Chocolate Pudding

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt; gradually blend in milk. Bring to boil over medium/high heat until mixture thickens. Cook two to three minutes more; add vanilla.

For vanilla pudding decrease sugar to 1/3 cup and delete cocoa.

Pastry

Single Crust Pie Shell

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Sift together flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry-blender or blending fork till pieces are size of small peas.

To make pastry extra tender and flaky, divide shortening in half. Cut in first half till mixture looks like corn meal. Then cut in remaining half till like small peas.

Sprinkle one tablespoon water over dry part of flour-shortening mixture. Gently toss with fork; Push to one side of bowl.

Sprinkle next tablespoon water over dry part; mix lightly; push to moistened part at side. Repeat till all is moistened. Gather up with fingers; form into a ball. (For two-crust pie, divide dough for upper and lower crust. Form each into a ball.)

On lightly floured surface, flatten ball slightly and roll 1/8 inch thick. If edges split pinch together. Always roll spoke fashion, going from center to edge. Use light strokes.

Transfer pastry to pie plate.

If baked pie shell is needed, prick bottom and sides with fork to eliminate puffing as shell bakes. Bake in very hot oven (450) till pastry is golden (10 to 12 minutes.)

If filling and crust are to be cooked together, do not prick pastry. Pour in filling, add upper crust if needed, bake as directed in pie recipe.