To make a dish of cardoons and artichokes with meat broth and other
items. Cap 213. Second book
Take the cardoon in its season, which starts in Rome in the middle
of September and lasts all the way to March. Take the most tender
part, the white of the ribs, because that which is red and soft is not
good, peel them and let them soak in cold water for at least three hours
with changes of water. This one does because it pulls out the bitterness,
and because it unravels and becomes more tender. You can do the same
with the most tender part of the foot (could mean stalk or heart ) and
let them cook with fat broth of fat meat in the wat that one cooks the
fennel in the previous chapter 207. And if you want to first parboil
them in simple water that is your decision, and when they are cooked (parboiled)
cook them with this meat. But they can be cooked only with broth and yellow
“cervellate” A, if you want to cover capons, chicken and other
birds boil them then serve with cheese, sugar, pepper and cinnamon sprinkled
on top. One can also stew the said cardoon with various salted meats
and birds in the way that one stews onions in chapter 209. In this
way one can cook the feet of artichoke having first parboiled them and
cleaned them of their choke (literally translates as plume of feathers),
and take them during their season which starts in Rome in mid February
and lasts through the whole of June. If you want to stuff them, and
then cook the said hearts of artichoke, after they have been parboiled
one stuffs them with a filling made like that which one uses to fill the
turnip of the stalked cabbage in chapter 194.B And one
cooks it with the same methods as the said turnip. The said feet
after they have been stuffed can also be heated on the grill, and other
times the artichoke you cook whole in broth, one then splits them in half
and fries them, and one can put them on the grill bathed with melted lard,
and one serves with lard and rose scented vinegar above.
A – Cervellate is a type of sausage or salami found in Milan
B – I believe that this is the same as the modern kohl rabbi, based
on the description of a cabbage which one eats the swollen stalk.
Notes: A recipe typical of Scappi which creates more questions than
it solves. Is the pedoni the foot of the flower bract, what we would
call the heart or some of the stalk underneath? References to it
being stuffed appear to indicate the former rather than the later.
To give full details of how these dishes are cooked it is necessary to
also translate the recipe for cooking fennel, onions and kohl rabbi, a
situation typical of Scappi who for sake of space doesn’t repeat instructions
merely refers you to previous recipes. This is how small projects
grow into large ones.
Per far minestra di germugli di finocchio di campagna con brodo di
carne. Cap CCVII
Piglisi la parte piu bianca, & piu tenera del finocchio nella sua
stagione, laquale in Roma comincia l’Autunno, & dura per tutto Marzo,
& lavisi in piu acque, & pongasi insieme in mazzuoli, li quali
si facciano cuocere in buon brodo di carne che bolla con piedi, e teste
di porco misalate, & pezzi di schiena di castrato, & di vaccina,
& accioche il brodo habbia un poco di corpo, pongavisi mollica di pane,
che sia state a molle nel detto brodo, & passata per un foratoro, &
quando i detti finocchi saranno cotti, servanosi con le dette altre materie
sopra; Con li detti finocchi si possono cuocere galline, pollanche, capponi,
piccioni, & altri ucellami & se ne possono ancho coprire capponi
& oche alessate spargendovi sopra cascio grattato, & cannella,
& pepe.
To make a dish of sprouts of country fennel with meat broth.
Cap 107
Take the whitest and most tender part of the fennel in its season,
which in Rome starts in the Autumn and lasts through the whole of March,
and wash it well in water, and put it in a casserole, in which one has
cooked a good broth of meat that has boiled with feet and heads of slightly
slated pork, and pieces of mutton shoulder and of cow in order that the
broth has a little body, add crumb of bread which has first been soaked
in the said broth and passed through a fine hair sieve, and when the said
fennel are cooked serve them with the other things above. And with
the said fennel one can cook chickens, turkeys, capons, pigeons and other
birds, and one can also use them to cover capons and geese which have been
boiled and sprinkle above grated cheese, cinnamon and pepper.
Per fare minestra di porri, & cipolle grosse con brodo di carne.
