What fats are ok for pastry?

NualaBuala

I don't think I've ever made pastry before. I dimly remember shortcrust is half fat to flour but I've a feeling my partner in Home Ec (about 100 years ago) did the actual making while I helped with the eating.

I'm going to make a turkey and leek pie tomorrow and but I don't have any lard/shortening. I have butter, a tiny bit of stork in a tub and various oils (olive, rapeseed). Would any of these do?

And do I need to line the bottom of the pie or do I just do a pastry lid? Could anyone give me an idea of quantities for an average looking pie dish - maybe 10 -11 inches diameter I think. Sorry, I'm quite clueless!

Thank you in advance.

ETA: I don't want to buy any extra ingredients. I'm back using what I've got in as much as possible after stocking up again at Christmas. So if my fats aren't ok, I guess I could top with mashed potato?

BitterAndTwisted

Yep, shortcrust is half fat to flour. The traditional fats to use are half butter or marg and half lard: the butter/marg for flavour and the lard for texture but it's not a religion or anything so you can use whatever you like but I've never made pastry with veg oil myself.

You can put pastry on the bottom and you'll need it if you intend to turn the whole thing out on a plate but if you're going to serve it in the baking-tin thingy you can just put the pastry on the top. I'd put pastry on the bottom if the pie-filling is quite wet and liquidy.

I reckon for a lid-only type pie you'd need about 6 ounces of flour and 3 of fat but please don't hold me to it, my name is not Nigella and it's been aeons since I made a pie of any kind.

ben500

I thought it said fat cats then, I was going to say all of them chuck em in and bake em but get some jusrol in just in case.

Half fat to flour, for best results use 50% each animal and vegetable fat, ie lard/cookeen and block margerine

NualaBuala

Thank you so much folks. Since I'm not going out shopping I'll just use the butter. My late Mum would have been (rightly) shocked at the extravagence!

Certainly no fancy serving by turning out. I don't know how runny the filling will be. Since my name is not Nigella either that kind of thing can't be determined in advance and I'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out! :rotfl:

charliee_3

you dont need to do the bottom of the pie if you dont have enough pastry, just do the top, brush it with eggwash/ milk before you cook it... or you could ditch the pastry altogether and just make a mash top as you suggested.. i think that would be nice too?

frogglet

You can roll out the pastry and cut into circles and bake separately, then cook the filling in a pan serve it in a dish with a pastry circle on top.

msb5262

Don't forget you can also make pastry using suet (beef or vegetarian) - dead easy and very quick - if you happen to have some around.

Bronnie

frogglet wrote: »

You can roll out the pastry and cut into circles and bake separately, then cook the filling in a pan serve it in a dish with a pastry circle on top.

This is an excellent and foolproof idea. :T

Avoids soggy pastry and filling bubbling over etc. You could also do individual saucer size circles and pop one on top of each portion when it's plated.

NualaBuala

Bronnie wrote: »

This is an excellent and foolproof idea. :T

Ha, foolproof is just what I need!

thank you all for halping a beginner. I'm undecided and leaning towards just doing mash as I got a kilo of spuds reduced so I've plenty to use up.

The over-ambitious side of me started getting notions as I was falling asleep last night. I remembered I have some fat leftover from the Christmas ham and I got all kinds of notions about rendering it down to use. But I'm feeling quite lazy and in the clear light of day it sounds like a lot of hassle.

Thanks again folks :T

Bronnie

I know what you mean. I've just turned the oven on to make some sponge for a trifle to use up some cream....then decided I really can't be bothered and turned it off again and time will be better spent tidying up. I'll freeze the cream instead!

NualaBuala

Bronnie wrote: »

I know what you mean. I've just turned the oven on to make some sponge for a trifle to use up some cream....then decided I really can't be bothered and turned it off again and time will be better spent tidying up. I'll freeze the cream instead!

Thanks Bronnie, you've made me feel a lot less guilty now!