For Pies, roll the puff paste out a quarter of an inch thick, then roll up, and cut from the end of the roll. Turn each piece on the side, so that the folds show in rings, and pat out flat, then roll to fit the plate. Keep the paste in a circular form, and roll evenly in every direction. Make slightly larger than the plate, as the paste shrinks when taken from the board, and should be fulled in rather than stretched to the required size. After a little practice it is just as easy to judge of the amount of paste required for one crust, and roll it in this way to fit the plate, as to roll so large a quantity that the edges have to be trimmed off and mixed with the remainder of the paste. Roll some of the paste, and cut into strips three quarters of an inch wide; wet the under crust and place the rim on the edge. Use one rim for pies which are to be covered, and two, if you like, for pies without an upper crust. Fill the plate with the material to be used. Roll the upper crust larger than the plate, make a cut in the centre to let the steam escape, wet the rims, put the crust on the edge even with the rim and slightly fuller in the centre, to allow for shrinking in baking; otherwise the crust, as it is forced up by the steam within, will draw away from the edge.

Wet every spot of the rim and edge, and press closely but lightly together, to keep the juices from boiling out. All pies, meat pies especially, with a top crust should have several holes cut in the crust to let the steam escape. All fruit pies are better flavored if made with fresh, rather than stewed, fruits. If to be filled with juicy fruit, or cream, they are more wholesome prepared as follows: Bake the two crusts separately, stew the fruit, fill, and put the two together. Or fill with a mock filling of pieces of clean cloth, bake, remove the cloth, and just before serving fill with the prepared fruit.

Pies should bake from half to three quarters of an hour, or till brown. Use tin plates, as pies bake better on the bottom in them. No greasing is needed, and the pies should be changed to earthen plates as soon as done.

Pastry For One Pie

One heaping cup of pastry flour, one saltspoonful of baking-powder, one saltspoonful of salt, and from one third to one half of a cup of butter and lard mixed. Mix the baking-powder and salt with the flour, and rub in the lard. Mix quite stiff with cold water. Roll out, put the butter on the paste in little pieces, and sprinkle with flour. Fold over, and roll out. Roll up like a jelly roll. Divide in two parts, and roll to fit the plate.

Cream Paste

Mix half a teaspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of soda with one cup of cream, and stir in flour enough to mix to a stiff paste. Roll half an inch thick. Cut half a cup of butter into small pieces, and put it on the paste. Sprinkle with flour, fold and roll out thin; roll up, cut a piece from the end, and roll to fit the plate.

Plain Paste. (Mrs. Tilton.)

Beat the white of one egg with one tablespoonful of lard. Work it into one quart of flour with the hands, till fine as meal. Add about one cup of ice water. Roll out, and put half a pound of butter on the paste in little pieces, either all at once or half of it at a time. Dredge lightly with flour. Fold the edges over, roll up, pat, and roll out.