PASTRIES

619.—PLAIN PASTE

1½ cups flour¼ cup shortening
¼ teaspoon salt1/3 cup ice water
¼ teaspoon baking powder¼ cup butter

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder; rub in shortening with finger tips until mixture is like fine meal; add water gradually until a soft but not sticky dough is formed, mixing with a knife; when dough is mixed, the side of the bowl should be clean, neither sticky nor dry with flour. Slightly more or less water may be needed. Roll paste, on a lightly floured board, into an even rectangular shape; divide butter into three parts; cover two-thirds of paste with dots of butter, using one part; fold first the unbuttered third, then the remaining third, so that there will be three layers of paste with butter between; roll out again, dot with butter as before, and fold; repeat for third time. Put paste on ice until thoroughly chilled. Any good shortening may be used in place of butter, but the butter flavor will be lacking. This is enough for one pie with two crusts; double the amount of paste can be made with the same amount of labor. It keeps well if wrapped in cheesecloth and put in a cool place.

620.—RICH PASTE

3 cups flour1¼ cups shortening
1 teaspoon sugar1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon saltIce water

Sift flour, sugar, and salt; add shortening, and rub in with finger tips or chop with a knife in each hand until mixture is like fine meal; add lemon juice and enough water to form a stiff paste (about two-thirds of a cup); roll out into a thin sheet and fold in four layers; roll out and fold three times. Chill before using. This rule makes two pies. It is less expensive than puff paste, and yet is a very good substitute for it.

621.—PATTY SHELLS

Roll paste one-eighth of an inch thick, cover inverted tin patty pans or individual pie dishes, trim paste evenly, and press down the edge firmly; prick with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes. Remove pans, and fill with any cooked fruit mixture, berries, or creamed meats or vegetables.

622.—PIE SHELL

Roll paste one-quarter inch thick, cover an inverted tin pie plate, trim, and press the edges firmly; prick with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. Fill with cooked pie mixtures and cover with a meringue, or garnish with bits of pastry which have been cut in fancy shapes and baked.

623.—TART SHELLS

Roll Rich Paste (see No. 620) one-third of an inch thick, cut into small rounds, moisten the edges of half of them with cold water, cut out the centers of the other half with a small cutter, place upon whole rounds, and press firmly together; chill, and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes. Fill with jelly, jam, or fruit paste. When shells are to be filled with creamed meats, etc., cut with a larger cutter.

624.—MINCE MEAT

4 cups cooked beef chopped1 pound citron shredded
2 cups chopped suet2 tablespoons salt
8 cups chopped apples1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar1 tablespoon mace
2 cups molasses1 teaspoon clove
1 glass tart jelly1 teaspoon allspice
1½ pounds seeded raisins½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound washed currants1 quart boiled cider

Mix, and cook slowly about two hours, stirring frequently. One cup of chopped cranberries may be substituted for the jelly. Store in jars or in a stone crock. If mince meat grows dry by standing, moisten with a little coffee.

625.—MOCK MINCE MEAT (Uncooked)

1½ cups chopped apples½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup raisins seeded and chopped½ teaspoon mace
¼ cup cranberries chopped¼ teaspoon clove
¼ cup currants¾ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon citron shredded¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup beef fat melted½ cup coffee
½ teaspoon salt

Mix in order given and let stand a few hours before using. (Fills one large pie.)

626.—GREEN TOMATO MINCE MEAT

1½ cups green tomatoes chopped¼ cup water
1½ cups apple chopped¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup raisins seeded and chopped½ teaspoon mace
1 cup brown sugar¼ teaspoon clove
¼ cup beef fat melted¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vinegar½ cup jelly, fruit sirup, or grape juice

Mix and cook slowly for one hour. (Fills two pies.)

