Common Crust for Raised Pies
Ingredients
Directions
Put the water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Add the butter and lard and stir until melted.
Make a hole in the middle of the flour.
Gradually pour the hot water into the flour, beating well with a wooden spoon, ensuring the paste is not too soft.
When well mixed, knead the dough with hands until quite stiff, sprinkling a little flour over the dough and board to prevent sticking.
Place the dough before the fire, cover with a cloth, and leave for a few minutes; it will then be easier to shape.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Lard (in the method)
- Adds fat that keeps the crust tender and flaky.
- Flour (in the method)
- Forms the gluten structure that gives the crust its body.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds fat and flavour, helping the crust stay tender.
The step that matters
Pouring in the hot water while beating. Hot water partly cooks the starch and gelatinises it, making the dough pliable for hand-raised shaping. Adding it gradually while beating keeps the paste from becoming too soft, since too much liquid weakens its structure.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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