A pinch of salt and a little Royal Baking Powder make pastry light, flaky and more digestible.

Pastry should rise in baking to double its thickness, and be in light flaky layers. The novice must learn to handle it lightly and as little as possible in rolling and turning. It is important to have all materials and utensils cold.

Pastry is better if allowed to stand in the icebox several hours before using.

Plain Pastry

2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
1/2 cup shortening
cold water

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add shortening and rub in very lightly with tips of fingers. Add cold water very slowly, enough to hold dough together (do not work or knead dough and handle as little as possible). Divide in halves; roll out one part thin on floured board, and use for bottom crust. After pie is filled roll out other part for top. Cover pie; press edges together; trim off pastry and bake.

Rich Pastry

2 cups pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon Royal Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
cold water

Sift flour, baking powder and salt; add one-half shortening and rub in lightly with fingers; add water slowly until of right consistency to roll out. Divide in halves; roll out one half thin; put on in small pieces half remaining shortening; fold upper and lower edges in to center; fold sides in to center; fold sides to center again; roll out thin and put loosely over pie plate, bringing paste well over edge of plate; trim off edges. Repeat with other half for top crust.

Apple Pie

1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
cold water
4 apples or 1 quart sliced apples
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon butter

Sift flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add just enough water to hold dough together. Roll half out on floured board, line bottom of pie plate; fill in apples, which have been washed, pared and cut into thin slices; sprinkle with sugar, and small pieces of butter; flavor with cinnamon or nutmeg; wet edges of crust with cold water; roll out remainder of pastry; cover pie, pressing edges tightly together, trim off extra pastry; prick top, and bake in moderate oven 30 minutes.

Lemon Meringue Pie

2 cups water
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon salt

Line pie plate loosely with pastry and bake about 10 minutes or until very light brown. Put water on to boil; mix corn starch, flour and sugar with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth; add egg yolks; mix well and add slowly to boiling water. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly; add lemon juice, rind and salt. Pour into baked crust. Beat egg whites; add 3 tablespoons sugar and spread thickly over top of pie. Dust with sugar and brown in very slow oven.

Strawberry Pie

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
4 tablespoons shortening
1/4 cup cold water
1 quart strawberries

Sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with finger tips; add water slowly to make a stiff dough. Roll out on floured board and use for bottom crust of pie, being careful to fold the paste well over the edge of pie plate. Bake in hot oven 12 to 15 minutes.

If glazed crust is desired, brush edges after baking with boiling hot syrup (2 tablespoons syrup and 1 tablespoon water) and return to oven for 1 or 2 minutes until syrup hardens. Fill the baked crust with fresh selected hulled strawberries and cover with syrup made as follows:

Add 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup strawberries to 2 cups boiling water; bring to a boil and strain; add 1 tablespoon corn starch which has been mixed with little cold water. Cook over hot fire for a minute or two, stirring constantly; remove from fire and beat hard; return to slow fire, cook very gently until thick. Pour while hot over strawberries. Serve either hot or cold.

Mince Pie

Mince Pie should always be made with two crusts. Line pie plate with paste, page 26, fill with mince meat, cover with paste and bake in hot oven 25 minutes.

Mince Meat

2 lbs. fresh lean beef, boiled and chopped fine when cold
1 lb. suet chopped very fine
5 lbs. chopped apples
1 lb. seeded raisins
2 lbs. currants
3/4 lb. sliced citron
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons ground mace
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon fine salt
2-1/2 lbs. brown sugar
1 qt. sherry or 1 qt. boiled cider
1 pt. brandy

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pack in jars. Store in cold, dry place. Allow to stand 24 hours before using.

Custard Pie

3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat eggs; add sugar, salt and scalded milk slowly. Line pie plate with paste, page 26, pour in custard. Bake in moderate oven 25 to 30 minutes. The custard is baked when a knife put in center comes out dry.

Cocoanut Pie is made the same way, adding 1 cup fresh grated cocoanut, and using only 2 eggs. Bake as above.

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups stewed and strained pumpkin
2 cups rich milk or cream
3/4 cup brown or granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix pumpkin with milk, sugar, beaten eggs, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and beat 2 minutes. Pour into pie tin which has been lined with pastry. Place in hot oven for fifteen minutes, then reduce heat and bake 45 minutes in moderate oven.

Rhubarb Pie

2 cups rhubarb
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch or flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut off root, stem ends and peel; cut into small pieces; put into deep pie plate which has been lined with paste, page 26, sprinkle with corn starch, salt and sugar. Cover with paste and bake in hot oven about one-half hour.

Berry Pies

3 cups blueberries, huckleberries, or blackberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon butter

Line a pie plate with plain paste, page 26, fill heaping with berries; dredge with flour, salt and sugar; dot with small pieces of butter; cover with top crust or strips of pastry across top. Bake about 45 minutes in moderate oven.

Other fruit pies can be made in the same way.

Cherry Tarts

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Royal Baking Powder
6 tablespoons shortening
1/3 cup cold water
1 quart pitted cherries

Sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with fingertips; add water slowly, just enough to make stiff dough; roll out very thin on floured board and line patty pans, being very careful to have pastry come well over the edges of pans. Bake in hot oven about 12 or 15 minutes. Fill with cherries. Cover with hot syrup made as for strawberry pie, page 27, using 1/2 cup juice from the cherries instead of strawberries.

Other fruit can be used in place of cherries.