TO MAKE FLAKY PASTRY

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 12 June 1914, Page 2

TO MAKE FLAKY PASTRY

It is surprising how very few cooks can make flaky pastry. They manage .short crust with ease, hut almost invariably fail when they essay to make the better crust for I'mit pies and tarts. If the following directions are carefully carried out the paste will be of the delectable kind ' known as flaky. Take one pound of flour —it should be dry—make a hole in the middle of it, and put aside the yolk of an egg, a pinch of salt, and about half a tumbler <;f ice-cold water. With one finger stir .the flour into the liquid ; when all is well mixed there will be a soft ball of dough, perfectly smooth ; now take six ounces of butter, squeeze it well into a wet cloth, and press it into a flat cake. Roll out the paste, and put the cake of butter in the middle ; then fold the edges over, as if making a parcel. Put it in the coldest place you can find, and let it remain for *"a quarter of an hour. Then roll out again, and fold in three ; reapeat this process three or four times, then leave the paste on a stone or marble slab for one hour. Jt is then ready for use. This is a French recipe, and will turn out well. If half a pound of butter is used it will make real pun' paste. The coolest place should be chosen by pastry-makers, and a marble slab is the best to roll the paste on. It is always better for resting for some time before being used to cover pies or to make open tarts. Many a young wife has been chagrined by the remark, "I wish you could make pie-crust like my mother." Never press the roll-ing-pin hard on the paste ; a light hand turns out the best quality of pie-crust. As is the case with most things, "Practice makes perfect." The following authentic story on this subject. Three girls were on a visit to the bachelor brother of one of the three. His housekeeper being away, and the other servant ignorant of cookery, the girls undertook to prepare the dinner. Of course, they would have a tart, but neither of them knew how to make the paste for it. The mischievous brother, hearing the discussion, said : "You cannot roll it too long, neither too hard." So the misguided young women took it in turn to roll the paste, and, when exhausted, put the tart into the oven. Imagine their disgust when the paste defied every assault of the knife, and after repeated attacks incontinently left the dish and precipitated itself into the fender. The paste was tougher than leather.