Use a perforated pie plate of tin or agate ware. Roll out a portion of paste, prepared by one of the preceding recipes, into a circular piece one eighth an inch thick and a little larger than the plate; put the paste on the tin so as to exclude air from beneath. Do not stretch the paste; if it shrinks, so that it does not cover the plate loosely, roll again into a thinner sheet, as the paste will shrink even more when put into the oven. Put in the filling, brush over the edge of the pastry with cold water and spread a second round of paste, cut a little larger than the pie plate, loosely over the filling; lightly press the edge upon the moistened edge of the first paste and trim if needed. Cut several slits in the top crust before putting it in place, to supply a vent for the steam while cooking. Bake in a slow oven from thirty-five to forty-five minutes. The pastry needs be well browned. If a glaze be desired, beat the yolk of an egg, add a tablespoonful of water and half a tablespoonful of sugar and beat again. Dip a soft brush into this mixture, lightly brush over the top crust and return to the oven; or this may be done before the pie is set into the oven. When desired a rim, a long strip of paste three fourths an inch wide, may be placed loosely between the two crusts. Brush the edge of the under crust with cold water before putting on the rim, also the rim before laying the upper crust; press together lightly.

Pie With One Crust

Paste for a custard, pumpkin or squash pie needs be mixed quite stiff. Cut the paste nearly an inch larger than for the under crust of a pie with two crusts. Spread upon the plate as before - always using a perforated tin - then fold under the edge of the paste all the way round, so that, when the double fold is brought to an upright position, the cut edge will meet the plate. This double fold of paste will be larger or fuller than the plate and may be fluted with the thumb and finger, taking care to press each "flute" close to the plate at the bottom. Many cooks prefer suet, or part cottolene and part suet, for a crust of this kind, as a firm paste will best hold a given shape. Fill the crust with the prepared filling and bake as before.

Pie With One Crust, No. 2

Sometimes the crust may be baked and then filled with a cooked filling. Some of the features that make pastry objectionable are thereby obviated. Invert a perforated pie plate, and cover the outside with pastry, cut to fit the plate; trim if needed and set on a tin sheet to keep the edge of the paste from touching the floor of the oven; prick the top of the crust with a fork, that it may rise evenly, and bake about fifteen minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Slip the crust from the outside, and put in place as an under crust. Put in the cooked filling, ornament with figures cut from pastry and baked, or cover with a round of crust baked separately, or with a meringue.