SC - Re: Welcome and Any help for the Irish? LONG

[ChannonM@aol.com]

>From: Christina Nevin <cnevin at caci.co.uk>
Subject: SC - Suet Pastry recipe request
>Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2000 15:45:50 -0000
>
>So, does anyone out there have a good recipe for suet pastry?
>Or any other pastry for making standing pies?
>
>Al Servizio Vostro, e del Sogno
>Lucretzia


I got my pastry recipe from _Traditional Cooking_ by Caroline Conran, from 
her recipe for "An English Game Pie" (since it is a British publication on 
British food, your local library might even have it). I have used the pastry 
several times with good results, though I must admit I have chickened out 
and used a springform pan around it, as she does. Fortunately for us 
Americans, she gives U.S. measures too.

Hot Water Pastry Crust

225g (8oz) Lard
275ml (1/2 pint/1C) Water
675g (1-1/2lbs) Flour
1 tsp Salt

Put the lard and water in a saucepan and bring it to the boil. Sieve the 
flour and salt into a bowl and pour in the hot liquid. Mix with a wooden 
spoon and when the dough is cool enough to handle,knead it well and let it 
sit in a warm place, covered with a cloth, for 20-30 minutes (to rest) until 
you are ready for it.

Use two-thirds of this crust to line a round 25cm (10inch) spring-clip 
cake-tin, which you have greased thoroughly. Roll out the pastry to a 
thickish disc and then spread it and press it into the tin so that it fits 
snugly without any holes (this is vital) and leave a little hanging over the 
top edge.

Now fill the pie.... (filling more complicated than I wanted to make at the 
time - I find you need about 8C of filling) ....Brush the top edges of the 
pastry with water. Cover with the rest of the pastry, pinching the edges 
together firmly. Decorate with any trimmings and leave two (?) nice round 
holes in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 200C (400F), Gas Mark 6, for 30 minutes. Brush the top with an egg 
beaten with a pinch of salt, then bake for 1-1/2 hours at 180C (350F), Gas 
Mark 4. After 30 minutes cover loosely with kitchen foil to prevent the top 
getting too brown. When it is cooked let it cool in the tin. (after it cools 
she has you fill the space between filling and top crust with gelatine-rich 
stock which sets as it cools)


Have you used a hot-water pastry before? It's _so_ different from any other 
pastry I have made. Let me know if you would like any more particulars. I 
also recommend a look at Stefan's Florilegium, particularly the article on 
"Raising a Coffin or the Fine Art of Making Period Pies" by Lady Aoife Finn. 
Have fun!

Morwyn


Morwyn of Wye, O.L.
Barony of Three Mountains, An Tir
(Portland, OR, USA)
mka Linda Taylor, lmt_inpnw at hotmail.com

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