Cap CCIX
Il porro comincia del mese di Novembre, & dura per tutto Marzo,
& la cipolla vecchia grossa comincia del mese di Agosto, et dura per
tutto Marzo, et d’ambedue piglisi la parte piu bianca, et mondisi, et facciasi
perlessare in acqua calda, dall aqua dapoi cavisi, et mettasi nell’acqua
fredda, et quando l’una et l’altra saranno cavate dalla detta acqua, lascinosi
colare, & faccianosi finir di cuocere in quel modo che si cuoceno li
germogli di finocchio con le medesime carni come nel cap 207. & se
si voranno battere minute con li coltelli, battute che saranno, faccianosi
soffriggere con lardo liquefatto, & dapoi faccianosi finir di cuocere
con brodo di carne, maritandole con uove battuto, & cascio grattato,
& spetierie communi. Si possono ancho da poi che son perlessate
in acqua cosi intiere stufar con capponi, o con altri ucellami salvatici,
o con schiena di cignale, che habbia il callo con brodo di carne, &
fette di gola di porco salate, & cervellate giallo, & agresto chiaro,
pepe, garofani, cannella, noci moscate, zafferano, & zuccaro, e stufate
che saranno servasi ogni cosa insieme in piatti grandi.
To make a dish of leeks and large onions with meat broth. Cap 109
The (season of the) leek begins in the month of November and lasts
throughout march, and the large old onion begins in the month of August
and lasts for all of Marche. For both take the whitest part and peel
them and parboil them in hot water, then take them out of the water and
put them in cold water, and when one or ther other is pulled out of this
water let them drain. Finish cooking them in the same way that one
cooks sprouts of fennel in the same meats as in chapter 207. And
if you want to chop them finely with a knife, chop them, and put them to
fry with melted lard, and after to finish cooking them with meat broth,
then make a liason with beaten eggs, grated cheese and common spices.
One can also, after they are parboiled in water, stew them whole with capons
or other wild birds or with the shoulder of boar which has the tendon,
with meat broth, and pieces of jowl of pig salted and yellow “cervellate”
and clear verjuice, pepper, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron and sugar,
and when they are stewed served altogether in large plates.
Per far minestar di caulo torsuto con brodo di carne, et altre materie,
et cuocerlo in diversi modi. Cap CXCIIII
Piglisi il caulo torsuto del mese d’Aprile per tutto Maggio nel qual
tempo è piu tenero benche duri per tutto Ottobre, mondisi la rapa,
e taglisi in bocconcini, & pongasi in un vaso di terra, o di rame con
del brodo, che non sia troppo salato, & lardo battuto, & ventresca
tagliata in pezzi, & lingue di porco salate, & facciasi cuocere
ogni cosa insieme, lasciando in arbitrio se vi si voranno porre alcune
frondi d’essi cauli, & quando saranno cotti pongavisi una brancata
di herbette battute con un poco di pepe, non havendovi poste le foglie,
& servanosi calde con l’altre materie sopra. Si può fare
in un’altro modo, cioè perlessata che sarà la rapa d’esso
caulo in brodo battasi bene minuta con li coltelli sopra una tavola, &
pongasi in un vaso di terra, o di rame con brodo grasso, & pepe, &
canella, & un poco di lardo liquefatto per dargli sapore, & facciasi
finir di cuocere, & incorporisi con uova, cascio grattato, & zafferano,
servasi caldo con spetierei dolci sopra. Volendo empir le rape intiere
piglinosi le piu tenere, & faccianosi perlessare in buon brodo, cavinosi,
& lascinosi rifreddare, & facciasi un buco nel mezo, & empiasi
quel buco d’una composition fatta di carne magra di vitella, & presciutto
vergellato, battuto, & mescolato con cascio, uova, e spetierie communi,
e spigoli d’aglio, & herbuccie battute, & faccianosi cuocere, in
una tortiere con lardo liquefatto, e tanto brodo, che stiano meze coperte,
& diasi il foco sotto, & sopra come le torte, & cotte che saranno
servanosi calde. In questo modo si possono sottestare i pedoni di
carcioffani.
To make a dish of cabbage stem (kohl rabbi) with meat broth and other
items and to cook them in many ways. Cap 194
Take the cabbage stem in the month of April and for all of May in which
time it is the most tender however it is in season for through October.
