Ingredients _Two-crust 9″ Pie_ _9″ Pie Shell_
_or Lattice Pie_ _or 6 tart shells_
sifted all-purpose 2 cups 1¼ cups
flour
salt 1 teaspoon ½ teaspoon
Homogenized Spry ¾ cup ½ cup
cold water 4 tablespoons 2½ tablespoons
Put flour and salt in mixing bowl and mix. Cut in Spry as follows:
Step 1 for Tenderness—cut in about ⅔ of the Spry with pastry blender
or 2 knives until as fine as meal.
Step 2 for Flakiness—cut in the remaining Spry to the size of large
peas.
Sprinkle _all_ the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over different parts
of mixture. Mix thoroughly with fork until all particles cling together
and form a dough. Take up in hands and work into a smooth, blended ball
of dough. Use in making pies, tarts, turnovers, etc.
Roll standard pastry on a floured board or cloth—not between waxed
paper.
[Illustration: Cut ⅔ of the Spry into flour with pastry blender
until as fine as meal. Be sure _all_ the flour is mixed with the
Spry. This step insures _tenderness_ in the pastry.]
[Illustration: Cut in remaining Spry to size of large peas. In
baking, these pieces melt into little “pools” of fat, forming leafy
flakes. This step insures _flakiness_ in the pastry.]
[Illustration: Sprinkle water over mixture; mix thoroughly with fork
until all particles cling together. Take up in hands. Work into a
smooth, well-blended ball of dough.]
_Expert Tricks_ FOR PERFECT PIES
[Illustration: Pie crust]
Many secrets of pie success lie in the “know-how”—in the techniques and
practices that are part of a pie-maker’s skill. You’ll find many of
these pie tricks in this booklet: how to make a custard pie with a
crisp, flaky undercrust and a soft, creamy filling ... how to seal in
the juices in a berry pie ... how to make a fluffy, upstanding meringue.
There are tips for pretty tops and attractive edges, too—all designed to
give your pies a truly professional air!