The lightness of the pastry will depend upon the amount of air incorporated in the dough in folding, and its expansion in baking. A small amount of baking powder is sometimes added to the flour before making it into dough.

Winter wheat flour should be used, as it contains less gluten than spring wheat flour and makes a more tender crust.

Shortening For Pastry

1. Butter. This makes a crisp, brown, somewhat ham crust. It is used in making puff paste and may be mixed with other fats for ordinary pastry.

2. Lard. This makes a soft, white, and tender crust.

3. Beef suet. When properly tried out, this is a good and an inexpensive form of fat.

4. Many commercial forms of fat mixtures may be used.

How To Render Fat

Cut beef suet or leaf fat from pork into small pieces. Soak in cold salted water for several hours. Drain off water and heat fat slowly until the fat separates out and the connective tissue browns slightly. Drain through a cheese cloth placed over a colander. Press to remove all fat.

Note To Student

Why is the fat soaked in salted water ? Weigh fat and estimate cost per pound. Compare cost with current market price of lard.

Amount Of Shortening For Pastry

Puff Paste Pastry Plain Pastry

Flour

2 c. 2 c. 2 c.

Shortening

1 c. butter 2/3 c. shortening 1/2 c. shortening

Use 1/2 ts. salt to 2 c. flour.

1/4 ts. baking powder may be added to flour.

1 1/2 c. flour makes one large pie with a double crust.

1 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. shortening

1/2 ts. salt

Ice water to make stiff dough

Sift the salt with the flour, add one half the shortening, and with a knife cut it into pieces about the size of a pea. Add the ice water gradually, lifting with a knife that portion which was moistened first and put it on a floured board, or push to one side of the bowl. Wet another portion, and so continue until all is moistened, using just enough water to hold it together. Dredge the dough on the board with flour, roll lightly from you into a long strip. Put the remainder of the shortening cut in small pieces over the top of the strip, sprinkle lightly with flour and fold it up toward the center. Roll again into a long strip and roll this up like a jelly roll. Cut from the roll enough paste for a crust, roll to fit the pan, place on the ungreased pie tin, fulling it slightly as pastry shrinks in baking. Trim the edges with a knife as far over the outside edge of the pan as possible. Put in the filling, rounding it a little in the center.

Roll the upper crust. While it is still on the board, make perforations to let the steam escape during the baking. Lay the upper crust on the pie by lifting it on the rolling pin, fold back one half, wet the edge of the lower crust, put the upper half back on it. Trim the upper crust, pressing the edges lightly together.