Introduction: I am very excited
about serving this feast, especially as I have had designs on this kitchen
since the first time I saw it in 2002. This feast is based entirely
on documented menus and recipes from 16th century Italy. The main source
for research is as always Opera by Bartolomeo Scappi, with additional recipes
and references taken from other sources as necessary to round out the menu.
You may notice the presence of several new world food items in this
menu. They are not added gratuitously, rather they are actually recipes
from Scappi. For my research on new world foods in old world menus
I direct you to my article in the
florilegium . You will notice an unusual addition to the menu
for each course, that of a wine which may have been paired in period with
this dinner. The wine choices lean towards the sweet and the white,
both of which were prized in 16th century Italy and away from the more customary
choices of red wine with beef.
I hope you have as much fun eating this meal as I had making it.
Maestro di cucina - Mistress Helewyse de Birkestad
A note about allergies: if you have food allergies or
concerns I strongly advise you to check the menu and recipes carefully before
deciding whether to attend the feast. If given sufficient notice alternatives
may be made available to you, dependent upon labor considerations .
Please contact me: helewyse at yahoo dot com with questions.
A note about copyright: I make this information, these
translations freely available for non-profit scholarly research and use.
If you wish to use these translations or redactions for a feast or
newsletter etc. please credit me as the source. If nothing else
I really like to know who is seeing and using my stuff.
Menu:
To make navigation easier: clicking on the Italian name will take you
to the original recipe and translation, clicking on the English name will
take you to the redacted recipe. Alternatives noted are a possible
substitution of the above named dish dependent upon price and quality factors
closer to the feast date. Expect these to disappear the week before
the feast.
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Primo Servizio da la Credenza
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First service from the Sideboard (on table at
start of meal)
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Source
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Uve Fresche
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Scappi
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Messisbugo
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Castelvetro
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Massonio
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Primo Servizio da la Cucina
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First service from the kitchen
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Scappi
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Messisbugo
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Scappi
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Secondo Servizio da la Credenza
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Second service from the sideboard
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Misc sources
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Scappi
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Gallo
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Scappi
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Stecche profumati
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Scappi
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Canditi e confezioni a beneplacito
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Misc sources
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A bere
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To Drink
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Rosata
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Rose flavored, sweetened water
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Limonata
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Lemon flavored, sweetened water
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Acqua
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Water
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Vino
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Wine suggestions for eating with the meal
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First course
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Prosecco, trebbiano bianco, nuragus - or any light,
slightly fruity white
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Second course
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Pinot Grigiot- a heavier more full bodied white
wine
or a light red such as a lambrusco or dolcetto
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Third course
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Moscato d'asti, moscato, malvasia nera, malvasia
- a sweet wine to finish
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References:
Scappi, B., Opera : (dell' arte del cucinare). Reprint. First
published: Opera di M. Bartolomeo Scappi. Venice, 1570. 1981, Bologna: Arnaldo
Forni. [20], 436 leaves [ca. 888 p.], [28] p. of plates.
Messisbugo, C. , Libro Novo Nel Qual S'insegna a' far d'ogni Sorte
de Vivanda. 1557, Venetia.
Castelvetro,
G. , Brieve racconto di tutte le radici, di tutte l'erbe e di tutti
i frutti che crudi o cotti in Italia si mangiano. 1614, In Londra, M.DC.XIV.
Gallo, Agostino
Le Vinti giornate dell'agricoltvra et de'piaceri della villa. In
Venetia : appresso Camillo & Rutilio Borgominieri..., 1575.
David, E. , Harvest of the Cold Months. The social history
of ice and ices. 1995, New York: Penguin Books.
Massonio,
Salvatore, Archidipno overo dell'insalata e dell'vso di essa .
In Venetia : appresso Marc'Antonio Brogiollo , 1627.
Recipes
Uve Fresche – Fresh Grapes – Recipe provided
for so that Sir Baldwin (known as Badger) can make his own: Go to the local
store, buy the nicest freshest grapes available, wash with clean running
water, allow to drain throughoughly, serve.
Pane di Latte et Zuccaro – Twisted bread
of milk and sugar
Ingredients:
1 pkt instant yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 3/4 lbs all purpose flour
4 ounces white sugar
8 egg yolks
3 ounces rose water
12 ounces whole milk
1 ounce butter
1/2 ounce salt
Method:
Mix together 1 cup of the four, the water and the yeast, allow to rise
for about an hour until frothy. Melt the butter and arm the milk and
sugar in a pan, add the yolks and mix thoroughly. Add the milk mixture
to the prepared yeast sponge and mix well. Add flour bit by bit until
the dough is firm yet smooth and soft. Put the dough to rise, until
doubled in size. When risen knock the dough back and shape into rolls,
twists, braids or whatever you wish. Pre heat oven to 375 F. Place rolls
on a floured tray and allow to raise a second time. Bake for 30 to
40 minutes until the bread is a golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Alternatively the bread may be glazed by washing with egg yolk and milk.
Redaction courtesy of Mistress Rachaol Mackrieth of the Midrealm
Insalata di verdura – green leaf salad –
Mixed Green Salad
Ingredients
Baby greens salad mix
Kosher salt
Red wine Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Method
Toss the washed and dried greens with a pinch of salt, add olive oil and
mix thoroughly, finally sprinkle with a little red wine vinegar, toss the
salad, serve immediately.
Insalata di cedrioli - Cucumber salad
Cucumbers
Sweet onions
Fresh Basil, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil
Method - peel, de-seed and chop the cucumbers into chunks, cut the onion
into chunks, tear the basil leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste, dress
with vinegar and olive oil, adding at least 3x as much oil as vinegar.
Cervellate – saffron, cheese and spice
flavored pork sausages, grilled
Pork Butt – 7.5lb
Grated Italian cheese blend – 12oz
Grated Parmesan – 6oz
True cinnamon – 1.5oz (American cinnamon 0.5oz)
Salt – 3 oz
Water 8fl oz infused with 1/8 oz saffron.
Grind the pork and blend with the cheese and spices, stuff casings and
grill until cooked.
Mostardo amabile – sweet mustard
For the grape sauce:
1 lb red or black grapes
4 oz sugar
1 " stick cinnamon
For the apples cooked in wine and sugar:
3 apples
1/2 cup wine
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
For the mustard sauce:
1 oz candied lemon peel
1 small pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
1 oz mustard seed ground
pinch salt
Take the grapes, break the skins and place in a covered pot on a low heat
for one hour. Strain the grapes through a sieve and then strain the
resultant pulpy juice through a jelly bag or cheesecloth. This should
yield 8 oz of grape juice. Add the sugar, return to the pan and bring
to a boil. As it boils remove any scum that rises to the surface.
Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce reaches a consistency that is
tacky and thick and is before the jelly stage.
Core the apples, chop roughly and place in a pan with the wine and sugar,
simmer until tender. Remove the apples from the liquid and press through
a sieve or other strainer, to remove skin and mash apples.
Blend 8oz grape sauce with 8 oz of apple mush in a blender with the lemon
peel and remaining spices including the mustard. Blend until smooth.
This is a sweet, tangy, fruity mustard, in every way friendly (which is the
literal translation of amabile). Makes enough to fill a 16 oz canning
jar, serves 30 for feast.
Biscotti – aniseed flavored biscotti
Ingredients
5 eggs (organic free range, size large)
12 oz sugar (pure cane)
12 oz all-purpose flour (stoneground organic white)
2 teaspoons anise seed (Pimpinella anisum) ground finely
pinch salt
Method
The oven was preheated to 360°F and a 9 x 13” non-stick pan was greased
with butter.