Peel the turnip and cut it into bite sized pieces and put it in a ceramic
pot or one of copper with broth that isn’t too salty, and chopped lard,
and “ventresca” A cut into pieces and salted pork tongue, and
let everything cook together, leaving it to ones decision if one wants
to add several leaves of this cabbage, and when they are cooked add a handful
of chopped herbs with a little pepper, if you have not added the leaves,
and serve hot with the other things above it. And one can make it
in another way, that is once the turnip is parboiled take it from the broth
and chop it finely with a knife on the table and put into a ceramic or
copper pot with fat broth, pepper, cinnamon and a little bit of melted
lard to give it flavor, and let it finish cooking, incorporate the broth
with eggs, grated cheese and saffron and serve hot with sweet spices above.
If you want to stuff the whole turnip take the most tender and parboil
them with good broth, take them out and let them cook, and make a hole
in the middle and fill this hole with a mixture made of lean veal meat,
striped ham (layers of fat and meat) chopped and mixed with cheese, eggs
and common spices, garlic cloves, chopped herbs, and put them to cook in
a tart pan B with melted lard and enough broth that they are
half covered, and give them fire above and below like a pie and when they
are cooked serve hot. In this way one can also prepare artichoke
feet.
A- pig’s paunch filled with meat and stuffing tightly squeezed a sort
of exaggerated sausage
B- a tortiere or tart pan is specifically designed to allow you to
cook pies in the fire, used a little bit like a dutch oven with coals underneath
and above the dish to provide an even baking environment.
Notes: you can see why I call this Kohl Rabbi. It talks about
the “turnip” of a cabbage stalk, later recipes refer to turnips (rapa)
specifically and also rutabega/swede (rapa giallo or yellow turnip).
This particular recipe is also followed by recipes for cauliflower (cauli
fiori literally cabbage flowers), headed cabbage (cauli capucci), milan
and bolognese cabbage (caulo Milansi & Bolognesi) which also tends
to strongly indicate it’s place in the extended cabbage family.
Per far crostata, & pasticcio di pedoni di Carciofani, &
di Cardi Cap LIX Quinto Libro
Piglinisi i carciofani nella sua stagione come si dice nel secondo
libro delle vivande a cap 212, & faccianisi cuocere in brodo di carne,
overo in acqua, & sale, & piglisi il pedone, che è la parte
migliore, & sia ben netto, & se sarà grosso taglisi in fette,
& faccisene la crostata, & pasticcio, con le medesime compositioni
che si fa del prugnolo. In questo modo si potrà fare del pedone
del cardo alessato & tagliato in fette.
To make a tart or pastry of artichoke feet and cardoons. Cap
59 Fifth book.
Take the artichokes in their season as one has said in the second book
of the foods in chapter 212, and cook them in meat broth or in water and
salt, and take the feet, that is the best part, and clean them well, and
if they are big cut them in slices and make the tart or pastry with the
same composition as one makes that for “prugnolo”A. In this
way one can also make it with the stem of the cardoon boiled and cut into
slices.
A- Agaricus prugnolo a species of field mushroom related to the standard
white mushroom sold in most stores (Agaricus bisporus). An appropriate
substitute would probably be the baby portabella mushrooms.
Notes: again we have to reference another recipe to make a dish.
Per far crostate & pasticci di diverse frutte dando principio
al fongo detto prugnolo. Cap LVII
Piglinisi prugnoli nella sua stagione, come si dice nel secondo libro
delle vivande a cap 214. Nettisino di quella pellicina che hanno
intorno, & sopra tutto il pedone sia privo della rena, & si faccino
stare in mollo nell’acqua per un quarto d’hora, acciò meglio si
nettino dell’arena, cavisino, & si lascino scolare da per se, &
habbisi apparecchiata la tortiera con i tre sfogli, et il tortiglione sfogliato
incirca, et sopra l’ultima sfoglio si ponga un poco di prevatura, &
cascio secco grattato, et menta, et maiorana battuta, et bocconcini di
medolla di buoe, spolverizzisi ogni cosa di zuccaro, pepe, garofali, cannella,
et noci moscate, et sopra essa compositione mettasegli prugnoli con altretanta
compositione, e spetierie sopra, et si sbruffino con agresto, et sugo di
melangole, e cuoprasi con tre altri sfogli sottili, onti tra l’uno, e l’altro
di strutto, o butiro, et facciasi cuocere nel forno, o sotto il testo,
et sevarsi calda con zuccaro sopra. In questo modo si puon fare de
fonghi spongioli, & altri fonghi teneri nell’Autunno, & d’essa
compositione se ne puon fare pasticci in cassa, sfogliati, & non sfogliati.
