John and Elizabeth Chadds Eating Habits: Examples of Recipes Page 9: A Paste for Tarts

Paste for Tarts (Pennsylvania Housewife p31) Recipe (See Bibliography)

ONE Pound of Flour, three Quarters of a Pound of Butter, mix up together, and beat well with a Rolling-pin. Hannah Glasse, 1747, p.75; 1796, p.201.

3 1/4 cups unbleached flour + extra for rolling out dough

3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter

filling as desired

large bowl

wooden board for rolling out dough

redware pie plate, 12 inch diameter

measuring cup

rolling pin

bake oven & peel OR bake kettle & fire shovel

Procedure

Mix flour and butter together with fingers, working quickly.

When well mixed, place dough on lightly flour wooden board.

Pound dough with the rolling pin until it stays together. (This step is REALLY important!)

Then roll dough out into circle about 15 inches in diameter.

Fold crust in half and lift carefully into pie plate and gently unfold.

Press crust down so that it is touching the pie plate everywhere.

Fold extra crust, hanging over the edge, under to make a thick edging.

Crimp this edging decoratively by pinching at even intervals with your thumb and forefinger.

Fill and bake as receipt for pie directs until filling is thoroughly cooked and crust is brown.

Cooked Indoors