elastic. Drain the water from the butter and place on ice until hard.
Sift the flour, put 1/4 of the butter into the flour, cut with a knife
or chopping knife until thoroughly mixed; then gradually add ice water
until it is moist enough to hold together, turn out on the board or
marble slab. Press into shape, roll lightly until about 1/4 inch
thick; cut the remainder of the butter into small pieces, and lay over
this layer of dough. Fold carefully over and over, roll three times.
If the dough should get soft and sticky, place it in a tin or cold
plate on the ice to harden between the rollings. Always fold pastry so
as to keep it in layers--even when cutting off the roll keep the
layers one above the other, not turning them on their sides. For
patties, or especially flaky pastry, roll five or six times, provided
it is not allowed to get soft. Pastry should be rolled about as thin
as the edge of a plate for tarts, etc., and about 1/3 inch thick for a
cover for chicken pie.


PLAIN PASTRY.

2 cups flour.
1 cup butter or lard.

Add the butter to the flour, chop with a knife, add enough ice water
to make a firm dough. Roll out, fold, set on ice or in a cold place
for at least 1/2 hour before baking.


PASTE FOR MEAT PIES, ETC.

1 pint flour.