Prepared Foods

PACKAGING
(Pies—ctd. )

Freeze pies, then package in freezer wrappings or bags. To protect pie from
damage during storage, place cardboard plate over top of pie before packaging or
place pie in cardboard box. (See pages 20 and 21 for details.)

COOKING

Fruit Pies — Cut slits in top crust using a sharp knife. Place frozen unbaked
pie in hot oven (425°F.) and bake 75 to 85 minutes.

Mince Pies — Cut slits in top crust using a sharp knife. Place frozen unbaked
pie in hot oven (425°F.) and bake 55 to 65 minutes.

SANDWICHES

Only a few ingredients are unsuitable to use in fillings for frozen sandwiches.
These include lettuce, celery, tomatoes, cucumbers and watercress, which lose
crispness; fruit jelly, which tends to soak into the bread during thawing; and oil
mayonnaise which sometimes separates during freezing. Hard-cooked egg whites
become tough and dry, but mashed yolks may be frozen. Fillings made of meat,
fish, cheese or nuts freeze well.

PREPARATION
Prepare in usual way but do not trim crusts. Wrap at once and freeze.

PACKAGING

For storage of only a week or two wrap sandwiches in double thickness of
waxed paper. For longer storage package sandwiches in moisture-vapor-resistant
freezer wrappings. Use small freezer bags for packing individual sandwiches for
lunch boxes, if desired. Pack canapés and fancy tea sandwiches on trays or in
boxes with waxed paper between layers. Do not wrap different kinds of sandwiches
in the same package as flavors of fillings may intermingle. Also, for best results
and speedier, even thawing, have sandwiches in small packages that can be thawed
separately. (See pages 20 and 21 for details.)

THAWING

Leave wrappings on sandwiches during thawing. Plan thawing time so that
sandwiches will be ready just in time for serving. Trim crusts and cut sandwiches
just before serving. Use promptly. Do not re-freeze. Allow the following approxi-
mate times for thawing at room temperature:

Open face sandwiches on trays — 2 hour
Small packages of sandwiches — 1 to 3 hours
Whole loaves of sandwiches packed together — 4 to 6 hours.

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