15C-Italn-fst-art - 10/24/02

This was the feast done for the Meridian Kingdom Arts & Sciences Fair, May 24-27, 2002. This feast was done by The Honourable Fra Niccolo Difrancesco. This feast was done entirely from 15th Century Italian recipes.

NOTE: See also the files: feasts-msg, p-feasts-msg, p-menus-msg, Platina-Feast-art, p-Italy-food-bib, cb-rv-Platina-msg, fd-Italy-msg.

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I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 23:41:39 -0400
From: <grizly at mindspring.com>
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: LONG (was Re: [Sca-cooks] Meridian Kingdom A&S Feasts)

On Tue, 28 May 2002 19:15:43 -0400 Elaine Koogler <ekoogler1 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hearty congratulations to all involved.  My mouth was drooling by the time I
> finished the first course of the first feast!  It all sounds absolutely
> wonderful.
>
> Kiri

THANKS!

To avoid being accused of being a second-hand spoon tease, I will give the URL to my menu page with links ot recipes.  I'll post the recipes below as well (comments welcome):

http://franiccolo.home.mindspring.com/kas2002food/

** Crostata de Caso, Pane, etc.

#94 piglia pane he getta via la crosta, he fa fette sutile he bruscule a lo foco che siano colorite; dapoi inbratale cum butiro fresco, he panerai de sopra zucaro, canella; et poi habi fette de caso grosso he metelo sopra questo pane cum de sopra ancora zucaro he [f 38v] he canella; poi mette queste fette in una padella de torta sopre le cinere cum lo coperto de sopra cum braxa; et como lo caso sia squagliato, manda presto a tavola.

Baked Cheese, Bread, Etc (#94) Get bread, remove the crust, slice it thin and toast in on the fire to color it, then coat the slice with fresh butter and put sugar and cinnamon on top; then get slices of creamy cheese and put them on the toast with sugar and cinnamon on top; then put the slices into a torte pan and put this on the coals with its lid on and coals on top; when the cheese has melted, serve it quickly.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 10 as appetizer
1 half loaf French Baguette, cut in 1/4" slices
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
2 Tbl sugar, mixed with 1 Tbl Cinnamon
1/2 pound Fontina or Havarti Cheese, thinly sliced

Combine Sugar and cinnamon.  Brush bread with butter and toast/brown.  When browned, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon mixture, and top with a piece of Fontina cheese.  Place in moderate oven until cheese just melts; serve quickly.

** Salsize bone

Salzize bono- Piglia carne magra de porcho ho de vitella magra he grassa, he falla battara molto bene; he guarda che non ci sia nervi; et se la carne he .x. libre meteli meza libre de sale he onze due de finoghio ben nettado, et due onze de pebro grossamente pistado; he miscola tute quests cose inseam he lassa stare per uno di; dapoi tolle budella ben nettata he impele de questa material, poi pone le salzize a sugare al fumo.

84 Good Sausages  Get lean pork and fat veal and beat it well =96 and mind that there is no gristle in it; if there is ten pounds of meat, use half a pound of salt, two ounces of well cleaned fennel and two ounces of roughly ground pepper; mix everything together and let it stand for a day; then get very well cleaned intestines and stuff them with this mixture, and set the sausages to dry in smoke.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
(makes 10 pounds)
10 pounds ground pork
8 ounces of salt
2 ounces ground fennel seed
2 ounces coarse ground black pepper

All ounce measures are in Troy ounce (1/14 of a pound).  Combine all ingredients in a large container and mix GENTLY to combine.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Rinse pork casings thoroughly to clean and remove added salt.  Stuff casings and twist to form links of desired size.  Carefully!! Cold smoke sausages at 200F for about 6 hours.  If you prefer to err on safety, then hot smoke them when cooking to infuse with smoke flavor. (this is fairly spicey in flavor . . . use about half the spice for a milder sausage, though I loved it!)

To Cook:  boil for 15 minutes over high heat.  Remove from water and roast at 400F until cooked through and golden, or grill over indirect heat with soaked wood chips (apple recommended) until cooked through and golden.