Eggs were beaten and strained to remove membranes. Sugar, flour
and anise seed was added to the mixture which was beaten with a wooden spoon
for ten minutes. After this time no air had been incorporated into the
batter, and it was transferred to a KitchenAid stand mixer and beat at medium
speed for 5 minutes. The batter was then allowed to rest for thirty
minutes. Following resting the biscotti batter was re-beaten for five
minutes. This was then poured into the greased pan and leveled
by gently tapping the pan on the counter. The biscotti were cooked
for thirty-five minutes, until the batter came away from the side of the
pan and the center was springy and dry to the touch.
The cake was turned onto a cutting board, the edges and bottom were then
trimmed with a sharp knife. This trimming, while not requested in the
original recipe was performed as the bottom and sides of the biscotti were
very dark, almost black. As we are given instructions to stop the
biscotti from browning in other recipes it was assumed that they should be
as pale as possible. Thus the dark cooked edges were removed to improve
aesthetic appearance. The cake was then cut down the middle, resulting
in two 4.5” wide pieces, these pieces were then sliced thinly to yield the
biscotti. Biscotti were arranged on baking sheets lined with cooking
parchment and returned to the oven that had been reduced in temperature to
210°F. Every 15 minutes the biscotti were removed from the oven
and turned over, the biscotti were cooked for 90 minutes. After which
time the biscotti were moved to a rack, the oven was turned off and the biscotti
were returned to the oven overnight to complete drying.
Weights and measures
Torte di pollanca d’India – turkey pie
After taste testing this recipe a couple of changes were made, primarily
changing the use of ground turkey breast to whole ground turkey including
dark meat, grinding the meat on a coarser setting and substituting dried
cherries for the gooseberries.
Ingredients:
Pastry – 12 oz AP flour, 6 oz butter, salt and cold water
Filling – 1.5lb ground turkey, 4 oz butter, 3 oz water, 2 oz dried cherries,
salt, pepper, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to taste (in this instance, 1/4tsp
pepper, cinnamon and 1/8th tsp cloves may work)
Method – cut the butter into the flour, add salt and mix to a firm dough
with cold water. Chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Chop the turkey breast finely and mix in the fat (minced) cold water, gooseberries
and seasonings. Check the seasoning by cooking a little of the mixture
in a skillet.
Line a pie tray with pastry fill with the stuffing mix, top with another
sheet of pastry, brush with egg yolk to glaze and bake at 375F until cooked
(about 45-60min)
Tortelloni di herbe alla Lombarda – Lombard
style herb and cheese stuffed tortelloni
Lombard Tortellini
Ingredients:
Pasta :
4 cups all purpose flour
good pinch salt
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rose water
Warm water to mix (about 1 1/4 cups)
Stuffing:
1 bundle Swiss chard
parsley, mint, marjoram
15 oz ricotta
6 oz pecorino romano
Pepper, cinnamon, cloves, saffron and salt to taste
1 oz currants
1 or 2 eggs
Method:
Make the pasta and allow to rest. Wash and coarsely chop the spinach
and herbs, then saute in a little butter until melted. In a food processor
mix the herbs, cheese, spices and sufficient eggs to make a firm batter.
Roll out the pasta (seond to last setting on most hand cranked pasta machines)
to a relatively sturdy pasta dough. Lay the pasta out on a table, place
spoon fulls of the filling on the pasta, fold the pasta over and seal the
edges with a little water. Pasta can be frozen on sheets and then bagged
for cooking later. To cook bring a large volume of salted water to
a boil and add the pasta, bring back to a roiling boil and cook for not more
than five minutes. Serve hot dusted with spices, parmesan cheese and
a little sugar
Polpette sutte piene – stuffed thin meat
rolls
1 lb of pork loin, silverskin and fat removed, sliced into 1-2 oz portions
and pounded thin
3 tablespoon vinegar.
1 tablespoon fresh pork fat (reserved from trimmings)
3 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
pepper, salt, ground fennel
3 tablespoons golden raisons, chopped
Bitter orange juice
A little olive oil and selection of herbs including basil, rosemary, oregano.
Method – Lightly season the pork pieces with salt and pepper and sprinkle
with vinegar, allow to rest for at least an hour.
Assemble the stuffing, mix the remaining ingredients except the bitter
orange juice in a food processor. To assemble the rolls, place a teaspoon
of the meat stuffing on top of the pounded meat and roll up like a swiss roll.
Close and seal the meat rolls with twine and baste with oil before grilling.
Once cooked sprinkle the sour orange juice over and serve hot.
Lombo di boue – roast beef
Method Rub a 4lb rib roast generously with 2 tablespoons of a spice
rub consisting of containing 2 part salt, 2 part fennel seed, 1 part black
pepper, 1 part chopped garlic. Return to the fridge and marinate for
four hours. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Place the beef on roasting
trays, with sliced onions around the roast, place into the oven and reduce
the oven temp to 400 F immediately. For medium rare beef cook for 15-20
minutes a pound Allow the beef to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Serve the roasted onions on the side of the beef after mixing with a little
vinegar, grape must and spices.
Salza di visciole – sour cherry sauce
Sour cherry sauce
Ingredients
1 lb frozen sour cherries
1 lb sugar
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 oz together pepper, cloves and nutmeg ground (about 1 tsp.)
4 oz dried breadcrumbs
Method
I will use whole cherries in the sauce to give it more body than a simple
cherry syrup which is what the result of the original is. Put the cherries
in a pan and bring to a simmer with the spices, stir in the sugar and heat
gently until dissolved. Allow to cool slightly then blend and add
breadcrumbs until desired thickness is achieved.
Minestra di broccoli – broccoli dish
Ingredients
1 lb broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, sliced
Method
For service immediately: steam or boil the broccoli until tender.
While the broccoli is cooking in a frying pan heat the oil gently with sliced
garlic until the garlic just begins to boil. Drain the broccoli and
immediately before serving pour the flavored oil over it.
For service with holding: blanch the broccoli by putting spears into boiling
water until it returns to the boil, remove the broccoli and refresh in cold
water. Hold the broccoli in the fridge. Just before service plunge
the precooked broccoli into boiling water, drain and dress with oil as above.
This way the green nature of the broccoli is retained without spoilage.
Minestra di Zucche d’India - squash
Ingredients – fresh winter squash (butternut, pumpkin, acorn), butter,
salt, pepper,
Method – chop and parboil the pumpkin lightly then sauté gently
in butter until tender, season with salt, pepper.
Minestra di fave fresche - a dish of fresh green
beans.
1lb green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon of butter
salt, red wine vinegar.
Top and tail the green beans, blanch until crisp tender, sprinkle with
salt and sautee briefly in hot oil and melted butter, shake a little red
wine vinegar over the beans. Serve hot.
Sorbetto di arrance – an orange and orange
flower water scented syrup served over grated ice – grate the ice, place
in cups pour over syrup
Sherbet with orange and orange flower water
Ingredients
1 pint orange juice
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon orange flower water
ice
Methods
In a pan combine the sugar and orange juice and bring to a simmer and
stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup then add the orange
flower water. To serve pour over shaved ice
Torte di pere marzapinata – tart of pears with
marzipan – Another recipe which changed after testing.
Ingredients – Pastry 12 oz AP flour, 6 oz butter, 1 oz sugar, salt and
1 egg yolk and cold water
Filling – 4 oz marzipan (equal parts blanched almonds and sugar mixed
together with a little water to bind), 1.5 lb pears peeled and sliced and
cooked, 4 oz cream cheese, 2 whole eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg to taste.
Make pastry by cutting fat into flour, adding sugar and salt and binding
with egg yolk and cold water, chill. Roll out the flour and line a
pie plate, blind bake at 380F for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile prepare
the filling by blending the pears, marzipan, cream cheese and eggs together.
