225g (8oz) flour
75g (3oz) suet (grated)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
cold water to mix
Sift flour, salt and baking powder together: mix in the grated or finely-chopped suet and mix with cold water to a soft dough. Roll out as required on a floured board.
from: Edmonds Cookery Book
A rather traditional recipe for pastry, using suet as the shortening. Nowadays you'd use butter, margarine or lard. Even lard is old-fashioned. This pastry was used for both savoury and sweet pies, and other foods using pastry.
I'm afraid I've never made pastry with suet, though I did once make a steamed pudding with suet, and it was disgusting!! Very greasy, and with a smell like minced beef. I won't be making anything else with suet!