A Rich Oyster Pie
Strain off the liquor from the oysters, and put it on to boil, with some
butter, mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt; just as it boils, stir in a
thickening of milk and flour; put in the oysters, and stir them till
they are sufficiently stewed; then take them off, and put in the yelks
of two eggs, well beaten; do not put this in while it is boiling, or it
will curdle. Line a dish, not very deep, with puff paste; fill it with
white paper, or a clean napkin, to keep the top paste from falling in;
put on a lid of paste, and bake it. When done, take off the lid
carefully; take out the paper or napkin, and pour in the oysters. Send
it hot to table.
A Baltimore Oyster Pie.
Make a crust after the directions given for puff paste; grease the
bottom of a deep dish, cover it with paste; then season two quarts of
raw oysters, (without the liquor,) with spices to your taste, (some
preferring nutmeg, mace, cayenne pepper,--others, black pepper
alone,) add butter and a heaped tea-cup of grated bread; put all
together in the dish; then cover it with your paste, cut in strips,
and crossed, or ornamented as your fancy dictates; a pound of butter
to two quarts of oysters makes a rich pie; if the oysters are fine,
less butter will answer.
A pie of this size will bake in three-quarters of an hour, if the oven
is in good order; if the heat is not quick allow it an hour.
If in baking, the crust is likely to become too brown, put a piece of
paper doubled over it, and the light color will be retained; when taken
from the oven, if it should look dry, pour some of the liquor that was
drained from the oysters in the dish, having previously strained and
boiled it.
As paste always looks more beautiful when just from the oven,
arrange your dinner so that the pie may be placed on the table
immediately it is done.
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