Pour into the prepared shell and bake at 350F, cook until the pastry
is golden and the filling is set.
Neve di Late - snow
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon rosewater
Combine all ingredients in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with
the whisk attachment. Whip at high speed until stiff peaks are obtained.
Keep cold until service.
Pizza – layered
pastry with cinnamon and sugar –
Ingredients
1/2 pack filo dough thawed
1/4 lb butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Method
Melt the butter and keep warm so that it will spread. Working quickly
remove a sheet of filo dough from the packet, keep the remainder covered
with a damp towel. Lay the filo dough on a board, brush with butter,
cover with another sheet of dough and repeat the butter, cover with another
sheet of dough butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Repeat
this layering, 3 sheets filo then cinnamon and sugar, until 12 sheets of filo
have been used. Finish with a layer of cinnamon and sugar. Slice
the sheet into triangles. Bake in a pre-heated 400 F oven (or
at the temperature recommended on the filo packet) until golden brown.
Allow to cool, serve cold.
Stecche profumati – flavored toothpicks
– toothpicks in rosewater
Canditi e confezioni a beneplacito – candies
and confits –
Sugar, water, item to be candied
Bring 2 cups sugar + 1 cup water to a boil, add item to be candied and
bring back to a boil. Turn off heat and leave overnight, repeat this
procedure for four days then remove items from syrup, roll in sugar and allow
drying.
Original recipes in Italian and English translations
Pane di Latte et Zuccaro
Prima per fare cinquanta Pani de Latte e Zuccaro di Oncie nove l’una
, Messisbugo
Fatto che haverai la tua Sconza, ò levaturo, pigliarai di fiori
di farina burattata libre 35 e tanto meno, uqnto meno sarà quella
di che haverai fatto il levaturo, e libre 6 di Zuccaro ben bianco, e Torli
d’uova 75 e libre 3 d’acqua rosata, e libre 6 di latte fresco, e oncie 6
di butiro fresco, e impastarai il tuo Pane, avvertirai bene, che l’acqua,
o latte non scottasse, e farai anchor ache i torli d’uova sian caldetti,
& li scalderai, ponendoli nell’acqua calda, e li porrai, il conveniente
sale, e farai la pasta, sic he non stane dura, ne tenera, ma piu tosto ch’habbia
del saldetto, e la gramarai molto bene, e poi farai il tuo pane, e lo lasciarai
ben levare, e lo cuocerai con grande ordine, sic he non pigli troppo fuoco,
ma che al tuo Giuditio stia bene, e questo pane e piu bello à farlo
tondo che intorto, o in pinzoni, sia dopoi piu grande, o piu picciolo, come
tu vorrai: ti governerai adunque secondo questo modo, che è provato.
Bread of milk and sugar. Translation by Master Basilius Phocus
of the Midrealm.
To first make fifty breads of milk and sugar of nine ounces each.
Having made your yeast froth you will take thirty five pounds of the flower
of wheat sifted and a much less amount so that it will be enough to have made
the yeast, six pounds of white sugar and 75 egg yolks, three pounds of rose
water, and six pounds of fresh milk, and six ounces of fresh butter, and
you will mix your bread, you will note well that the water or the milk does
not scorch, and you will make certain the egg yolks are to be warm, and you
will scald them putting them in the hot water, and you will put suitable salt,
and you will make the dough, so that it is not hard or tender but more hard
than you would have it firm, and you will knead it very well, and then you
will make your bread and you will leave it to rise well, and you will cook
them with serious care so that they do not take too much fire, but that at
your very good judgement and this bread is made more beautiful by making them
round, that twist or in fritters, then they can be made larger or smaller,
whatever you will want, you will govern yourself to one according to the
way it is needed.
Insalata di verdura
Dalle mischianze, ottima insalata. Castelvetro.
Ora, tra tutte le insalate che in questa stagione si mangiano, le mischianze,
quali andrò notando, portano di bontà il vanto, e nella seguente
maniera si fanno. Si piglia una parte delle spuntanti foglie della menta
riccia, quelle del nasturzio, del basilico, della cidronella, le cime della
pimpinella, del dragone, i fiori e le foglie della borana, i fiori dell’erba
stella, i germogli del rinascente finocchio, le foglie della ruvola gentile
e dell’acetosa e i fiori del rammerino, alcune violette mamole, le più
tenere foglie overo i cuori della lattuca e simiglianti. Queste rar’erbe,
ben nettate che fiano d’ogni secca foglia e in più acque ben lavate
e un po’ poco asciutte con un mondo pannicello di lino, si acconciano come
ormai s’è, parlando d’altre, insegnato.
Ma perché non è assai l’aver molte buone erbe per fare che
la insalata riesca buona, conciosia cosa che la bontà di quella altretanto
consista in saperla fare, giudico esser ben fatto, anzi di proceder più
oltre, dimostrar qui il modo di farla. Laonde dico che monta molto a saperla
lavare e poi condirla, essendo che molte cucinatrici e cuochi oltramontani,
avendo l’erbe preste a lavare, quelle in un secchio pieno d’acqua overo
in alcuno altro vaso mettono, e dopo averle in quello un poco dimenate e
slavacchiate, non le tirino fuori di là colle mani, ma colino l’acqua,
il che fa che la rena, che attorno l’erbe si sta, vi si rimanga, onde, nel
mangiarsi poi l’insalata, si sente con non picciol noia sotto i denti; perciò
conviene che la persona che la dèe fare, avendosi prima le mani lavate,
metta l’erbe in un catino pien d’acqua, e dopo averle quivi bene dimenate,
le cavi fuori, e ciò facci almen tre o quattro fiate, e così
vedrassi nel fondo del vaso la rena, e ogni altra lordura si resterà;
e poscia averle bene sgocciolate e alquanto asciutte, come a dietro ho detto,
si pongono nel piatto ove prima un poco di sale sia, e in porvi le erbe
vi si dèe andare spargendo sopra del sale e, dopo, l’olio con larga
mano; e ciò fatto, si vogliono rivolgere molto bene con le dita ben
monde, overo col coltello e con la forchetta, ch’è più graziosa
maniera; e questo si fa acciò che ogni foglia pigli l’olio, e non
fare come i Tedeschi e altre straniere generazioni fanno, li quali, appresso
avere un po’ poco l’erbe lavate, in un mucchio le mettono nel piatto e su
vi gittano un poco di sale e non molto olio, ma molto aceto, senza mai rivolgerla,
non avendo eglino altra mira che di piacere all’occhio; ma noi Italici abbiam
più riguardo di piacere a monna bocca. Altri fan vie peggio, che
così pure ammucchiate con sale e solo aceto in tavola le mandino,
onde convien poi quivi porvi l’olio, ché l’erbe di già abbeverate
d’aceto non posson pigliar l’olio; né rimovendole mai, la maggior
parte di quelle si rimangano pura erba, buona da dare a’ paperi. Perciò
a farle buone conviene, postovi l’olio, rivolgerle, e poi porvi l’aceto,
e da capo rivolgerla tutta, e chi così farà e non la troverà
buona, dolgasi di me; e che sia vero che molto sale e olio vi si richiede
e poco aceto, ecco il testo della legge insalatesca, che dice:
Insalata ben salata,
poco aceto e ben oliata;
e chi contro a così giusto comandamento pecca è degno di
non mangiar mai buona insalata.
Of the most perfect mixed salad.
Translation from “The fruit, herbs & vegetables of Italy: an offering
to Lucy Countess of Bedford. Giacomo Castelvetro, Gillian Riley.
