h to roll out easily. Divide the
crust into two equal portions--lay one of them one side for the upper
crust, take the other, roll it out quite thin, flouring your
rolling-board and pin, so that the crust will not stick to them, and
line your pie plates, which should be previously buttered--fill your
plates with your fruit, then roll out the upper crust as thin as
possible, spread on the reserved shortening, sprinkle over the flour,
roll it up, and cut it into as many pieces as you have pies to cover.
Roll each one out about half an inch thick, and cover the pies--trim the
edges off neatly with a knife, and press the crust down, round the edge
of the plate, with a jagging iron, so that the juices of the fruit may
not run out while baking. Pastry, to be nice, should be baked in a quick
oven. In cold weather it is necessary to warm the shortening before
using it for pie crust, but it must not be melted, or the crust will not
be flaky.

238. _Puff Paste, or Confectioner's Pastry._

Weigh out a pound and a quarter of sifted flour, and a pound of butter.
Rub about one-third of the butter with two-thirds of the flour, a
tea-spoonful of salt. When the butter is thoroughly mixed with the
flour, add one beaten egg, and cold water to moisten it sufficiently to
roll out. Sprinkle part of the reserved flour on a board, cut the butter
into small pieces, and roll them out as thin as possible. In order to do
so, it will be necessary to rub a great deal of the flour on the
moulding-board and rolling-pin. Lay the butter, as fast as rolled out,
on to a floured plate, each piece by itself--roll out the pastry as thin
as it can be rolled, cover it with the rolled butter, sprinkle on part
of the reserved flour, and roll the crust up. Continue to roll out the
crust, and put on the reserved butter and flour, till the whole is used.
Roll it out lightly, about half an inch thick, for the upper crust, or
rim to your pies--plain pie crust should be used for the under crust to
the pies. Puff pastry, to be nice, should be baked in a quick oven till
of a light brown color. If it browns before the fruit in the pie is
sufficiently baked, cover it with thick paper.

239. _Apple Pie._

When apples are very small and green, they are nice stewed whole, with
the skins on, and strained when soft, and sweetened. Pare, quarter, and
take out the cores of the apples, when of a large size. If they are not
ripe, stew them with just water enough to prevent