Sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with finger tips; add water slowly, just enough to make a stiff dough. Roll out on floured board and use for bottom crust of pie, being careful to fold the paste well over the edge of pie plate. Bake in hot oven 12 to 15 minutes.
If glazed crust is desired, brush edges after baking with boiling hot syrup (2 tablespoons syrup and one tablespoon water) and return to oven for one or two minutes until syrup hardens. Fill the baked crust with fresh selected hulled strawberries and cover with syrup made as follows:
Add ½ cup sugar and ½ cup strawberries to 2 cups boiling water; bring to a boil and strain; add one tablespoon cornstarch which has been mixed with little cold water. Cook over hot fire for a minute or two, stirring constantly; remove from fire and beat hard; return to slow fire, cook very gently until thick. Pour while hot over strawberries. Serve either hot or cold.
CUSTARD PIE
- 3 eggs
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups scalded milk
Beat eggs; add sugar, salt and milk slowly; add vanilla. Line pie plate with pastry [page 26], pour in custard. Bake in moderate oven 25 to 30 minutes or until custard is baked. Cocoanut pie is made the same way, adding one cup fresh grated cocoanut and using only two eggs. Bake as above.