1989 Viking, New York, NY. Provided by Johnnae Ilyn Lewis
Of all the salads we eat in the spring, the mixed salad is the best and
most wonderful of all. Take young leaves of mint, those of garden cress,
basil, lemon balm, the tips of salad burnet, tarragon, the flowers and most
tender leaves of borage, the flowers of swine cress, the young shoots of
fennel, leaves of rocket, of sorrel, rosemary flowers, some sweet violets,
and the most tender leaves or the hearts of lettuce. When these precious
herbs have been picked clean and washed in several waters, and dried a little
with a clean linen cloth, they are dressed as usual, with oil, salt and vinegar.
It takes more than good hers to make a good salad, for success depends
on how they are prepared. So, before going any further, I think I should
explain exactly how to do this.
It is important to know how to wash your herbs, and then how to season
them. Too many housewives and foreign cooks get their green stuff
all ready to wash and put it in a bucket of water, or some other pot, and
slosh it about a little, and then, instead of taking it out with their hands,
as they ought to do, they tip the leaves and water out together, so that
all the sand and grit is poured out with them. Distinctly unpleasant
to chew on…
So, you must first wash your hands, then put the leaves in a bowl of water,
and stir them round and round, then lift them out carefully. Do this
at least three or four times, until you can see that all the sand and rubbish
has fallen to the bottom of the pot.
Next you must dry the salad properly and season it correctly. Some
cooks put their badly washed, barely shaken salad into a dish with the leaves
still so drenched with water that they will not take the oil, which they
should to taste right. So I insist that first you must shake your salad
really well and then dry it thoroughly with a clean linen cloth so that the
oil will adhere properly. Then put it into a bowl in which you have
previously put some salt and stir them together, and then add the oil with
a generous hand, and stir the salad again with clean fingers or a knife and
fork, which is more seemly, so that each leaf is properly coated with oil.
Never do as the Germans and other uncouth nations do – pile the badly washed
leaves, neither shaken nor dried, up in a mound like a pyramid, then throw
on a little salt, not much oil and far too much vinegar, without even stirring.
And all this done to produce a decorative effect, where we Italians would
much rather feast the palate than the eye.
You English are even worse, after washing the salad heaven knows how, you
put the vinegar in the dish first, and enough of that for a foot bath for
Morgante, and serve it up, unstirred with neither oil nor salt, which you
are supposed to add at table. By this time some of the leaves are
so saturated with vinegar that they cannot take the oil, while the rest
are quite naked and fit only for chicken food.
So to make a good salad the proper way, you should put the oil in first
of all, stir it into the salad, then add the vinegar and stir again.
And if you do not enjoy this, complain to me.
The secret of a good salad is plenty of salt, generous oil and little vinegar,
hence the Sacred law of salads:
Insalata ben salata, Poco aceta & ben oliata. : Salt the salad quite
a lot, Then generous oil put in the pot, And vinegar but just a jot.
And whosoever transgresses this benign commandment is condemned never to
enjoy a decent salad in their life, a fate which I fear lies in store for
most of the inhabitants of this kingdom.
Insalata di Cediuoli -
Che i cedriuoli più facilmente se ne scendono dallo stomaco mangiati
con la scorza, che senza. Tagliasi il cedriuolo per traverso facendosene
parti mediocremente sottile, e condiscesi con olio, aceto, e sale, come l’altre
insalate; ma la consuetudine hà insegnato l’aggiungervi qualche parte
di cipolla fresca, e le frondi o cime del basilico verde, non senza qualche
fondamento dell’arte, che forse è il contemperare la natural freddezza
& humidità sua, e renderlo di succo men grosso, e men lento; e
tal’hora per assaporarlo, essendo poco meno che insipido.
Cucumber salad
In order that cucumbers more easily pass the stomach eat them with the peel
rather than without. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and make of
them pieces moderately thin and dress them with oil, vinegar and salt like
other salads. But the custom one has learned is to add several pieces
of raw onion and the leaves or sprouts of green basil. This is not without
foundation in art, perhaps it counteracts the natural coldness of moisture
of it and makes the juice less large and less slow.
Taken from: Massonio, Salvatore, Archidipno overo dell'insalata e dell'vso
di essa . In Venetia : appresso Marc'Antonio Brogiollo , 1627.
Available online
Cervellate
Per far mortatelle di carne magra di cigotto di porco domesticon in
volto nella rete. Cap CIII. Secondo libro, Scappi
Piglinosi diece libre della soprascritta carne priva d’ossa, pelle, &
nervi, la quale habbia del grasso, & magro, & battasi con li coltelli
sopra la tavola, giungendovi otto oncie di sale trito, & sei oncie di
finocchio dolce secco, quattro oncie di pepe ammaccato, un’oncia di cannella
pesta, meza oncia di garofani pesti, & sia ben mescolta insieme ogni
cosa con la mano, & giunganovisi quattro oncie di acqua fredda, &
menta, & maiorana battutat con un poco di serpillo, & lascisi riposare
in un vaso di terra o di legno per quattro hore in loco fresco, & piglisi
la rete d’esso porco ben netta di peli, & mollificata con acqua tepida,
& faccianosi di tal compositione le mortatelle con la rete a foggia
di tommacelle, & fatte che saranno lascinosi riposare il verno per due
giorni in loco asciutto, & poi si cuocano su la graticola, overo nella
padella con lo strutto liquefatto. Si protebbeno anco cuocere le tommacelle
nello spedo tramezate con foglie di lauro, & le mortatelle si potrebbeno
inspedare per lungo circondata di rame di rosmarino. Ma in qualunque
modo sian cotte, vogliono esser servite calde. Della detta compositione
si potrebbeno empir budelle di porco, che primo fossero state in sale, et
piene che fossero il verno si potrebbeno lasciar stare per due giorni, &
dapoi si potrebbeno alessare. Della detta carne magra dapoi che sarà
ben battuta si potranno anco far cervellate cn la rete, over in budelle,
ponendo per ogni quantita di x. libre della dtta carne una libra et meza
di cascio Parmeggiano grattato, et un’oncia & meza di cannella pesta,
un’altra oncia & meza di pepe pesto, un’ottava di zafferano, mezo bicchiero
di acqua fresca, e tre oncie di sale; et come saràmescolata ogni cosa
insieme si faranno le dette cervellate con la rete, overo in budelle, et
si cuoceranno nel soprascritto modo; se ne potrebbeno ancho far tommacelle
in rete, giungendovi otto oncie di uva passa, et otto rossi d’uova, et le
dette tommacelle il verno saranno molto migliori se saranno fatte di due
giorni. Delle mortatelle et altri salami che si fanno della detta carne
non ne parlo, percioche non è mai stato mia professione.
To make mortatelle (sausages) of lean meat of boar or domestic pig wrapped
in casing. Cap CIII. Second book, Scappi
Take 10lbs of the above written meat without bones, skin and nerves, that
which has both fat and lean. Beat with a knife on the table, and add
eight ounces of cut salt, and six ounces of sweet dried fennel, four ounces
of pepper coarsely ground, one ounce of cinnamon ground, half an ounce of
ground cloves and mix everything together well with the hands. Add
four ounces of water and mint and marjoram chopped with a little thyme.
Leave to rest in a wooden or ceramic pot for four hours in a cold place.
Take the casing of this pig well washed of skin and soaked in warm water,
and make of this mixture the mortatelle with the caul in the way one makes
‘tomacelle’. And during the winter let them rest two days in a dry
place, then one cooks them on the grill or in a frying pan with liquid lard.
One can also cook them on the spit between bay leaves, and the ‘mortatelle’
may also be spitted along the length of sticks of rosemary. But in
whatever way they are cooked, you want to serve them warm.
