2 1/2 c All-purpose flour 1 c Solid vegetable shortening 1 ts Salt (optional) 1/4 c Ice water
FILLING:
3 Medium sized eggs, at room Temperature 1/2 c Superfine sugar 1/2 c Butter at room temperature 3/4 c Ground almonds 2 tb (Heaping) good-quality Strawberry preserves PAStrY: Measure out the flour and put to one side. In a large mixing bowl, place the fat, water and 3 heaped tablespoons of the flour you set to one side. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until all is well blended. The carefully add in the rest of the flour, rubbing the mixture between your fingertips until it all sticks together. You can add up to 2 tablespoons of water to help, but no more. Remember that if you overwork the pastry at this stage it will become tough and shrink when cooked. Combine into a ball, cover with a damp tea towel and place in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400F. Beat the eggs and sugar together until creamy (this takes about 3 minutes). Add the butter in small pieces, and the almonds, and continue to beat for another minute until all is combined. Set aside. On a lightly floured working surface, roll out the pastry into a circle so that it's 3 inches larger than the baking tin, and about 1/8" thick. Lightly grease the tin, making sure you smear a very thin film all over the inside. Now transfer the pastry to the bin by carefully rolling it around the rolling pin. Be careful, it's not always easy; but if the pastry breaks a bit, don't worry - you can do a repair job when it's in the tin. Now with your hands fashion it to the inside of the tin, making sure it reaches inside the corners. Cut off the excess pastry with a knife. You will hae pastry left over; roll it into a ball and freeze for next time. In a small saucepan gently melt the jam so it will spread more easily. Distribute the jam evenly over the pastry in the tin and then cover the preserve with the egg mixture. Now bake in the center of your oven for 25-30 minutes. It's done when the filling has set and is a mid to deep brown all over. If it starts to brown on one side and not the other, turn the pie halfway through cooking (do this quickly or all the heat will escape). This means that you'll have to keep an eye on it while it's in the oven. You can serve this with whipped heavy cream - it tastes not unlike pumpkin pie, but with an almond flavor.