A historical pastry from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Nice for the tops of meat pies.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Boil and mash a dozen medium-sized potatoes
Add one good teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of cold butter and half a cupful of milk or cream
Stiffen with flour sufficient to roll out
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
The starch in mashed potatoes creates a tender, pliable dough that browns beautifully without becoming tough. Cold butter incorporation prevents gluten overdevelopment, while the potatoes' natural moisture content keeps the crust from drying out during baking. The starch also acts as a natural thickener, absorbing excess liquid from meat pies and preventing a soggy bottom.
The mashed potato base (before adding flour) can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding flour and rolling out. The rolled-out dough can be placed on the pie, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking.
Unbaked potato crust dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Baked crusts are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The mashed potato base (before adding flour) can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding flour and rolling out. The rolled-out dough can be placed on the pie, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 4 hours before baking.
Unbaked potato crust dough can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. Baked crusts are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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