English Pastry Crust For Meat Casseroles

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk, unbeaten

Recipe

• 1 sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• 2 mix shortening into hot water until melted. add yolk and blend well.
• 3 add liquid mixture to flour mixture. mix well.
• 4 place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight.
• 5 when ready to use, preheat oven to 425 degs.
• 6 divide out 3/4 of the dough and pat firmly as a lining for a 2 qt (8-inch) casserole dish.
• 7 fill with whatever filling mixture you desire. (note: be sure meat is already cooked meat! you are reheating the filling, not cooking sufficiently long enough to cook raw meat!).
• 8 roll out (or pat out) between two sheets of wax paper, remaining dough to use as top crust.
• 9 lay the top crust over the casserole, carefully removing the wax paper.
• 10 cut 3-4 small slits for venting. seal edges and trim. if you wish, you can brush with an egg wash, or spray with a "pam" spray to help with browning.
• 11 bake casserole at 425 for 25 mins until crust is golden brown.