Baking

Pastry should be cooked in a hot oven 35 to 50 minutes. After pastry has been in the oven a few minutes, the heat

After pastry has been in the oven a few minutes, the heat should be decreased.

During the first five minutes in the oven pastry should rise and after it has risen it should begin to brown.

If the oven is not hot enough at first the fat may be melted, the pastry will not begin to cook, and the texture will be spoiled.

Good pastry should be light, tender, flaky and thoroughly baked.

Plain Paste

1 1/4 cups pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder (if used)

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup lard or other fat Cold water

Enough for one crust. Double for a two-crust pie.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Chop the cold fat in with a knife. Add enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Roll out lightly and quickly. Follow general rules for making pastry.

Flaky Paste

1 pound flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound butter or butter and lard 1 cup cold water

Sift the flour and salt, add 1/8 of the butter, and chop it in well. Add just enough of the water to make a stiff dough, and knead until smooth.

Divide the remaining fat in three portions. Roll the paste half an inch thick. Spread one portion of the butter on it, dredge lightly with flour, fold in three layers, roll out, fold and roll again. Spread on another portion of the butter, fold, and continue until all the butter is used, rolling and folding six times in all. Bake in a hot oven. (4 crusts.)