Minute Magic Pastry

Here’s another recipe from my well-used, and rather oily,  ”Cooking with St. Lawrence Corn Oil.” The recipe booklet was published by St. Lawrence Starch, probably in the early ’70s, right here in Mississauga.

Earlier this year I posted the tea biscuit recipe from that booklet, and this time it’s a no-fail corn oil pastry. Maybe the chef will make tortière for Christmas Eve, and use this pastry.

Makes 2 – 9″ pie shells or 1 – 2-crust 9″ pie

2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. sifted All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Salt
2/3 cup ST. LAWRENCE CORN OIL (Scant)
4 Tbsp. Water

For a single 9″ pie shell – make up half the recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. for pie shells, 425°F. for covered pie, unless recipe for filling states otherwise.
2. Measure flour into bowl. Stir in salt.
3. Blend in ST. LAWRENCE CORN OIL thoroughly, using a fork.
4. Sprinkle all the water over mixture – mix until dough begins to come away from sides of bowl. The pastry may look very moist.
5. Press dough firmly into a ball. Divide in half.
6. For lower crust, immediately roll one piece of the pastry between two pieces of waxed paper. (Wipe table with a damp cloth to anchor the paper firmly during rolling).
7. Peel off top paper.
8. To transfer dough to pie pan, fold pastry in half with waxed paper on inside of fold, lift it into centre of pan and then unfold.
9. Peel off waxed paper. Fit pastry evenly in the pan.
10. For a 2-crust pie, trim bottom crust at edge of pie plate.
11. For pie shells, trim pastry ½ to 1-inch beyond edge of pie plate; fold edge under and flute; prick well.
12. Bake pie shells 10 to 14 minutes at 450°F.

2-crust pie

1. For 2-crust pie, immediately roll out top crust as above.
2. Remove top waxed paper and cut steam vents. Fill pie.
3. To transfer dough to pie pan, fold pastry in half with waxed paper on inside of fold, lift it into centre of filled pie and then unfold.
4. Peel off waxed paper. Trim pastry 1/2-inch larger than edge of lower crust.
5. Fold edge of top crust under edge of lower crust, press and flute to seal.
6. Bake 30 to 45 minutes at 425°F. or according to filling directions.

To Make Lattice Crust:

1. Roll out top crust as above. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.
2. Set aside to use as the base on which to weave the lattice crust.
3. Cut pastry in 1/2-inch wide strips.
4. Loosen with a knife or spatula and arrange 5 or 6 strips, 1-inch apart on the waxed paper, the longest in the centre.
5. Lift alternate strips back on themselves and lay one of the so-far-unused strips across at right-angles to the parallel strips.
6. Unfold folded-back strips over right-angled strip and lift strips on either side of them back on themselves, ready for the next strip of pastry to be placed across at right-angles.
7. When lattice is complete, press lightly where the strips cross, and press the ends lightly to the paper.
8. Holding the ends of the strips to the waxed paper, lift paper from the side farthest away and place lattice-side-down over filling.
9. Press where the strips join the edge of the bottom crust and peel off waxed paper carefully.
10. Trim even with edge. Lay remaining strips around edge of pie to cover ends of lattice.
11. Flute. Bake fruit pies at 450°F. for 15 minutes then at 375°F. for an additional 20 to 25 minutes or according to filling directions.
12. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil when golden brown to prevent burning.
13. Allow pie to cool at least 1 hour before serving.