Making pastry

Following on from comments after my apple pie post, I dredged these pictures up from quite a while back - August '05, actually. I did them to help out a lad on the forum who wanted to make his own pies, but didn't know where to start, so I helped him begin his pastry making. Bittersweet memories, really, as he is no longer with us, but it made me smile when I remembered our conversations about pies and pastry! Anyway, these were done for him, and I wondered if they would be of help to Moominmama and brightandnew, and others; I hope they are. Excuse the dog LOL

Making pastry II

Making pastry part III

Bank Holiday brewing...............

It's a really busy time of year in the self-reliant kitchen just now - a lot of produce is ready for harvesting, processing, preserving..........However, the day to day jobs still need to be done as well, and I've found the trick is not to rush at them, but take it all at a steady pace, and I'll get through them. One ongoing job that needs close attention is racking the wine; most of what I racked today was made mid-June, so was well ready by now. If it's left too long on the lees, then an unpleasant, often medicinal taste can be imparted, and the wine spoiled - a waste of good produce, expensive sugar and valuable time, so I make time to keep a close eye on it. Racked today: 2 gallons of parsley, 4 elderflower, 2 jam, dandelion, orange, peapod, mead, tea, gooseberry and honeysuckle. The apple and elderberry cottage cider went into demi-johns, and the whole lot were dusted own and cleaned off before returning to the store room along with the new damson and apple and marrow I made recently. Tomorrow's job is to make another 3 gallons of cottage cider, but that's quite an easy one. I also spied hlaf a bucket of damsons still urking there, but I'll probably jam those. I got the plum and damson chutneys bottled, to cool overnight and label and store in the morning. Just the washing up mountain to tackle now - again! LOL

Apple pie recipe

It wouldn't be autumn without apple pie, and my recipe has been requested. I use a very simple one, nothing fancy. I made two yesterday, with apples from the garden.Windfalls are fine for this - just cut out any bruised or bad bits.

For a medium sized pie:

6oz plain flour
4oz butter
cold water to mix

10 or so smallish apples, depending on size
sugar
1 small egg, beaten

Make pastry by rubbing in butter to flour - it will be a bit sticky due to the high fat:flour ratio, but it makes for a much better pastry. Add just enough water to mix, and combine gently by hand. Turn on to floured board and divide into two. Roll one half to fit bottom of pie dish and place in, trimming the edges. Peel and core the apples, and slice directly into pastry shell, aiming for a little mound in the middle. Sprinkle with sugar to taste, and according to variety of apple - cooking apples will need a bit more than eating apple windfalls, which is what I used for these ones. Roll out rest of pastry for top of pie; wet edge of crust in dish with water and lay over the top. Seal with finger and thumb, then knock up the edges to give a good crusty finish (use the side of a knife horizontally all around teh edges of the pie where the top meets the bottom); make two small slits in the lid to allow steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with more sugar and bake in a hot oven until golden brown.
Can be frozen either before or after baking; I always bake mine first, then they just need a gentle re-heating when needed.

No rest for the wicked...............

I didn't have my usual easy Sunday today, as being out all day yesterday meant I had to catch up on all the harvest that made my kitchen do a good impression of Covent Garden LOL. I certainly don't resent the time spent, though, and as the weather wasn't too nice here - wet and chilly - it was quite nice being in the kitchen all day. I made a pot of tomato sauce for the freezer; damson chutney; plum chutney; 2 apple pies; 1 greengage pie; one pie shell to use up the extra pastry; started off a gallon of elderberry port and got the damson wine into the demi-john. Tomorrow I'll deal with the last half bucket of damsons and the big pan of apples. I got a hat knitted too :)

Tomorrow's main job is this:



Mainly bottling I think, but a bit of racking off to get done too; plus the usual Monday jobs ofcourse.

Inspired.............

Yesterday was spent at the annual Oak Fair; we went with friends, the weather was perfect - it was a lovely day. I always come back from there very inspired with a list as long as my arm of things I want to try. Some of the bigger projects carry over from year to year, but I'd like to think I'll get there one day!
So, the list looks like this:

Build and learn to use a pole lathe
Bark containers
Making hide boots
Learning more about fire starting
Using antlers
Wood turning
Making a stick from my own coppiced wood
Hurdle making
More basket making, hedgerow baskets
Making more wooden knitting needles and crochet hooks
Painting
Spoon making
Wooden sculptures for the garden
Making a wooden bucket with rope handles


Highlight of the day was meeting Nick Gibbs, the Editor of the excellent Living Woods magazine, which I can't recommend highly enough.

http://livingwoods.wordpress.com/about/