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Farm Kitchen:  Making a pie with "REAL" ingredients...  |
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EverGreen Girl
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Tara
Smoot
WY
20 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 14 2006 : 07:09:35 AM
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A few years ago I started canning my own apple pie filling, using the apples from my grandmother's old apple tree. Then a friend taught me how to make a pretty good crust. The recipe is a basic one from an older Betty Crocker Cook Book. I have to admit I've gotten pretty good at this pie thing. That was until I tried using "REAL" ingredients for my crust.
First I've tried experimenting with freshly ground wheat instead of store bought flour. I've tried soft white, hard white, and hard red. I've even done half fresh and half store bought. Still using regular shortening, I've had only mixed-so-so results.
Last night I rendered my first batch of lard and tried using some to make a pie. I followed the same Betty Crocker recipe, following the measurements for lard instead of shortening. I'm out of the store bought flour so I used fresh ground soft white wheat. The results were quite dissapointing. The crust was sticky and never really baked nice, definately not the nice flakey crust I usually make.
So, here I am, going the EXTRA mile to use "REAL" ingredients: grinding my own wheat, rendering my own lard, and canning my own pie filling. It is ALL NATURAL and SO MUCH HEALTHIER, but the result is barely presentable. But for the record, it does taste good.
Does anyone have any suggestions? A tried and true recipe? These are the ingredients used long before the age of processed foods, so how did they do it? |
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Horseyrider
True Blue Farmgirl
1045 Posts
Mary Ann
Illinois
1045 Posts |
Posted - Dec 14 2006 : 07:47:02 AM
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I strongly recommend using what's called a White Whole Wheat flour. It's still 100% whole grain, but a variety of wheat that lacks the bitterness gene. It's lighter in color than WW, and darker than white flour. If your grocery doesn't have it, you can get it at www.kingarthurflour.com.
And remember, white flour has been around for a good long time. It was easier to transport and keep fresh because it was degerminated; heck, even bugs didn't like it as much as WW! Those who were too poor to have white flour in the last two hundred years or so didn't get pies or pastries. Those were luxuries for the middle and upper classes.
I do have a book that's a history of 19th century cooking, specializing in Civil War era recipes, if you want me to do some research for you. |
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EverGreen Girl
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Tara
Smoot
WY
20 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2006 : 1:53:14 PM
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| What went wrong? The flour or the lard? I'm just not sure what to try using next time. |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2006 : 2:26:11 PM
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I've rendered my own lard and am guessing your problem might be a little bit of both. I agree with Mary Ann where the flour is concerned. As for the lard, I've found my own to be somewhat softer than storebought and only have success with making pastry with it if it is truly ice cold. After I roll out the pastry and put it in the pie shell, I will chill it throughly before I put it in the oven. My Grandma, who could make melt in your mouth, flaky pastry, used to say the trick was to cook the flour before the lard melted?
Hope this helps!
Di |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Dec 21 2006 : 2:47:38 PM
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I use butter in my crust every time..I love King Arthur pastry flour too...yum! but have used 1/2 reg. all purpose and 1/2 homeground white wheat flour too.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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suzyhomemaker
True Blue Farmgirl
806 Posts
Clare
Tyler Hill
PA
USA
806 Posts |
Posted - Dec 23 2006 : 3:53:53 PM
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Oh, this was our first year rendering lard. For those interested, the best and easiest way for us is to use a crockpot. Just put in as much as you can and cook on low a few hours or overnight. Strain through cheesecloth into wide mouth pint or quart mason jars.
I place the lard into the refrigerator to use from there. I found I need a little less water for the pie crust, about 1 Tablespoon less, with lard versus shortening.
As for flour, I have tried a pure WW crust. It is very difficult to work with. It crumbles and falls apart very easily. I used WW pastry flour. So, now I use 1/2 whole wheat pastry flour and 1/2 store bought white flour. I consider pie a treat and so do not fret over it. I make it to take over and share. I made the last cherry pie from cherries in the freezer a few days ago and shared with my in laws. The kids were in heaven.
Country girl in NE PA |
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Farm Kitchen: Making a pie with "REAL" ingredients... |
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Making a pie with "REAL" ingredients...