Of the same mixture you can fill guts of pig, that first are cured in salt,
and when they are full in winter you can let them sit for two days and then
they must be boiled.
Of the said meat lean, that has been well beaten you can also make ‘cervellate’
with the caul or the guts, take for every ten pounds of the said meat one
and a half pounds of grated parmeggiano, and one and a half ounces of ground
cinnamon, another ounce and a half of peppper ground, an eighth of saffron,
half a beker of cold water and three ounces of salt, and as it is mixed
everything together one makes the said ‘cervellatte’ with the caul or with
the guts and one cooks in the above mentioned way. If one also wants
to make ‘tomacelle’ in the caul, add eight ounces of currants (dried grapes)
and eight egg yolks, and the said ‘tomacelle’ in winter are much better two
days after being made. Of the mortatelle and other salami that one
makes from the said meat I will not talk as it has never been my job/profession.
Mostardo amabile
Per far Mostarda Amabile Cap CCLXXVI, secondo libro Scappi
Piglisi una libra di sapor d'uva, un altra di cotogne cotte in vino &
zuccaro, quattro oncie di mele appie cotte in vino, & zuccaro, oncie
tre di scorze di melangole condie, oncie due di scorze di limoncelli condii,
& meza oncia di noce moscate condite, & pestinosi tutte le conditure
con il cotogno, & con le mele appie nel mortaro, & come ogni cosa
sarà pesta, si passerà per lo setaccio insime con il sapor
d'uva, & si giungeranno con le dette materie tre oncie di senapa purgata,
& pir o meno, secondo si vorrà forte, & come sarà passata
vi si metterà un poco di sale, & zuccaro fino pesto, meza oncia
di cannella pesta, & un quarto di garofani pesti, & non volendo pestare
le conditure, battanosi minute, & non havendo poi sapor d'uva, si potrà
far senza, pigliando piu cotogne, & mele appie cotte nel modo soprascritto.
Per fare sapore d'uva negra Cap CCLXXIIII
Piglisi l'uva negra, che habbia del sodo, & sia quella che si chaima
gropello, cioè cesense, che ha le coste rosse, sughinosi i raspi,
& mettanosi a bollire nella cazzuola con foco lento per un'hora, &
dapoi piglisi il sugo che tal'uva haverà fatto, & colisi per una
stamigna, & per ogni libra di sugo, piglinosi otto oncie di zuccaro fino,
& facciasi ribollire in una cazzuola, schiumandolo, & con esso si
aggiungera all'ultimo un poco di sale, & cannella intera, & facciasi
bollire a foco lento, tanto che pigli la cottura, & come sarà
cotto, conservisi in vasi di vetro, o alberelli invetriati.
Sweet Mustard Scappi Cap CCLXXVI, folio 95, 2nd book.
Take a pound of sauce of grapes, and an other of quinces cooked in wine
and sugar, four ounces of "appie" apples cooked in wine and sugar, three ounces
of candied peel of eggplant, two ounces of candied lemon peel, and half an
ounce of candied nutmeg, and paste all the candied together with the apples
and quinces in a mortar. When everything is ground pass it through
a sieve together with the grape sauce, add to the said material three ounces
of cleaned mustard seed, mor or less depending on how strong you want it.
And when it is passed (mixed) put in a little salt and sugar finely ground,
half an ounce of cinnamon, and a quarter of cloves, and if you don't want
to make a paste of the candies then chop them minutely. If you don't
have sauce of grapes one can make it without, take more quinces and apples
cooked in the above said manner.
To make sauce of black grapes Scappi Cap CCLXXIIII folio 95, 2nd
book
Take black grapes, that are firm, those that are called "gropello", that
is "cesenese", that have a red skin, break them and put to boil in a casserole
on a low fire for an hour. After take the juice that they have made
and strain through a sieve. And for every pound of juice take eight
ounces of fine sugar and put it to reboil in a casserole, scum it well and
to this add at the end a little salt and whole cinnamon and let it boil
on a slow fire until it takes the cooking (the implication here is that
the sauce reduces and becomes syrupy) and when it is cooked conserve it in
a glass or glazed pottery vessel.
Biscotti
Per fare morselletti, cioè mostaccioli alla Milanese. Cap
CXLII. Sesto libro folio 420.
Piglinosi quindeci uove fresche, & battanosi in una cazzuola, &
passnosi per lo setaccio con due libre & mezza di zuccaro fino fatto in
polvere, & mezza oncia di anici crudi, overo pitartamo pesto, & un
grano o due di muschio fino, & mettanosi con ese libre due & mezza
di farina, & battasi ogni cosa per tre quarti d’hora, di modo che venga
la pasta come quella delle frittelle, & lascisi riposare per un quarto
d’hora, & ribbattasi un’altra volta, poi si habbiano apparecchiati fogli
di carta fatti a lucerne onti, overo tortiere altre di sponde con cialde sotto
senza essere bagnate di cosa alcuna, & dapoi mettasi essa pasta dentro
le lucerne, o tortiere, & non sia d’altezza piu che la grossezza d’un
dito, & subito si spolverizzino di zuccaro, & ponganosi nel forno
che sia caldo, overo quelle delle tortiere, cuocanosi come le torte, &
come tal pasta sarà sgonfiata, & haverà in tutto persa
l’humidità, & sarà alquanto sodetta, cioè sia come
una focaccia tenera, cavisi della tortiera o lucerna, & subito si taglino
con un coltello largo & sottile, a fette larghe due dita, & lunghe
a beneplacito, & rimettanosi nel forno con fogli di carta sotto a biscottarsi,
rivoltandoli spesso, però il forno non sia tanto caldo come di sopra,
& come saranno bene asciutte, cavinosi, & conservinosi perche sono
sempre migliori il secondo giorno che il primo, & durrano un mese nella
lor perfettione.
To make little morsels, that is “mostaccioli” in the Milan style
Take fifteen fresh eggs and beat them in a casserole and pass through the
sieve with two and a half pounds of sugar fine and powdered, and half an
ounce of raw aniseed or partly crushed (aniseed) and a grain or two of fine
musk, and put with this two pounds and a half of flour and beat everything
for three quarters of an hour, so that it becomes like the pasta for fritters
and let it rest for a quarter hour and rebeat it another time. Then
one takes a sheet of paper put into a “lucerne” and greased, or a ‘tortiere’
with wafers beneath that have not been bathed in such a way (not greased)
and then put this paste into the ‘lucerne’ or ‘tortiere’ (specific pan types)
until it is not higher than the thickness of a finger and immediately powder
with sugar and put it into the oven that is hot, or the tart pan, and cook
it like a tart and when this pasta is cooked (not wet) and will in all lose
the humidity and it will be enough cooked, that is like a tender focaccia,
pull out the ‘lucerne’ or ‘tortiere’ and immediately cut with a large thin
knife, cut in slices as large as two fingers, and as long as one pleases,
and put them in the oven with pieces of paper beneath the biscuits, turn
them enough, ensure that the oven is not as hot as the one above (second
baking is at a lower temp than first), and when they are well dried, pull
them out and save them because they are always better the second day than
the first and they will keep for a month in their perfection.
Notes:
Lucerne is a rectangular pan that closely resembles a modern lasagna pan
in shape.
Tortiere is literally a pan for tarts, generally circular. The tortiere
can also be configured so that the pie can be baked in coals in the fire,
a little like a dutch oven.
Mostaccioli in Florio (1620) is defined as a bread or gingerbread type
item. From the text it most closely resembles a biscotti recipe and
has been translated as such throughout the rest of the text. Most
likely mostaccioli is a term used for a specific type of biscotti.