627.—MERINGUE FOR TARTS AND PIES

Whites of 2 eggs¼ cup granulated sugar

Beat the whites of eggs very stiff; add sugar gradually, spread over tarts or pies, mounding in the center; put in a slow oven, and bake about ten minutes for tarts and fifteen minutes for pies. If baked slowly, meringue will not settle.

628.—ONE-EGG MERINGUE

White of 1 egg1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup granulated sugar¼ teaspoon extract

Beat the egg until stiff, add gradually sugar mixed with baking powder, flavor, spread on tarts or pies, and bake in a moderate oven ten minutes.

629.—SLICED APPLE PIE

3½ cups pared and sliced apples1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar1/3 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

Line a plate with paste, fill with apples, mounding them in the center; mix sugar, salt, and seasoning, and cover apples; moisten edge of paste with water; roll out paste for top crust, cut one-half inch larger than plate, and cut a few small gashes in the center; cover pie, turn edge under the lower crust, and press firmly. Brush with milk, and bake about forty minutes. The oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat should be reduced.

630.—BLUEBERRY PIE

2½ cups blueberries2½ tablespoons flour
2/3 cup sugar1 teaspoon butter

Line a pie plate with paste; fill with berries, add sugar and flour mixed, and dot butter over top. Cover, and bake the same as Apple Pie (see No. 629).

631.—CHERRY PIE

Follow recipe for Blueberry Pie (see No. 630), using stoned cherries in place of blueberries and adding one-fourth cup more sugar.

632.—MOCK CHERRY PIE

1½ cups cranberries chopped and rinsed1 cup sugar
½ cup raisins seeded and chopped½ cup water
2 tablespoons sifted crumbs or flour

Mix, and bake in two crusts, the same as Apple Pie (see No. 629).

633.—CRANBERRY PIE

2 cups cranberries2 tablespoons sifted crumbs
1¼ cups sugar½ cup hot water

Chop cranberries, rinse, and mix with sugar, crumbs, and water. Roll paste one-quarter inch thick, cover a perforated tin plate, trim the edge evenly, and moisten edge with water; fill with cranberries, cover with half-inch strips of paste placed half an inch apart to form a lattice top; trim the edges neatly, moisten, and finish with a half-inch strip of paste around the edge. Bake about forty minutes. The oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat should be reduced.

634.—OPEN CRANBERRY PIE

1½ cups cranberries2/3 cup water
1 cup sugar2 tablespoons sifted crumbs

Mix berries, sugar, and water, and cook for ten minutes, stirring frequently to break the berries; add crumbs, and when nearly cool pour into a baked pie shell. Garnish with bits of baked pastry.

635.—CUSTARD PIE (Cake Crumbs)

2 cups hot milk1 egg slightly beaten
½ cup dry cake crumbs1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugarNutmeg

Mix crumbs and milk, let stand for five minutes, and press through a sieve; add sugar, egg, and salt; line a deep plate with paste rolled thin; build up a firm edge of crust, fill with custard, and dust with nutmeg. Bake about forty minutes. The oven should be hot for the first ten minutes, and then the heat should be reduced.

636.—GOOSEBERRY PIE

To recipe for Gooseberry Patties (see No. 648) add two tablespoons of dried and sifted crumbs. Prepare and bake the same as Cranberry Pie (see No. 633).

637.—LEMON PIE

1 slice bread one inch thickYolks 2 eggs
1 cup boiling water1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugarRind and juice 1 lemon

Remove crusts from bread; cover bread with boiling water, let stand a few minutes, and press through a sieve; add sugar, egg yolks slightly beaten, salt, lemon rind, and lemon juice. Prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as Custard Pie (see No. 635). Make a Meringue (see No. 627) of the whites of eggs.

638.—MARLBOROUGH PIE

6 applesGrated rind and juice 1 lemon
1/3 cup sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 macaroons rolled¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter2 eggs slightly beaten

Pare and slice apples, add one-quarter cup of water; cook until soft, and rub through a sieve; add other ingredients in order given. Line a deep plate or patty tins with rich paste, fill, and bake about forty minutes. Cake crumbs may be substituted for macaroons.

