Pies baked without an upper crust should have a double rim. Roll paste into long pieces, and cut strips about one inch and a quarter wide; fit neatly on the rim of under crust before filling the pie. Perforated tins may be used for baking pies, thus insuring a well-baked under crust. Pastry should be thoroughly cooked and well browned. Pies require from thirty to forty-five minutes for baking. Do not grease the tin. When slightly cool, slip the pie on to an earthen plate.

Apple Pie

4 or 5 sour apples 3/4 c. sugar 1/4 ts. nutmeg

1 ts. lemon juice 1/8 ts. salt 1/2 ts. butter

Fats - Frying, And Pastry

Line a pie plate with paste. Pare and slice apples. Put a row around the plate one half inch from the edge, fill the center of the plate, then pile on the remaining apples. Mix sugar, salt, nutmeg and lemon juice and sprinkle on the apples. Dot with butter and sprinkle with flour. Add a little water. Put on the upper crust, bake 40 to 45 m. in a moderate oven.

Evaporated apples may be soaked overnight and used in place of fresh ones.

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 c. steamed and strained pumpkin 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 ts. salt

1/4 ts. each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg 1 egg | c. milk

Add sugar, salt, spice to pumpkin; add the milk, scalded, and when cool, the egg slightly beaten.

Pour into a crust with a double rim. Bake in a quick oven at first to set rim; decrease the heat afterward, as milk and egg in combination must be cooked at a low temperature.

If richer pie is desired, use 1 c. pumpkin, 1/2 c. milk, 1/2 c. cream, and an additional egg yolk.

Custard Pie

2 eggs \ c. sugar

1/8ts. salt 1 1/2 c. milk

Nutmeg

Beat egg slightly, add sugar, salt, and milk. Strain into a pie plate lined with crust with a double rim. Bake in a quick oven at first to set the rim; decrease the heat afterward, as the custard will separate if cooked too quickly. When a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean, the pie is baked.

Do not allow the custard to boil during the baking.

Mince Meat

1 chopped apple

1/2 c. raisins, seeded and chopped \ c. currants \ c. butter or suet 1 tb. molasses

1 tb. boiled cider

1 c. sugar

1 ts. cinnamon

1/2 ts. cloves

\ grated nutmeg

1/4 ts. mace

1 ts. salt

Add enough stock in which the meat was cooked to moisten; heat gradually and simmer 10 m. Then add 1 c. chopped meat, 1 tb. currant jelly. Cook 15 m.

Lemon Pie

7/8 c. sugar 1 c. water 3 tb. corn starch

Yolks of 2 eggs Grated rind and juice of one lemon

1 ts. butter

Mix corn starch and sugar, add boiling water, stirring constantly; cook 2 m., add butter, beaten yolks, and lemon. Pour into a pan lined with a crust with a double rim. Bake till pastry is brown. Cool slightly and cover with a meringue.

Meringue

Whites of 2 eggs

4 tb. powdered sugar

A few drops of lemon juice or vanilla

Beat the whites till stiff, add sugar gradually, continue beating, add flavoring, and spread on the pie. Bake in a slow oven 10 to 12 m. If cooked quickly and too long, meringue is tough.

Cranberry Pie

Line a pie dish with paste and fill with uncooked cranberries. Add \ c. molasses, 4 tb. sugar. Cover with an upper crust and bake in a quick oven 30 m.

Cranberry Tart

Line a pan with paste, fill with stewed and sweetened cranberries. Lay strips of crust over the top, log cabin fashion, and bake.

Tarts

Roll paste 3/16 inch thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter. Cut as many more pieces with a doughnut cutter. Brush the circles with water and lay the rims on them. Chill thoroughly and bake 15 m. in a hot oven. Cool and fill with jelly. By placing 3 or 4 rings on the tart, shells may be made for creamed oysters or chicken.

Cheese Straws

Roll paste 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle one half with grated cheese to which has been added a few grains of salt and cayenne. Fold, press edges together, fold again, roll out 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with cheese and proceed as before; repeat twice. Cut in strips 5 inches long, 1/4 inch wide; dust with salt. Bake 8 m. in hot oven.