Part 82 (1/2)

DIVISION FIFTEEN

PASTRY

LESSON CLIII

PIE WITH UNDER CRUST

PASTRY.--Good pastry is: (_a_) light, (_b_) flaky or friable, and (_c_) tender. The _lightness_ of pastry is largely dependent upon the temperature of the ingredients. All the materials should be cold, so that the expansion in baking may be as great as possible. In order to keep the ingredients cold and the fats solid, a knife (instead of the fingers) should be used in mixing. It is well to chill pastry by placing it on the ice before rolling out. The lightness of pastry is dependent somewhat upon quick and deft manipulations. A little baking powder also increases the lightness of pastry.

_Flaky_ pastry results when the ingredients are mixed so as to form layers. To accomplish this, solid fat is used and it is not cut fine into the dry ingredients, but is left in pieces. Thus, when rolled, there are layers of flour and fat. Pastry is sometimes made by cutting part of the fat into the flour mixture, then moistening and rolling it out; adding the remainder of the fat in small bits, folding and rolling out again.

_Friable_ pastry usually results when oil is used instead of solid fat. The following fats may be used alone or in combination: b.u.t.ter, oleomargarine, lard, vegetable oil or fat, lard subst.i.tutes.

To make pastry _tender_ and not tough, the least possible moisture should be used. The quant.i.ty of fat used also determines its tenderness.

The more fat used, the less the amount of water required. Less moisture is required when oil rather than solid fat is used. For this reason, many persons can produce more tender pastry by using a cooking oil. The fact that the moisture is decreased when oil is used may also account for the decreased quant.i.ty of oil given in the recipe for pastry. Less oil than solid fat will produce the same degree of tenderness, provided less water is used.

PIE WITH THE UNDER CRUST.--Pastry is somewhat difficult of digestion; but a crust that is brittle and easily crumbled is more readily digested than one that is moist and pasty. Pie crust should crumble as finely as a cracker. To prevent moist and pasty pie crust, it is advisable to bake ”one crust” pie. If an under crust only is used, it should be baked before adding the filling. The filling should be cooked and sweetened before adding it to the crust.

PLAIN PASTRY (2 crusts)

1 1/2 cupfuls flour 1 teaspoonful baking powder 1/2 teaspoonful salt 1/4 to 1/2 cupful fat _or_ 1/6 to 1/3 cupful oil Ice water

Mix the dry ingredients, cut in the fat slightly; then add just enough water to hold the ingredients together. Chill; then roll out (one crust at a time).

Pastry should be baked in a hot oven. A pastry sh.e.l.l containing no filling should be baked at 400 degrees F., for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bake a one crust pie on the outside of a pie pan; it should be p.r.i.c.ked with a fork before baking.

The pastry tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs should be utilized. They may be made into tarts or cheese straws.

LEMON PIE

3 tablespoonfuls flour 3 tablespoonfuls corn-starch 1 cupful sugar 2 cupfuls boiling water 2 egg yolks Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon 1 tablespoonful b.u.t.ter 1/4 teaspoonful salt

MERINGUE

2 egg whites 2 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar

Mix the sugar, flour, and corn-starch, add the boiling water. Stir and cook on the back of the range, or over an asbestos mat, for 15 minutes.

Add the egg yolks and cook at simmering temperature, until the eggs thicken. Add the remaining ingredients. Cool and place in a baked crust.

Cover with a meringue. Bake until the meringue is a light brown, _i.e._ at 300 degrees F., 10 to 15 minutes.

Note that the lemon is added to the mixture after cooking. Cooking a starchy material with a small amount of acid, dextrinizes the starch.

Since dextrin has less thickening power than starch, the starch mixture would become thinner if cooked for some time with lemon.

SCORE CARD FOR PIE,--DETERMINING ITS QUALITY