Two Penny Pies Recipes

CLASSIC LARD TWO-CRUST PIE PASTRY

Steps:

• Whisk flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the lard with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, blending gently with a fork or pastry blender until all flour is moistened and dough almost cleans the sides of the bowl. Divide the dough in half and shape flattened rounds. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

TWO PENNY PIES

Steps:

• Mix together: meat, onion, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Moisten with a little gravy or stock.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix lard and boiling water, and stir gradually but quickly into dry things. Set aside 1/3 of the pastry in a warm place (for example, the top of a double boiler over warm water).
• Divide the remaining pastry in 6 parts. Roll out on lightly floured board. Form pie shells around bottom of a glass jar or ring tins. You actually want the dough to come up the sides of the jar a couple of inches; it makes for little meat pie type of things. (It has to come up so that it can hold the filling.) Set them on a baking sheet. Fill with meat mixture.
• Roll out rest of pastry and cut into rounds for lids. (You don't need to come up the sides for this part.) Moisten edges and cover pies, pinching edges together firmly. Trim with scissors. Make a hole in the center of each pie on the top. Brush pastry with milk. Bake 30 minutes or so at 350.
• Heat stock-gravy and Worcestershire sauce together. Pour it into the holes on top of pies before serving; a funnel would be a good idea. You don't want the sauce on the outside of the pie.

PENNY'S LEFTOVER SPAGHETTI PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a casserole dish with olive oil.
• Toss the pasta with 2 beaten aggs and the 2 cups of shredded cheese.
• Add the salt and pepper and mix well.
• Place the pasta in the casserole evenly.
• Spread the sauce evenly on top of the noodles.
• Top with the Parmesan and sprinkle with the dried herbs.
• Place the casserole on a baking sheet if it's in danger of bubbling over the top.
• Place in oven and cook for 40 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbling and Parmesan is slightly browning.