To make a tart or pasty of many kinds of fungal fruits, principally
that called “prugnolo”. Cap. 57.
Take “prugnoli” in their season, as one has said in the second book
of dishes in chapter 214. Remove the skin which they have around
them and above all the foot clean of its netting, and put them to soak
in water for a quarter of an hour, in order that one can better clean them.
Take them out and let them drain by themselves. And have prepared
a tart pan with three sheetsA and “tortiglione” B
around the rim, and above the last sheet put a little bit of provatura
(mozzarella made with buffalo milk) and dry cheese grated, mint and marjoram
chopped, and cubes of beef marrow, powder everything with sugar, peper,
cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and onto this mixture put the mushrooms with
more of this same mixture above, and sprinkle it with verjuice and sour
orange juice and cover with three other thin sheets (of pastry) greasing
between each one with either lard or butter and put it to cook in the oven
or under a “testo”C and serve hot with sugar above. In
this way one can make it with morel mushrooms or other tender mushrooms
in autumn, and with this mixture you can make pastries in cases, layered
or non layered.
A – one of the fancier ways of making a tart shell in Scappi is to layer
many sheets of thin pasty with butter or lard between each one. The
pasty recipe given for crostate consists of flour, rose water, egg yolks,
butter and salt. Somewhat similar to today’s filo pasty.
B – tortiglione are shaped pasty which adorn the edge of many of the
pies and pastries. Think of these as pretty decoration, the indication
from the descriptions is of twirls, circles etc..
C – the “Dutch oven” type set up whereby a tart or pie can be cooked
in the fire with coals.
Per fare torta di Cardi in giorno Quadregesimale Cap CCXXI Quinto
libro
Piglisi il cardo, & mondisi la parte migliore, & faccisi stare
in mollo per due hore, taglisi il pedone in piu fette, faccisi bollire
con acqua & sale, & olio d’amandole dolci, & cotto che sarà
battasi minutamente con i coltelli, giungasegli una brancata d’herbuccie
battute, & per ogni libra di compositione, quattro concie di tartufoli
mondi tagliati minuti, & un’oncia, e mezza di mostaccioli pisti, due
oncie di pignoli mondi stati in mollo, ammaccati, tre oncie d’uva passa
di Corintho ben netta, quattro oncie di zuccaro, mezz’oncia di cannella,
mezz’oncia di pepe, sale abastanza, sugo di melangole, tre oncie d’olio
d’amandole, & ogni cosi si mescoli insieme, & se ne facci torta
con due sfogli di pasta, & faccisi la crostata di zuccaro, & servasi
calda. In questo modo si puo fare di pedoni di carciofani alessati,
& battuti & delle palmette Napoletane.
To make a tart of cardoon in lenten days. Cap 221 Fifth book
Take the cardoon and peel the best part and put it to soak for two
hours, cut the stalk in many slices and boil it with water, salt and sweet
almond oil. When it is cooked mince it finely with a knife and add to it
a handful of chopped herbs, and for every pound of filling four ounces
of truffles peeled and cut small, an ounce and a half of biscotti ground,
two ounces of pine nuts which have been peeled, soaked and broken (chopped
coarsely) three ounces of well washed currants, four ounces of sugar, half
an ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of pepper and enough salt, sour orange
juice and three ounces of almond oil, and mix everything together and make
tarts with two sheets of pasta, and make a crust (on the pie) with sugar
and serve hot. In this one can also make with boiled chopped artichokes
and with Naples palmA.
A I have no idea what this is, unless it is heart of palm.
Carciofani cotti serviti con aceto & pepe – cooked artichoke
served with vinegar and pepper
Second or third service from the sideboard (last or penultimate course)
8th, 15th, 25th, fast day April lunch and dinner,
8th, 15th, 25th fast day May lunch and dinner, breakfast served on
the last day of May in the garden
8th, 15th 25th fast day June lunch and dinner
8th, 15th July lunch only
8th August lunch and dinner, 15th August lunch only
Lean day in February lunch only, Breakfast on last day of February.
