Raisin Squares Italian Bakery Style - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup lard, room temperature
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 large whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
milk
flour, for rolling dough
Filling
3 cups boiling water
3 1/2 cups raisins, washed
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Wash raisins.
Add to the boiling water on low heat in saucepot.
Add remaining filling ingredients, salt, sugar, flour, juice, and cook just until thick.
Remove from heat and let cool well.
Crust:
Mix egg with vanilla and add enough cream or whole milk to make one cup of liquid.
Combine remaining ingredients flour, sugar, salt, and lard and lifting to air and rub to make a coarse pea size crumb.
Add in liquid and just combine to make a ball of pastry.
Divide pastry into two .
Dust a board with the flour for rolling and roll one section to fit a 17 x 14 sided ungreased cookie sheet.
Spread on cooled raisin filling, or canned apple filling.
Roll second half of dough, and place nicely on the top, sealing edges.
Prick all over top with a fork and brush with more cream.
Sprinkle with granulated fine or coarse sugar over evenly.
Bake 350\u00b0 for 25 minutes until golden.