** Galine ho Caponi

#55  In spito cum suo sapore Piglia, quando le harai cotte bene arosto, cinque amandole mondate he pistale bene cum zucaro fino=97ho non havendo zucaro, pone mel=97he stempera cum sugo de limoni che sia un pocho spisso; he ponerai sopra le galine, ho vero fa in scutellino el sapore et le galine in piatelli; he manda caldi a tavola.
Roast Chickens in their Sauce (#55) When you have roasted them well, take five peeled almonds and grind them up with fine sugar=97if you do not have sugar, use honey=97and temper with lemon juice to make it slightly thick; put this over the chickens, or else put the sauce in small bowls and the chicken on plates; serve warm.
NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 5-6    preheat oven: 375F
Whole chicken, cleaned
For each chicken:
5 peeled almonds, finely ground
3 Tbl honey
 lemon juice to desired consistency

Roast chickens, whole with skins on, at 375F until done and juices run clear, about 45 to 50 minutes.  Combine the sauce ingredients and either pour over the bird (remove skin first, or carve first then glaze the meat) or serve on the side in bowls as a dipping/glazing sauce.

NOTES:  The skin will be crisp if roasted well, and will shield sauce off chicken.  Carve the bird and serve sauce on sliced/carved chicken.  I would have brined the chickens given time, and maybe stuffed with sliced lemons and almonds during roasting.

** Pastelli secchi con Sfarcimento a Pesso

#92 Pastelli secchi facti com pesce sano.  Piglia lo psce netto et concio, et findlio d'ogni lato presso a la schina un pocho, et con saleet bone spetie mescolate enseme salerai molto bene tutto questo pesce dentro et di fora. Poi haverai una pasra in pocho grossa et dentro gli conciarai et ligarai il ditto pesce, et cocilo nel forno bene ad ascio che sia ben cotto.

#79 Sfarcimento a pesso Piglia zenzevero he zaffarano he fiche he mela monda, he pista tute insieme bene; poi piglia boni pignoli he tritali sotillemente; he poi fende lo pesso per la impe lo pesso per las boca -- he fa che primo tu lo netti gentilemente da la boca he getta gio una gotta de olio; poi ponelo sopra lo graticula cum rossmarino, he falli salmora cum aceto specie he zaffrano.

Trout Baked in Pastry (#92 MK) Dry Pasties made with fresh Fish: Take the cleaned and trimmed fish, and slit it a little on either side next to the backbone, and season the whole fish very well, inside and out, with salt and good spices mixed together.  Then take somewhat thick pastry and arrange the fish sealed inside it, and cook it well in the oven, slowly, so it will be well cooked.

Stuffing for a Fish (#79 NC) Get ginger, saffron, figs and peeled apples and grind them up everything together; then get good pine nuts and crush them finely; then slice the fish through its [missing word in manuscript] stuff the fish through its mouth -- first carefully cleaning the mouth and pouring a drop of oil down it; then set it on the grill with rosemary, and make a basting sauce for it of vinegar, spices and saffron.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE  Serves 4 =09PREHEAT oven to 300F
4 Trout, butterflied and boned
sea salt
Long pepper, ground
ground ginger
black pepper, ground
cinnamon
fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
2 apples, cored and shredded
4 dried figs
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
10 to 12 threads saffron (soaked)
2 tablespoons pinenuts, ground fine
favorite double pie/pastry shell

Clean fish & remove pin bones.  Pat dry.  Sprinkle liberally with salt & spices inside/out.  Roll pastry dough just larger than fish, to thickness under 1/4".  Scatter Rosemary leaves on dough, gently press in.  Lay open, skin side down/flesh side up, in center of pastry.  Put stuffing on one side, enough to cover, but not over-fill.  Fold fish closed over stuffing.  Fold pastry over in half & seal edges; make sure to press out any air . . . forming dough gently to the fish. Brush with egg wash and bake in 350F oven until just done and crust golden . . . about 15 to 20 minutes.