639.—MINCE PIE

Line a perforated tin plate with paste, rolled one-fourth inch thick; fill with mince meat, moisten edges with water, and cover with an upper crust with a few small gashes cut in it; turn the edge under lower crust about half an inch, press firmly, and trim edges of paste with a knife, slanting toward the center; brush with milk, and bake in a hot oven about half an hour.

640.—ORANGE PIE

1½ cups hot milkJuice of 1 orange
½ cup cake crumbs1 egg slightly beaten
½ cup sugar1/8 teaspoon salt
Grated rind of ½ orange

Mix milk and crumbs, let stand five minutes, and press through a fine sieve; add other ingredients. Prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as Custard Pie (see No. 635).

641.—PINEAPPLE PIE

1 can grated pineappleFew grains salt
1 cup sugar1 egg
2½ tablespoons flour½ tablespoon butter

Mix sugar, flour, and salt, add beaten egg, and mix with pineapple; pour into a deep pie plate lined with paste, add butter in small pieces, cover with strips of paste, and bake in a hot oven about forty minutes, reducing the heat during second half of baking.

642.—PRUNE PIE

2 cups cooked prunes1 tablespoon flour
½ cup sugarGrated rind of ½ orange

Stone prunes, cut in quarters, and put into a paste-lined plate; cover with sugar, flour, and rind mixed. Cover with upper crust, brush with milk, and bake in a hot oven half an hour, reducing the heat during second half of baking.

643.—PUMPKIN PIE

1½ cups baked pumpkin½ teaspoon ginger
1 egg well beaten1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar½ teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt1½ cups milk

Cut pumpkin in pieces and bake in a hot oven; mash and strain, and to one and a half cups add the other ingredients in order given. Prepare paste and bake the same as Custard Pie (see No. 635).

644.—RAISIN PIE

½ cup raisins seeded and chopped¼ cup vinegar
1½ cups hot water2 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar½ cup sifted crumbs

Mix, and cook for ten minutes; cool; and bake the same as Cranberry Pie (see No. 633).

645.—RHUBARB PIE

2 cups rhubarb1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sultana raisinsGrating of nutmeg
¼ cup sifted crumbsFew grains salt

Cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces, place in a strainer, and scald with boiling water; drain, put into a paste-lined plate, cover with raisins, crumbs, sugar, and nutmeg and salt mixed; cover with an upper crust, and bake the same as Apple Pie (see No. 629).

646.—SQUASH PIE

1½ cups cooked squash¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar½ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon salt1 egg beaten
¼ cup sifted crumbs1½ cups milk

Mix in order given. Prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as Custard Pie (see No. 635).

647.—BANBURY TARTS

1 cup raisinsJuice and rind of 1 lemon
¾ cup sugar¼ cup sifted crumbs

Seed and chop raisins, and mix with sugar, lemon, and crumbs. Roll paste one-eighth inch thick, and cut in three-inch rounds; put half a tablespoon of raisin mixture on half of each round, moisten edges with water, fold double, and press edges firmly together. Prick with a fork, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes.

648.—GOOSEBERRY PATTIES

Remove tops and stems from one pint of gooseberries; wash, add one-half cup water, and cook about fifteen minutes, or until soft and well broken; add one cup of sugar, and cool; line patty pans with paste, fill with gooseberries, cover with narrow strips of paste to form a lattice. Bake in a hot oven twenty-five minutes.

649.—PRUNE AND APPLE TART FILLING

Use recipe for Prune and Apple Shortcake (see No. 445), fill cooked paste shells, and garnish with bits of cooked paste.

650.—PRUNE PATTIES

Line patty pans with paste; prepare filling as for Prune Pie (see No. 642); mix, and fill pans; cover with a lattice-work of narrow strips of paste, and finish with a narrow strip of paste around the outer edge. Bake in a hot oven about twenty-five minutes.