Torte di pavoni d’India
Tortelloni di herbe alla Lombarda
Per far minestra di tortelletti d’herba alla Lombarda Cap CLXXIX
Piglinosi biete, e spinaci, taglianosi minute, & lavinsoi in piu acque,
e strucchisi fuori l’acqua, faccianosi soffriggere con butiro fresco, &
con esse ponasi a bollire una brancata d’herve odorifere, & cavinosi,
& pongasi in un vaso di terra o di rame stagnato, & giungavisi cascio
Parmeggiano grattato, & cascio grasso, tanto dell’uno quanto dell altro,
& pepe, cannella, garofani, zafferano, uva passa, & uove crude a
bastanza; & se la compositione fosse troppo liquida pongavisi pan grattato,
ma se sarà troppo soda, mettavisi un poco di butiro, & habbiasi
un sfoglio di pasta fatta nel modo che si dice nel capitolo 177. &
faccianosi i tortelletti piccioli, & grandi, facendoli cuorcere in buon
brodo di carne, & servanosi con cascio, zuccaro, & cannella sopra.
To make a dish of tortellini of herbs in the Lombard style, Chapter 179
Take beet (beet tops or swiss chard), and spinach, chop very finely, and
wash in more water and then drain out all the water. Put the greens
to fry in fresh butter and with them add to boil a hand full of odiferous
herbs. Take them out and put them (herbs and greens) into a jar of
pottery or of tinned copper, and add grated parmesan cheese and fat cheese,
more of the one than of the other. Also add pepper, cinnamon, cloves,
saffron, dried currants and enough raw eggs. If the mixture becomes
too soft and bread crumbs, but if it is too hard, add a little butter.
Have a sheet of pasta made in the way that is described in chapter 177.
And make small and large tortelletti, and cook them in good meat broth, and
serve them with cheese, sugar and cinnamon above.
Polpette sutte piene
Lombo di boue arrostito
Per arrostire nello spedo la schiena di boue o di vaccina Cap VI,
Primo libro, Scappi
Anchor che non sia in uso ponere nello spedo tal carne, pur io ritrovo
che si possano arrostire, & maggiormente quando saranno di meza età.
Piglierasi dunque la schiena, & si compartirà in pezzi, che non
passino libre quattro, & ciascheduno di loro si farà stare per
quattro hore in soppressa con sal trito, finocchio over pitartamo, pepe
ammaccato, un poco d'aglio battuto, ponendoli poi nello spedo senza essere
rifatti, ne impoillottati di lardo, & se vi si vorranno ponere alcuni
rami di rosmarino per dentro, sarà in arbitrio, & similmente alcune
cipolle spaccate sotto nella ghiottela, lequali si cuoceranno con il grasso
che da lor cascherà sopra, & cotte che sarranno, si serviranno
cosi calde con le cipolle sopra, misticate con un sapore fatto d'aceto, mosto
cotto, & spetierie communi.
To roast on the spit the shoulder of beef or cow.
One does not normally use this cut of beef on the spit, but I have found
that it is possible to roast it, usually when the animal is young. Take
the shoulderof beef and cut it into pieces, none bigger than four pounds,
and each of these should be marinated for four hours in a marinade consisting
of fine salt, ground fennel seed, ground black pepper and a little chopped
garlic. Put this meat on the spit without pre-cooking it or larding
it with fat, if you want you can skewer it with several sticks of rosemary.
Similarly place sliced onions in the drip tray beneath so they may cook
in the falling fat. One can then serve it hot with the cooked onions
mixed with a sauce made of vinegar, grape must and common spices.
Salza di visciole
Per far salza di visciole Cap CCLXXVII, secondo libro, folio 95,
Scappi
Piglinosi visciole fresche spiccate dal zevolo: & ponganosi in un vaso
di rame stagnato, o di terra invetriato, & faccianosi bollir cosi asciutte
pian piano senza mescolarle, & come saranno ben crepate, colinosi per
un setaccio senza spremerle, bastando il solo sugo che haveranno fatto.
Et per ogni libra del detto sugo pongasi una libra di zuccaro fino, &
meza quarto di cannella intera, & un quarto tra pepe, garofani, &
noci moscate peste, & facciasi bollire ogni cosa inseime, schiumandola
con il cocchiaro di legna o d'argento, & lascisi bollire fin'a tanto,
che faccia boccula, facendo la prova come s'è fatta della salza regale
ne Cap. 267. Et si conserverà in vasi di terra invetriati.
To make sour cherry sauce
Take fresh pitted sour cherries, and put them in a tinned copper or glazed
ceramic pot, and let them boil without additional liquid very slowly without
mixing. When they are tender and have collapsed strain them through
a sieve without pressing them, it is enough to collect only the juice that
they make. For every pound of the said juice add one pound of fine
sugar and half a quarter (of an ounce) of whole cinnamon and a quarter (of
an ounce) together of pepper, cloves and nutmeg ground. And let everything
boil together, skimming well with a wooden or silver spoon. And let
it boil until it makes mouths * , make the proof like it is done for
royal sauce in chapter 267. And one conserves it in glazed ceramic
vessels.
* Many of the sauce recipes call for the sauce to be cooked, or hold
body, presumably this is some sort of mouth feel. The testing is question
is as follows, a small amount of the sauce is placed on a cold plate and
the speed at which it spreads across the plate is noted. Essentially
a heavy syrup stage is what is required.
Minestra di zucche d'India
Per far diverse minestre di zucche Turchesche cap CCXX, Secondo
libro, Scappi
Piglisi la zucca Turchesca nella sua stagione, la qual comincia dal mese
di Ottobre & dura per tutto Aprile, & nette che sara della scorza
& degl'interiori taglisi in pezzi, & facciasi perlessare, &
perlessata che sarattasi con li coltelli, & facciasi cuocere in buon
brodo di carne, & marinisi con cascio grattato, & uove sbattute,
& si potrࠡncho accommodare con le cipolle nel modo che si accommoda
la nostrale sudetta. Avvertendo che se la zucca sara soda, sara molto
migliore, & per conservarla ha da stare in loco asciutto, & arioso,
& non ha da esserre busciata in loco alcuno, percioche l'aria la sarebbe
putrefare, in questo modo le si potrare scorze secche delle zucche Savonese
dope saranno perlessate in acqua caldo & state in ammollo in acqua fredda.
To make various dishes with Turkish squash, Chapter 220, 2nd book,
Scappi
Take the Turkish squash in its season, which begins in the month of October
and lasts through all of April, and clean it of the skin and of the innards.
Cut it into pieces and parboil it, when it is parboiled chop it with a knife
and put it to cook in good meat broth, thicken and enrich it with grated
cheese and beaten eggs. One can also prepare it with onions in the
same way that one prepares our squash as described above. Be aware
that if the squash is firm it will be much better, and to store them one
should put them in a dry and airy place. And they (the squash) should not
have any holes in them anywhere, because air will lead them to putrification.
In this way one can make dried skin of Savonese squash, after they are parboiled
in hot water and left to soak in cold water.
Minestra di broccoli
Per cuocere Broccoli asciutti. Cap. CCXXXVII, Terzo libro, folio
153, Scappi
Piglinosi li broccoli dal mese di Febraro per tutto Marzo netti delle frondi,
& habbiasi la parte piu tenera che non sia fiorita, & facciasi bollir
l’acqua con sale, & come i broccoli saranno accommodati in mazzuoli
ponganosi in quella acqua bollente, & non si facciano troppo cuocere,
ma cavinosi, & sciolganosi, & ponganosi in piatti, & dapoi habbisi
oglio bollente, e spargasi cosi caldo con la cocchiara sopra i broccoli,
giungendovi sugo di melangole, pepe, & un poco di quel brodo nel qual
son cotti, & servanosi caldi, percioche altrimente non vagliono.
