Weigh out a pound and a quarter of sifted flour, and a pound of butter.
Rub about one-third of the butter with two-thirds of the flour, a
tea-spoonful of salt. When the butter is thoroughly mixed with the
flour, add one beaten egg, and cold water to moisten it sufficiently to
roll out. Sprinkle part of the reserved flour on a board, cut the butter
into small pieces, and roll them out as thin as possible. In order to do
so, it will be necessary to rub a great deal of the flour on the
moulding-board and rolling-pin. Lay the butter, as fast as rolled out,
on to a floured plate, each piece by itself--roll out the pastry as thin
as it can be rolled, cover it with the rolled butter, sprinkle on part
of the reserved flour, and roll the crust up. Continue to roll out the
crust, and put on the reserved butter and flour, till the whole is used.
Roll it out lightly, about half an inch thick, for the upper crust, or
rim to your pies--plain pie crust should be used for the under crust to
the pies. Puff pastry, to be nice, should be baked in a quick oven till
of a light brown color. If it browns before the fruit in the pie is
sufficiently baked, cover it with thick paper.