Hot Water Pastry

Makes enough for one double crust 8” to 9” inch pie This is a more substantial pastry than my Perfect Pastry recipe. It is less tender, but stands up better when making raised pies. It can be used to make Medieval/Renaissance “coffyns.”  Remember, coffyns were basically the container to hold the filling.  The pastry wasn’t the important part of the dish as opposed to now, when a pie is often judged by its pastry as  much as for it’s filling.

8 tablespoons lard

1 cup boiling water

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

Place the flower in a bowl.  Put the lard and water in a pot and boil until the lard is melted.  Add all at once to the flour and mix with a fork until all is moisten. Turn out onto a lightly flowered surface and knead until smooth.  This pastry is easiest to form if used while still warm.  Bake as for any pastry, depending on the filling and size.