Page:Housekeeper and butler's guide, or, A system of cookery, and making of wines.pdf/10

10 give it a boil with the whites of two eggs, after taking away the meat, and then run it through a fine lawn sieve.

Rub the pigeons with pepper and salt, inside and out; in the latter, put a bit of butter, and if approved, some Sparsely chopped with the livers, and a little of the same seasoning. Lay a beef-steak at the bottom of the dish and the birds on it; between every two, a hard egg. Put a cup of water in the dish; and if you have any ham in the house, lay a bit on each pigeon: it is a great improvement to the flavour.

Observe, when ham is cut for gravy or pies, to take the under part rather than the prime.

Season the gizzards, and two joints of the wings, and put them in the centre of the pie; and over them, in a hole made in the crust, three feet nicely cleaned, to show what the pie is.

Boil water with a little fine lard, and an equal quantity of fresh dripping, or of butter, but not much of either. While hot, mix this with as much flour as you will want, making the paste as stiff as you can to be smooth, which you will make by well kneading it, and beating it with the rolling-pin. When quite smooth, put in a lump into a cloth, or under a pan, to soak till near cold.

Those who have not a good hand at raising crust may do thus; roll the paste of a proper thickness, and cut out the top and bottom of the pie, then a long piece for the sides. Cement the