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Raised Pies

Raised pies may be made of any size and with almost all kinds of meat, poultry, or game, the only indispensable requisite being that there shall be no bone in them. They are usually served cold, and should be rather highly flavoured. The pastry of small pies is generally eaten, but with large pies it is merely used as a case in which to serve the savoury preparation inside. There is no difficulty in making the pastry for raised pies, but inexperienced cooks are sure to find it difficult to raise the walls of the pie. The process is much easier of accomplishment if a tin mould is used. Instructions are here given both for forming the pie with and without a mould (see RAISED PIES, TO FORM). Raised pies should be baked in a well-heated but by no means brisk oven, and if there is any danger of the pastry being too highly coloured, a buttered paper should be laid over it. In order to ascertain whether or not the pie is done enough run a skewer into the middle of it, and if it is tender throughout it is done. When the appearance of the pie is a consideration, it is a good plan to cut the top carefully out, and cover the meat with bright stiff aspic jelly cut into dice. If this is not done, however, a little good bright gravy which will form a jelly when cold should always be poured into the pie through the hole at the top whenever it is taken out of the oven. In summer time it is safer to stiffen this with a little dissolved isinglass.