8th, 15th March Lunch and Dinner
8th, 18th and 30th day of lent Lunch only
Carciofani crudi serviti con sale & pepe – raw artichoke served
with salt and pepper
Second or third service from the sideboard (last or penultimate course)
8th, 15th, 25th, fast day April lunch and dinner,
8th, 15th, 25th fast day May lunch and dinner, breakfast served on
the last day of May in the garden
8th, 15th 25th fast day June lunch and dinner, breakfast served on
the last day of June
8th, 15th July lunch and dinner, 25th dinner only
8th August lunch and dinner, 15th August lunch only
Lean day in February lunch only, Breakfast on last day of February.
8th, 18th and 30th day of lent Lunch only
Cardi serviti con sale & pepe – cardoon served with salt and
pepper
Second or third service from the sideboard (last or penultimate course)
21st October lunch, 28th October dinner
7th, 15th, 21st, 28th, fast day November lunch and dinner
8th, 15th, 25th, December lunch and dinner, breakfast served last day
of December.
8th, 15th, 25th, 17th, last day January, lunch and dinner
8th, 16th, fast day, February lunch and dinner, breakfast last day
of February
8th , last day March lunch only, 15th lunch and dinner,
30th day of lent
Pasticci di pedoni di carciofani di tre per pasticcio – pastry of
artichoke feet, three per pastry
8th May dinner, 2nd service kitchen
lean day May lunch and dinner 3rd service sideboard
Pasticci di pedoni di carciofani con cascio, medolla di buoe, &
zuccaro dentro, di tre pedoni per pasticcio – pastry of artichoke feet
with cheese, beef marrow and sugar inside, of three feet per pastry
25th May third service from the sideboard
Carciofani sofritti col butiro servito con aceto rosato & pepe
– artichoke fried in butter served with rose scented vinegar and pepper.
May 25th third service sideboard.
Carciofani sofritti con butiro servito con sugo di melangole &
pepe – artichoke fried in butter served with sour orange juice and pepper.
Breakfast in the garden last day May, second service
15th July dinner, 2nd service from the sideboard
Pasticci di pedoni di carciofani di 20 per pasticcio – pasty of artichoke
feet of 20 per pastry
25th June dinner, 4th service from the kitchen
Pasticci di pedoni di caciofani 12 per pasticcio – pasty of artichoke
feet of 12 per pastry
30th day of lent, lunch 2nd service from the sideboard
Pasticci di pedoni di caciofani 10 per pasticcio – pasty of artichoke
feet of 10 per pastry
Lean day in March second service sideboard
Cardi stufati – stewed cardoon
Last day in December 3rd service breakfast
Last day in January 2nd service lunch
Insalate di cardi stufati – salad of stewed cardoon
Lean day in December, dinner first service from the sideboard.
Notes: artichoke and cardoon are distinct vegetables as they show seasonal
patterns in the menus in which they appear. What is of note is that
in those months where either cardoon or artichoke are in season they appear
in virtually every menu given. The number of times they appear in
menus is exceeded only by that of common items such as cheese, wafers or
grapes. Most of the time these vegetables are served in the last
service of the meal, that from the sideboard, which indicates a cold dish.
In one case cardoon appears served as a salad in the first course.
Pies are the second most popular presentation of artichokes, several different
pies appear in the menu differing only in the number of artichokes per
pie, from 3 to 12.
De’ carciofi.