651.—INDIVIDUAL RASPBERRY PIE

Roll paste one-eighth inch thick, cut into circles two and a half inches in diameter. Put a tablespoon of raspberry jam on half of them, and moisten the edges with water. With a small round cutter make three holes in each remaining circle, place on top of jam, press edges firmly together, and bake about fifteen minutes in a hot oven. Bake the small cut-out pieces of paste, and serve with soup.

652.—RHUBARB MERINGUE PATTIES

2 cups rhubarb1 egg yolk beaten
¼ cup water3 tablespoons sifted crumbs
1 cup sugar1 teaspoon butter

Cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces and cook with water ten minutes; add sugar, egg yolk, crumbs, and butter, and cook five minutes; when cool, fill Patty Shells (see No. 621), cover with One-egg Meringue (see No. 628), and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven.

653.—SQUASH PATTIES (without Eggs)

2 cups cooked and sifted squash1 tablespoon dried and sifted crumbs
½ cup sugar½ teaspoon lemon extract
2/3 teaspoon salt

Mix in order given. Line patty pans with paste, fill with squash, and bake in a hot oven about twenty-five minutes.

654.—CHEESE STRAWS

½ cup flour1/8 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon shortening¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup grated cheese¼ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon saltIce water

Rub shortening into flour with finger tips; add cheese, seasonings, and baking powder, and mix to a stiff dough with ice water. Roll out, fold in four layers, roll out again and fold as before; put on ice to chill; roll out one-third inch thick, and cut into four-inch straws. Bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes.

655.—CHEESE STRAWS (Left-over Paste)

Roll trimmings of pastry into a thin sheet, sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika; fold in four layers; repeat; chill, cut into straws, and bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes.

656.—CHEESE WAFERS

Prepare paste as for Cheese Straws (see No. 654); roll out very thin, cut with a two-inch cutter, and bake in a hot oven about six minutes.

657.—CINNAMON HEARTS

Roll Rich Paste (see No. 620) very thin in an even rectangular shape; sprinkle with powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon. The paste should be about twelve inches long. Fold each end toward the center two inches; fold each end again toward the center; fold double, and chill. Cut in one-third-inch slices, place flat side down on a baking sheet two inches apart, and bake in a hot oven about eight minutes.


CHAPTER XXIX

FRUITS, COOKED AND UNCOOKED[13]

658.—TO COOK DRIED FRUIT

Wash thoroughly in two or three cold waters; put in granite kettle, cover with water, and soak twenty-four hours; cook very slowly two or three hours until tender; add sugar, and simmer half an hour.

659.—BAKED APPLES WITH DATES

Wipe and core apples, and place in baking dish (not tin); in each cavity put a stoned date, a tablespoon of sugar, and two tablespoons of boiling water; bake in a moderate oven about half an hour, basting often. Apple jelly may be used in place of dates, or sugar may be mixed with a little cinnamon or nutmeg.

660.—GRAPE AND APPLE JELLY

½ peck grapesSugar
3 tart apples

Pick over, stew, and mash grapes, put in kettle with apples, which have been coarsely chopped, but not pared or cored; heat to boiling point, mash, and boil thirty minutes; strain through a jelly bag; measure juice, return to kettle, and boil five minutes; add an equal amount of heated sugar, and boil three minutes. Skim well and pour into glasses.

661.—SPICED APPLE JELLY

Wash apples, cut in quarters, cover with equal parts of water and vinegar, and cook half an hour; drain; and to each quart of juice add one-third cup of mixed spices (tied in a bag), and boil twenty minutes. Remove spices. Add heated sugar, allowing one quart for each quart of juice. Boil ten minutes, and pour into glasses. When cold and firm cover with melted paraffin.

