Crust for Pies.
Use ³⁄₄ of a cup of shortening to each cup of flour. You may use all lard or part butter if preferred. Take the shortening with level teaspoon of salt and mix in the flour then stir in as little water as possible and form with a spoon into a very stiff paste. Put it on a mixing board and roll out lightly for your pies. Always make a few slits in the upper crust to allow the steam to escape. Never put the filling in until you are ready to bake it.
Apple Pie.
Take ripe tart apples, pare, core and cut them into very thin slices, fill the under crust, then strew over the apples as much sugar as you think they require, a little nutmeg or cinnamon to taste and bits of butter. Cover with the upper paste, make a few small incisions in the middle of the upper crust and bake in a mild oven.
Lemon Pie No. 1.
4 eggs, 1¹⁄₂ cups of sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch, the grated rinds and juice of a lemon, 2 lemons, 1¹⁄₂ cups of boiling water. Beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately. To the beaten yolk add the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, rind and last the boiling water. Cook in a double boiler and when it begins to thicken add to it ¹⁄₂ of the beaten whites, stir this in thoroughly and let it cook until it is as thick as desired. Use the remaining whites of the eggs for the meringue on top of the pie. After your custard has cooled, fill your pie tins and pile the meringue on top and bake in a very slow oven to a light brown.
Lemon Pie No. 2.
The juice and grated rind of 1 lemon, 1 cup of sugar, the yolks of 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons of sifted flour, milk to fill the plate. This makes a large pie and should be made with an undercrust but not any top crust, bake nearly done then take from the oven and pour over it a frosting made of the beaten whites of 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, set back in the oven and brown lightly.
Buttermilk Pie.
2 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of sugar, yolk of 2 eggs, 2 scant tablespoons of buttermilk, and the whites of 2 eggs, well beaten. Flavor with lemon and bake with one crust. This will make 2 pies and is delicious.