Si può soffriggere con l’oglio uno spigolo d’aglio ammaccato per
dare odore al broccolo, & quando si vorranno conservare per una o due
hore, si porranno in acqua fredda, & si lascieranno stare poi che saranno
perlessati fin’a tanto che si vorrano ricuocere. In questo modo si
conservanno i broccoli verdi, & non piglieranno tristo odore, & si
servanno nel modo sopradetto.
To cook broccoli dry.
One can take broccoli from the month of February through the whole of March,
taken clean from the leaves, and have the most tender part in which the
flowers are not opened. And put it to boil in water with salt, and
as the broccoli will fit in the pan put it in boiling water, and one doesn't
want to cook it too much, but take it out and drain it. Put it into
plates, and meanwhile have oil heating (boiling), and sprinkle this hot with
a spoon over the broccoli, adding sour orange juice, pepper and a little
of the liquid in which is was cooked. And serve it hot because otherwise
it has no value. One can also fry with the oil a clove of garlic, which
has been broken, to give its scent to the broccoli. When you want to
hold it for an hour or two, one can put it in cold water, and you let it
stay there, after it has been parboiled, until you are ready to finish cooking
it. In this way one keeps the broccoli green and it will not take on
foul odors, and one serves it in the way described above.
Minestre di fave fresche
A fare fasoletti freschi in tegola. Page 113 Messisbugo
Pigliarai le tegole de fasoletti quando sono tenerini, e tagliarai il picollo,
poi le porrai a cuocere in'acqua bogliente, e subito si cuoceranno, &
cotte che seranno le porrai a scolare col sale sopra, poi le frigerai in
olio overo butiro, e frigendole nella patella, li porrai un poco di Aceto,
e Pevere, e poi li imbandirai.
To cook fresh beans in the pod, page 113 Messisbugo
Take the pod of beans when they are tender, and cut them into little pieces,
then put them to cook in boiling water, and they will be cooked almost immediately.
And when they are cooked drain them and sprinkle them with salt, then fry
them in olive oil or butter in a frying pan. Add a little bit of vinegar
and pepper before serving them.
Sorbetto di arrance
Sherbet with orange and orange flower water. David
The use of stored ice and snow to cool wine in 16th century Italy is not
contested. There are many references to storage pits for both ice
and snow and the use of same to cool wine. Included in this are the
written opinions of the doctors that this was terribly bad for ones health.
The sherbet in question originated in Persia, where scented fruit syrups
were poured over ice/snow to drink. These sherbets, akin to today's
snow cones, were popular during the last two decades of the 16th century.
A description of persian sherbets quoted from C. J. Wills, Persia As It
Is, 1887, is given as:
"The preserved sherbets are generally contained in small decanters of colored
Bohemian glass similar to the istakhans in style. They are in the
form of clear and concentrated syrup. This syrup is poured into the
bowl or istakhan, as the case may be; water is added; the whole is stirred,
and the requisite quantity of ice or snow completes the sherbet... The varieties
of the preserved syrups are numerous: orange, lemon, quince, cranberry -
the raspberry is unknown in persia - cherry, pomegranate, apricot, plum and
grape juice; while various combinations of a very grateful nature are made
by mixing two or even three of the above."
Torte di pere marzapinata
Per fare torta di diverse pere grosse Cap CXIIII f364. quinto libro,
Scappi
Mondisi il bero bergamotto, o il ricardo, o il fiorentino, overo il carovello,
et altre pere, che sono assai perfette, e taglinisi in bocconcini, &
facciasi cuocere nel butiro, overo con vino, & zuccaro, cotti che saranno
pestinsino nel mortaro, & pongasi con essi di tutte le compositioni,
che si pongono al mellone; vero e che si pone manco ova, & la stagione
delle dette pere dura da Settembre per tutto Marzo, et in luogo di cuocerle
col vino si puo mettere brodo.
To make a tart of various large pears, chapter 114, folio 364, 5th
book
Peel bergamot pears, or ricardo, or florentine or carovello or other pears
that are perfect, and cut them into small morsels and put them to cook with
butter, or with wine and sugar, and when they are cooked grind them in the
mortar and put with them all the mixture that one adds to the melon however
one can use less eggs, and the season of these pears lasts from September
through all of March and in place of cooking them with wine one can use
broth.
Per fare torta di mellone Cap CXII
Piglisi il mellone netto della scorza & seme, & piu presto mal
maturo che maturo, & taglisi in bocconcini, & faccisi soffriggere
pian piano con butiro, mescolandolo con la cocchiara di continuo, cavisi,
& lascisi raffreddare, & passisi per il foratoro, & per ogni
due libre di mellone soffritto giunganseli sei oncie di cascio Parmigiano,
sei oncie di ricotta fresca, overo provatura ben pista, due oncie di cascio
grasso, due oncie di mostaccioli Napoletani muschiati fatti in polvere, un'oncia
di cannella, mezz'oncia di pepe, oncie sei di zuccaro, dieci rossi d'ova
freschi, overo sei col bianco, habbisi la tortiera onta di butiro con un
sfoglio di pasta alquanto grossetto fatto di fior di farinea, acqua rosa,
rossi d'ova, butiro, sale, & il tortiglione sfogliato incirca, &
pongasi dentro la compositione, & con un altro sfoglio fatto a gelosia,
cuoprasi, & facciasi cuocere al forno o sotto il testo con butiro liquefatto
sopra, & come e presso a cotta, faccisi la crostata di zuccaro, &
cannella, & quando e cotta, servasi calda a beneplacito. In questo modo
si puo fare del persico, & albiccocole, & prugne mal mature.
To make a melon Tart, chapter 112 (same folio and book)
Take a melon cleaned of skin and seeds, and better that it is under ripe
than ripe, and cut it in small pieces and put it to fry slowly in butter,
mix continually with a spoon, lift it out and let it cool then pass it through
a strainer and for every two pounds of fried melon add six ounces of parmesan
cheese, six ounces of fresh ricotta or mozzarella well pounded (ground),
tow ounces of fat cheese, tow ounces of musk flavored Napoletan biscotti
made into powder, an ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of pepper, six ounces
of sugar, ten fresh egg yolks or six with the white (six whole eggs), have
a tart pan greased with butter with a sheet of pasta sufficiently thick made
of flour, rose water, egg yolks, butter and salt and layered "tortiglione"
around the egg, and put inside the filling and with another sheet made thing
cover it and put it to cook in the oven or under a "testo" with melted butter
on top, and when it is nearly cooked make a glaze of sugar and cinnamon
and when it is cooked serve it hot as you will. In this way one can make
also peaches, apricots and prunes which are ripe.
Per fare torta reale di pignoli, amandole et altre materie Cap LXXIIII
f 356 quinto libro
Mondisi una libra d'amandole ambrosine, state in molleo nell'acqua fredda
per otto hore, & monde che saranno si pestino nel mortaro, con altretanti
pignoli mondi, che sieno stati in mollo nell'acqua fredda per sei hore,
& pista che sara ogni cosa con due libre di Zucaro fino, giungasi con
essi otto capi di latte freschi, overo una libra e mezza di fiorita pecorina
fresca, & non havendo ne l'uno ne l'altro, piglinisi mozzarelle fresche,
ma meglio sara sempre i capi di latte, giungasi con esse materie; sei rossi
d'ova freschi sbatttuti, & quattor oncie di mele appie ben piste nel
mortaro, & un grano di muschio, & mezzo oncia di gengevero, &
un poco d'acqua rosa, non volendosi bianca in luogo di gengevero pongansi
garofali, cannella, noci moscate, & habbisi apparecchiata la tortiera
con un sfoglio di pasta reale sotto alquanto grossetto, & il suo tortiglione
sfogliao incirca, fatto di fior di farine, zuccaro, butiro, acqua rosa &
sale a bastanza, & mettasi dentro la compositione, di modo che non sia
ne troppo alta, ne troppo bassa, & facciasi cuocere nel forne, come
i marzapani, facendoli la sua crostata di zuccaro & acqua rosa, &
si serve calda, & fredda a beneplacito.
