891. Raised Crust For Standing Pies

Boil water with a little lard, or dripping, or butter; while it is hot, with a spoon, stir in as much flour as you require, making the paste as stiff as you can; work it until very smooth; when quite smooth, dry the hot stewpan, put your paste into it, and cover it; let it lie some time, that it may get quite cold, then commence your pie. If you cannot raise a pie by your hands into a good shape, you must butter a tin shape, which is made for these occasions, and press it to the sides of the tin, and bake it in the tin, but as it will not colour with the tin, take it off when done and egg it, and put it again into the oven to get a good colour. If you have not a mould you must build your pie, roll your paste of the thickness to stand, and cut out the top and the bottom, then roll out a long piece for the sides; cement .the sides to the bottom with egg, bringing the former rather further out, then, pinch them both together, stick the two sides together with egg., then fill your pie, and put on the cover, pinching the edges together; egg it all over, ornament the top and sides with the remaining paste, bake it in a slow oven and fill in good gravy before it gets cold.

892. Puff Paste For Patties Or First Course Dishes

One pound of butter salt or fresh, and one pound of flour will make a good dish of patty cases, or a large case for a vol-au-vent, and the remainder into a good dish of second course pastry.

Put your flour upon your board, work finely in with your hands lightly a quarter of the butter, then add water sufficient to make it the stiffness or softness of the remaining butter, each should be the same substance; work it up smooth, then roll it out longways half an inch thick, place the remainder of the butter cut in slices half way on the paste; dust flour lightly over it, and double it up, press it down with your rolling-pin, let it lie a few minutes, then roll it three times thinner each time, letting it lie a few minutes, between each roll, keep it free from sticking to the board or rolling-pin. This paste is ready for patty-cases, or vol-au-vent, or meat pies.

893. Second Course Paste

The paste you have left roll it up together, then roll it a quarter of an inch thick, dot it all over with pieces of butter little larger than a nut, half an inch apart; double up your paste endways, then. roll it out particularly thin twice; flour it well each time, when done you can make from this a variety of second course pastry, sprinkling sugar over them when nearly done, holding a red hot shovel or salamander over them to glaze them.

894. Paste For Borders Of Dishes

Six or eight yolks of eggs, a few drops of water, a little salt, keep mixing in flour until so stiff you can scarce work it,,beat it and work quite smooth, keep it in the moist until you require it, then roll it out quite thin, and cut out your patterns, placing upon your dishes before it gets too dry, dipping, them on the bottom. Edge in white of eggs.