Seguitano i carciofi, dico in Italia, ove non durano tutto l’anno,
come sovente fanno in questo fertilissimo reame. Si mangiano i carciofi
crudi e cotti, ma con alcun ragionevole riguardo, perché, come son
grossi quanto è una commune noce, son buoni da mangiar crudi, né
altro con essi si mangia che sale, pepe e cacio vecchio. Se ben molti senza
il cacio li mangino, gli uni ciò fanno per aborire tal cibo, gli
altri per generar lor catarro e alcuni per ignoranza, non sapendo qual
sapore accresca loro; né più grossi d’un pomo commune crudi
son buoni. A più foggie poi noi gli cuociamo, oltre alla non biasimevole
maniera inglese, perché i piccioli, che non vogliam mangiare crudi,
tagliate alquanto le cime delle loro pungenti foglie, diam loro prima un
bollo in acqua pura, la qual gittiam via per essere amarissima, e poi gli
facciam finire di cuocere in buon brodo di carne grassa di manzo o di capponi;
e cotti che sono, li nettiamo in un piatto alquanto cupo con un poco di
quel brodo, e sopra vi spargiamo formaggio vecchio grattugiato e pepe,
che accresce lor bontà, e così vengono da noi trovati un
ghiotto mangiare, che a scriverlo mi fa venir l’acqua in bocca. Di simiglianti
ancora ne facciam pasticci accompagnati da monne ostriche e dalla midolla
de’ manzi, non gli privando del suo sale né del suo pepe, e per
farne tai pasticci convien dar lor prima il bollo testé detto. I
più grossi cuociamo su la graticola, tagliando lor la metà
delle foglie, e sopra vi gittiam olio, pepe e sale; e chi dopo gl’inaffierà
di sugo di naranzi mi rendo certo che non farà lor danno veruno;
e piacciono oltre a modo, a questa maniera cotti, a chiunque ne mangia.
I soverchi grossi, quali in questa isola nascono, cuociamo un poco prima
in acqua e poi tra le loro gran foglie, che dalla metà in su tagliamo,
mettiamo delle ostriche con dell’acqua lor natia e bocconcini di midolla
di manzo con pepe, sale e olio o butiro fresco, e poi ne facciam pasticci
che riescono fuor d’ogni credere ottimi.
Of the Artichoke
Follows the artichoke, as we call it in Italy, however it does not
last all year, like it does in this fertile land. One eats the artichoke
raw and cooked, but there are several rules to follow, because, when they
as large as a hazelnut they are good to eat raw, with nothing more than
salt, pepper and old cheese. They are good for many to eat without
cheese, there are many who abhor this food, the others it generates phlegm,
and for others ignorance (why many don’t eat it? Not sure on the language
here). Hey do not know that the flavor comes from them, if they are
not larger than a common apple they are good raw. When they are bigger
then we cook them however not in that base manner of the English, because
the little ones that one doesn’t want to eat raw one cuts away enough of
the sprouts of their spiky leaves, and give them first a boil in clear
water, which one throws away to reduce the bitterness, and then we finish
cooking them in good broth of fat beef or capon, and when they are cooked
we put them in a deep plate with some of that broth and above we sprinkle
aged cheese grated and pepper and this increases their goodness.
And these we have found to be delicious dish for even as I write about
it my mouth is watering. In a similar way we make pastries with shucked
oysters and beef marrow, not depriving the dish on top salt or pepper,
and to make this pastry it is first better to give the heads a boil.
The biggest we cook on the grill, cut through the middle of the leaves,
and above we add oil, pepper and salt, and after we add sour orange juice
to make sure that they keep the green leaves, and we love either way these
are cooked to eat. The excessively large, like those which grow on
this island, we cook first in water, and then between their large leaves,
that are cut in half, we put oysters with their water and bits of beef
marrow with pepper, salt and oil or fresh butter, and then we make pastries
that are beyond your wildest dreams.
De’ cardi.
Intorno la fine di questa stagione sotterriamo noi i cardi, ch’è
una spezie di carchiofoli, ma non produce frutto che sia buono; le sue
foglie colla parte di mezzo, sotterrate, divengono di verdi bianchissime
e d’amare assai dolci; e ben mondi e lavati si cuocono in buon brodo e
s’acconciano a punto come del cavolo torsuto ho detto; et è cibo
più del verno che di questa stagione, né mai si vuole trar
dalla terra se non quando si vuol mangiare.
Of the cardoon
At the end of this season we earth up the cardoon, which is a type
of artichoke, but it does not produce good fruit, it’s leaves have a rib
in the middle, when earthed the green becomes the whitest and the sour
becomes sweet, and well peeled and washed we cook it in good broth and
prepare it like the stalked cabbage (kohl rabbi) as I have said, and it
is a food more of the winter than this season (autumn) but if you do not
give it earth you will not want to eat it.