Plain Paste with Lard
Ingredients
Directions
The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.
Make the dough
In a bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add the ice water, mixing until the dough comes together.
Chill and roll
Divide the dough in half, shape into discs, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll out each disc on a floured surface to fit your pie dish.
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.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Forms the structure that holds the dough together once hydrated.
- Lard
- Coats flour particles to shorten gluten strands, giving a tender, flaky texture.
- Ice water
- Hydrates the flour so gluten forms, while staying cold to keep the fat in pieces.
The step that matters
Cutting in the lard. Lard should stay in small, cold pieces rather than melting into the flour. Those pockets melt during baking and create flaky layers, while overworked or warm fat yields a dense, mealy crust.
“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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