Suet Pastry

Suet Pastry

From Time/Life's Foods of the World - The Cooking of the British Isles, 1969:

1/2 pound finely chopped beef suet, thoroughly chilled

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

In a large chilled mixing bowl, combine the suet, flour, salt and a few grindings of pepper. With your fingertips rub the flour and fat together until they look like flakes of coarse meal.Pour 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture all at once, knead together vigorously and gather the dough into a ball. If the dough crumbles, add up to 2 more tablespoons of ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the particles adhere.

Gather the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead, pressing the dough flat, pushing it forward and folding it back on itself for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is smooth and satiny. Dust the suet pastry with a little flour and wrap it in wax paper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.