Observations Upon Pies

There are few articles of cookery more generally admired than a good looking and a relishing pie; it may he made of such a variety of things, arid is at all times much liked. In the hall dinners some are best eaten when cold, and in that case you should not put any suet in the forcemeat you use with them, should the pie be made of meat that requires more dressing to make it tender than the baking of the crust will allow, or should you wish to send it up in a raised pie form, I will make the following observations; now, for instance, take four pounds of the veiny piece of beef that has fat and lean, first wash it, put it in a stewpan, seasoning it with pepper, ground mace, and allspice, pepper and salt, stand it on a very slow fire, let a piece of butter be put at the bottom of the stewpan, which should only just hold it, and cover it over, keep it simmering in its own gravy until it begins to sink down in the stewpan, then add a little more seasoning, some forcemeat, and hard boiled eggs, and if you mean it for a pie dish, add a little gravy in the dish, but if to be in a raised crust do not put gravy now, but when cold and your stock of a strong jelly, put the forcemeat at the bottom, and middle, and top.

Heating the oven properly is of great consequence in baking, puff paste requires a quick oven, but then if too quick it will,,catch,and not rise, and if too slow it will be soddened, not rise, and want colour.

You should always be very particular in making pies either cold or hot, as they are invariably tasted, and most frequently are used at a family dinner. They can be made good of a great variety of meats,- game, and poultry, dressed and raw meats; and either in earthen imitation raised pie, earthen dishes, or paper dishes, or as raised pies; in almost all there is a variation except in the seasoning.

901. Apricot Pie

Take eighteen fine apricots, cut them in halves, and take out the stones, place them in a dish lined with puff paste, add four ounces of powdered sugar, and four ounces of butter lukewarm, then put on the upper crust, glaze with the white of egg, and sprinkle sifted sugar all over, and bake in a moderate oven.

902. Beef Steak Pie

Prepare all as before, but line the dish with slices of potatoes, then meat and seasoning, leave out the eggs but continue the layers of potatoes, beat your steaks well, and be sure you have an equal quantity of fat to the steaks; use stock as before, before baking and after it is done.

903. Beef Steak Pie

Take some good steaks, beat them with a rolling-pin, season them with pepper and salt; fill a dish with them, adding as much water as will half fill it, then cover it with a good crust, and bake it well.

904. Beef Pies Raised With Truffles

Take a small fat rump of beef, bone it, daub it with pieces of fat bacon, put it into a raised crust with light forcemeat, and plenty of green truffles peeled and whole round it; cover it with a crust, garnish, and bake it two hours. Make a sauce with a pint of veal broth, a gill of lemon pickle, a bay leaf, a few chopped shalots, and cayenne pepper, and put in the pie. Two hours afterwards take off the top of the pie, skim the fat from it, glaze the rump, and it will then be ready for table.