To make a royal tart of pine nuts, almonds and other things chapter
74, folio 356 5th book
Peel a pound of ambrosine almonds and put them to soak in cold water for
eight hours, and when they are peeled grind them in a mortar with as many
peeled pine nuts, which have been soaked in cold water for six hours, and
grind everything with two pounds of fine sugar and add to this eight head
of milks (a set cream dish, depended on the source this is either a junket
of cream or a kind of clotted cream, mascarpone may work as a modern sub)
or one and a half pound of fresh pecorina "fiorita" cheese, and if you have
neither one nor the other add fresh mozarella but it is always best with
head of milk, add to these materials, six fresh egg yolks beated, and four
ounces of "appie" apples well ground in a mortar, and a grain of musk and
half an ounce of ginger, and a little rose water, and if you don't want i
white in place of ginger you can add cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and have ready
a tart pan with a sheet of royal pastry underneath sufficiently large and
with it's "torgiglione" surrounding it, made of flour, sugar, butter, rose
water and sufficient salt, and put inside the filling in a way that it is
neither too high nor too low and put it to cook in the oven like marzapans,
and make a crust of sugar and rose water and serve hot or cold at ones pleasure.
Suppa di Pere
Per far suppa di Pere moscarole, & diverse altre pere, & di
Mele appie, & Cotogni. Cap XXLIX, Terzo libro, folio 157.
Scappi
Piglinosi le pere moscarole, & nettinosi del lor fiore, & faccianosi
trarre un bollo nell’acqua, & dapoi si facciano cuocere con vino, &
zuccaro pesto, & garofani, & cannella intieri. Et le pere
bergamotte, & riccarde faccianosi brustolire, & dapoi levisi loro
la scorza con vin caldo, in modo che rimangano colorite, & faccianosi
cuocere intere, o in fette, come le pere moscarole, & si puo ancho far
trarre loro un bollo nell’acqua dapoi che saranno brustolite. Le mele
appie, le quali son molto piu tenere delle pere, brustoliscanosi, &
cuocanosi nel modo sopradetto intere o tagliate in fette. Le mele
ruggine vogliono piu cuocitura delle appie, però nel cuocerle tengasi
l’ordine, che si tiene nelle pere bergamotte, & come saranno cotti li
sopradetti frutti, habbianosi fette di pane brustolite, & accommodate
in piatti, & ponganosi sopra li frutti con la decottione. Nel medesimo
modo si possono ancho cuocere i cotogni.
To make soup of “moscarole” pears and many other pears, and “appie”
apples and quince.
Take “moscarole” pears, and clean them from their flowers, and give them
a quick boil in water, and then one puts them to cook with wine and beaten
sugar, cloves and whole cinnamon. And bergamot pears and fuzzy pears
one should toast/grill, and then peel the skins with hot wine, in the way
that they keep the color, and cook them whole or in slices like “moscarole”
pears, and one can also give them a quick boil in water after they have
been toasted. “Appie” apples, which are much more tender than pears,
toast them and cook in the above said way, whole or in slices. “Ruggine”
apples need more cooking than “appie”, however in the cooking keep the same
order that one has for bergamot pears. And when all the above said
fruit are cooked, have slices of toasted bread laid out in plates, and put
above the fruit with the syrup. In the same way one can also cook quince.
Neve di Late
Vinc. Che modo tenete voi nel fare si dleicato il latte mele?
Scal. Posta la panna con acqua rosa in una bacia, ò altro vaso
conmodo si sbatte, & si rivolge con le bacchettine legate per quanto
si tengono in mano, & le cime bene sparse, riducendola in schiuma, la
quale si và levando col mescolo forato di mano in mano, secondo che
si fà (ponendovi sopra del zucchero bene spolverizato) & si mette
ne i piatti, seguitando pure a rivolgere, fin ch’è finita di ridurre
in schiuma.
Vinc. What method do you use to make delicate honeyed milk?
Scal. Put the cream with rose water in a basin or other large vessel
and beat it, & one turns it with a bundled wand as much as one can hold
in your hand, and the shoots well spread, the which one lifts with the fork
hand in hand, dependent on how one does it, put above well powdered sugar,
and put it into the plates, continuing always to turn, until at the end it
is all reduced to foam.
Pizza
Per fare pizza sfogliata dal vulgo detta sfogliata ascuitta. Cap
CXXVIII, quinto libro,folio 367. Scappi
Piglisi un sfoglio di pasta tirato sottile, fatto come gl’antescritti,
& habbisi una tortiera onta di butiro liquefatto, & sopra essa tortiera
pongasi un sfoglio d’essa pasta, alquanto grossetto, & sopra esso sfoglio
mettansi dieci altri sfogli sottile, onti tra l’uno, & l’altro di butiro,
& spolverizzati di zuccaro, & fiore di sambuco secchi, o verdi,
& faccisi cuocere al forno, o sotto il testo; & cotto che sarà,
servasi calda con zuccaro, & acqua rosa sopra. A un’altro modo
si potrebbe fare, tirato il sfoglio come s’è detto, ongasi di butiro
liquefatto, & lascisi alquanto raffreddare, & spargasi un’altra volta
d’esso butiro, & spolverizzisi di zuccaro, & faccisi un tortiglione
di sei rivolture, & come è fatto ongasi per il lungo, & rivolgasi
à foggi di laberinto, & mettasi nelle totiera, dove sia un’altro
sfoglio di pasta onta di butiro, & con la mano onta di butiro caldo
(acciò la pasta no s’attacchi) venga a spianarsi, di modo che non
rimanga piu alta d’un dito, & col nodo del pugno vadasocaldando in modo
che gli resti il segno, spargasegli butiro liquefatto sopra, & facciasi
cuocere al forno con lento fuoco, & servasi caldo con zuccaro, &
acqua rosa sopra, se non si volesse spolverizzare di zuccaro, & acqua
rosa sopra; mettasi il zuccaro nella pasta, & per bellezza si puo fare
essa pizza col tortiglione sfogliato incirca.
To make pizza of many layers, commonly called dry layered pastry.
Take a sheet of pasta that has been pulled thin, made as is described in
the previous recipe, have a tart pan greased with melted butter, and into
this pan add a sheet of this pasta that is large enough. Above this
sheet put another 10 thin sheets, greasing between each one with butter
and powdering with sugar and elder flowers, either fresh or dried.
And put it to cook in the oven or underneath a “testo”, and when it is cooked
serve hot with sugar and rose water on top. There is another way that
one can make this, pull a sheet as is described and grease with melted butter,
and let it chill a little, and sprinkle again with this butter, and powder
with sugar and make a ring shaped pastry of six turns (roll pastry on itself).
And when it is made grease it along the length, and turn in the shape of
a laberinth or knot, and put in the tart pan, where there is already another
sheet of the pastry greased with butter, and with hands greased with melted
butter (in order that the pasta does not stick to them) begin to turn it,
in the way that it doesn't become any higher than a finger, and with the
flat of your fist push it down so that it remains within, sprinkle with melted
butter and put to cook in the oven with slow fire. And serve hot with
sugar and rose water above, and if one does not want to powder it with sugar
and rosewater above, one can put sugar in the pastry, and for beauty one
can make this pizza with little layered tarts that are in circles.
Canditi e confezioni a beneplacito