662.—GRAPE JUICE AND APPLE SAUCE

1 cup grape juice4 apples
½ cup sugar4 slices sponge cake or toast

Boil grape juice and sugar for five minutes; pare, core, and slice apples, and cook in grape juice until tender; cool, and serve on toast or cake. Two cups of grapes cooked with one-half cup of water and pressed through a sieve may be used in place of juice.

663.—DARK RED APPLE SAUCE

8 tart apples½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sugar½ cup hot water

Pare and core apples, and cut into eighths; put into an earthen dish; add sugar, nutmeg, and hot water; cover closely, and bake in a slow oven three hours.

664.—BAKED BANANAS

Peel, scrape, and slice six bananas; put into a greased baking dish in layers, and sprinkle each layer with brown sugar; dot a tablespoon of butter over the top, and sprinkle with the juice of half a lemon. Bake in a moderate oven half an hour.

665.—BANANAS WITH FIGS AND NUTS

4 bananas2 tablespoons powdered sugar
4 figs¼ cup chopped nut meats

Peel, scrape, and slice bananas; wash, dry, and chop figs; spread over bananas; sprinkle with sugar and nut meats, and serve with cream. Grape nuts may be used in place of nut meats.

666.—MOCK BAR-LE-DUC CURRANTS

½ cup large, hard cranberries½ cup boiling water
1 cup sugar

Cut cranberries in quarters, place in colander, and wash under running water to remove the seeds; heat sugar and water slowly to the boiling point, and boil seven minutes; add cranberries, and boil seven minutes. Seal in small glasses.

667.—RED CURRANT CONSERVE

2 pounds red currants1 cup raisins
2 oranges1½ pounds sugar

Wash currants; grate rind of oranges and remove pulp; seed raisins and cut in halves; put in preserving kettle with sugar, heat gradually to boiling point, and simmer until as thick as marmalade.

668.—CRANBERRY CONSERVE

1 quart cranberries1 cup raisins seeded and chopped
1 cup water2¼ cups sugar
Grated rind 1 orange½ cup nut meats chopped
Pulp and juice of 2 oranges

Wash cranberries and chop rather coarsely; put in colander and rinse with running water to remove seeds; add water, oranges, and raisins; cook fifteen minutes; add sugar and boil two minutes; add nut meats and pour into glasses.

669.—SPICED CRANBERRIES

1 quart cranberries2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups brown sugar¼ teaspoon clove
½ cup vinegar¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ cup water

Mix in order given, heat slowly to the boiling point, and simmer half an hour. Serve with cold meats.

670.—PRESERVED CRANBERRIES

½ cup water1 cup cranberries
1 cup sugar

Heat water and sugar to the boiling point, and cook five minutes; add berries, and simmer for fifteen minutes, skimming when necessary. The berries should be unbroken. (Useful for garnishing.)

671.—CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 pint cranberries1 cup sugar
½ cup water

Pick over and wash berries, add the water, and cook until very soft. Mash with a wooden spoon, add the sugar, and cook until sugar is dissolved. For thick cranberry jelly, press through a sieve and pour into glasses.

672.—FIG PASTE (Laxative)

1 pound prunes½ pound figs
1 ounce senna leavesCold water

Soak prunes over night in cold water to cover, add the senna leaves tied in cheesecloth, and cook slowly until prunes are tender. Stone the prunes, and chop fine; add figs chopped fine, put in top of double boiler, remove senna, add prune juice, and cook until thick.

673.—CANDIED GRAPE FRUIT PEEL

Cut grape fruit peel into thin strips, and soak twenty-four hours in salted water, allowing one teaspoon of salt to each quart of water; drain, cover with cold water, and boil about one hour, or until tender, changing the water once; drain, weigh peel, and add an equal weight of sugar; heat slowly, and cook until sugar is almost absorbed; spread on a platter to dry for five or six hours; roll in powdered sugar. If put in airtight jars it will keep indefinitely. Orange or lemon peel may be used in the same way.

