No. 1401 — Pastry Shell for Open Cold Pâtés
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1401 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Prepare puff, rich or short pastry, or rye mixed half-and-half with wheat flour, as in Nos. 1408–1417.
Butter the inside of a heavy removable copper mould, oblong or flowerpot-shaped, or a cake mould; set it on a buttered baking sheet on ice.
Roll the dough about the thickness of two blunt knife backs and chill it as well. Once firm, lower it loosely into the mould without stretching or tearing.
Press against the walls and into the decorative recesses without making thick creases, then trim flush with the rim.
Lay a buttered paper circle on the bottom and bake in a hot oven. The source mentions removing paper and dry grains partway through the baking; brush the inside with egg while still warm and finish baking until the pastry is brown and dry inside.
Remove the mould supports and carefully lift away the mould. Fill the baked shell with already cooked filling.
Pour in one glass or more of aspic made with beef and veal roast juices, skimming off fat. If the juices are insufficient, dilute with stock and white gelatine; use about one or one and a half gelatine sheets per glass instead of three for firm jelly.
Top the aspic with liver forcemeat, often ornamented in a scale pattern, and allow to set in the cold.
Serve the pâté cold with a cold sauce from Nos. 473–481.