674.—BAKED PEARS

8 hard pears½ cup boiling water
¾ cup sugar4 cloves

Wipe pears, remove stems, and put in an earthen dish; add sugar, water, and cloves; cover, and bake in a slow oven for four hours, basting occasionally. Serve cold.

675.—PEAR AND GINGER MARMALADE

8 pounds hard pears¼ pound preserved ginger
Grated rind 4 lemons6 pounds sugar
Juice of 4 lemons

Quarter and core pears, and put through food chopper; add lemon rind, juice, and ginger (chopped); mix fruit with sugar, heat gradually to boiling point, and cook slowly about two hours, or until thick.

676.—SPICED PRUNES

2 cups cooked prunesJuice of 1 orange
¼ cup chopped cranberriesFew gratings orange rind
½ cup prune juice½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar¼ teaspoon paprika

Stone prunes, cut in small pieces, add other ingredients, and simmer twenty minutes. Serve with cold meats.

677.—QUINCE HONEY

6 quinces1 quart water
3½ pounds sugar

Pare, quarter, and core quinces; to the cores and parings add one pint of water, simmer half an hour, and press through a sieve. Chop quinces, using the finest cutter, add a pint of water, and simmer while cores are cooking; add pulp and juice from cores and boil ten minutes; add sugar and boil about five minutes, or until it jellies.

678.—BAKED RHUBARB AND BANANAS

2 cups rhubarb¾ cup sugar
3 bananas1 tablespoon butter

Wash rhubarb and cut, unpeeled, into one-inch pieces; peel and slice bananas, and arrange in a baking dish in alternate layers with the rhubarb; add sugar and butter, cover, and bake in a slow oven two hours. Serve hot or cold.

679.—RHUBARB AND ORANGE MARMALADE

4 cups rhubarbJuice ½ lemon
4 oranges6 cups sugar
1 tablespoon orange rind grated

Cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces; add pulp and juice of oranges, rind, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook slowly until juice will "jell" when tried on a cold plate.

680.—RHUBARB AND FIG MARMALADE

3 pounds rhubarb1 teaspoon ginger
1 pound figs¼ teaspoon clove
3 pounds sugar¼ teaspoon salt
1 lemon

Cut rhubarb unpeeled into inch pieces; wash figs and put through food chopper; put in preserving kettle with half of sugar and let stand over night; in the morning boil until clear, then add remaining sugar, juice and grated rind of lemon, and seasonings. Cook slowly until thickened.

681.—THREE-IN-ONE MARMALADE

Cut in halves one grape fruit, one orange, and one lemon; remove pulp with a teaspoon, saving juice and discarding seeds; remove the membrane from peels, and put peel through the food chopper, using medium cutter; mix peel, pulp, and juice; measure, and to each cup add three cups of cold water; let stand over night; heat slowly to the boiling point, and cook one hour, or until peel is tender; measure, add an equal amount of sugar; boil about forty minutes, or until a little will "jell" when tried on a cold plate.

682.—RED TOMATO JAM

3 pounds ripe tomatoes1 teaspoon ginger
3 pounds sugar¼ teaspoon salt
2 lemons

Scald and peel tomatoes; cut in halves crosswise and discard seeds; put in preserving kettle with sugar, lemon juice, and ginger; cook slowly about two hours, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Skim when necessary. This may be kept in a stone crock or sealed in glasses.

683.—SWEET PICKLED WATERMELON RIND

Rind of ½ watermelon1½ tablespoons cinnamon
3 pounds brown sugar1 tablespoon cloves
1 quart vinegar1 tablespoon allspice

Pare melon rind, cut in inch squares, wash, and drain; put sugar and vinegar in a preserving kettle, add spices tied in a bag, and boil one hour; add melon rind, and cook about one hour, or until tender; put melon rind into a stone crock, boil sirup hard for fifteen minutes, and pour over melon.


CHAPTER XXX