** Fasoli

#41 Coce li fasoli in aqua pura ho in bono brood; he quando serano cotti, tole cipolle tagliate suttile he frigele in patella [f 15r] cum bono olio he mette de sopra queste dipole fritte cum pipero he canella he zaffrano; poi lassali reposare sopra la cinere calda una pezo; er poi fa le menestre cum specie bone de sopra

Kidney Beans (#41)  Cook the kidney beans in pure water or in good broth; when they are cooked, get finely sliced onions and fry tem in a pan with good oil and put these fried onions on top [of the beans] along with pepper, cinnamon and saffron; then let sit a while on the hot coals; dish it up with good spices on top.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 6 to 8

1 pound kidney beans
1 medium onion or
2 leeks, sliced thinly
.5 tsp black pepper
.5 to 1 tsp cinnamon
8 strands saffron,
(steeped in a little broth)

Cook Kidney beans in water or broth until just tender.

Fry thinly sliced onions in a pan with oil, and put these on top of the beans along with black pepper, cinnamon and saffron/liquid.  Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes.

** Giusello ho Zanzarelli

#21 Piglia peselli cun la scorza he falli dare uno bullore; he piglia carne salata verzellata he tagliata in fette stile longe mezo digito. Fe frigele uno pocho; poi mette le diti piselli a frigere cum la dita carne he meteli uno pocho de agresto, uno pocho de sabba he zucaro he canella.  Cusi se po fare cum li fasoli.

Peas with Salt Pork (#21)  Get peas in the shell and bring them to the boil; get marbled salt pork and cut into slices half a finger long, and fry them a little; then set the peas to fry with the pork, and add a little verjuice, a little must, sugar and cinnamon.  The same can be done with beans.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 8-10    preheat: pan/skillet

2 lbs. Cleaned, sugar snap peas
.5 lb. Salt pork
3 Tbl. Verjuice
1.5  Tbl white grape juice
2 tsp. sugar (to taste)
.25 tsp. Cinnamon

Clean the peas, leaving in the pod, and place in water to cover.  Bring to boil and strain immediately.  (I blanch briefly in already boiled water to preserve quality and nutrients)

Cut salt pork into strips about 1=BD inch long, and the size of a pencil.  Render gently until crisp.

Add the drained peas, verjuice, grape juice, sugar and cinnamon.  Heat until liquid is boiling and slightly reduced.

** Zabaglone

#220 Per fare quatro taze de Zabaglone, piglia .xii. rossi de ova fresca, tre onze de zucaro he meza onza de canella bona he uno bucale de vino bono dolce, he fallo cocere tanto cha sia preso como uno brodeto.  Et poi levalo for a he ponello in uno grando piatello davante alli Compagnone.

Zabaglaone (#220)  For four cups of Zabaglone get twelve fresh egg yolks, three ounces of sugar, half an ounce of good cinnamon and a beaker of good sweet wine; cook this until it is as thick as a broth; then take it out and set it on a plate in front of the boys.  And if you like you can add a bit of fresh butter,

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 10-12     1 cup water to boil in double boiler

12 large egg yolks
1.5 cups Madeira wine
3 ounces sugar, to taste
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbl cold butter

In metal or glass mixing bowl (suitable for double boiler), whisk yolks and half of sugar together until pale and completely combined.  Place over hot water (double boiler) and heat, stirring or whisking constantly.  Add the wine all at once and heat until thickened and will hold ribbons on its surface for a short time.  Add cinnamon and stir in butter quickly so that it incorporates before it melts.  If too strong, add a little water or grape juice Serve warm with fruit or candied peel.

** Porco e sapore bono di granate dolce

Sapore bono- Piglia granate dolce he forte he cava uno bucale de vino, poi falle bulire cum meza libra de zucaro he meza unza de canella; nota che vole bulire assai he adasio.

102 A Good sauce  Get strong, sweet pomegranates and take out a beaker of their wine and boil it with half a pound of sugar and half an ounce of cinnamon; note that it should boil a lot and slowly.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Makes 1 quart (about 16 to 20 servings)

3 cups Pomegranate syrup/molasses
 (found at middle Eastern Stores)
1 to 2 cups water
1/2 cup wine
1/2 pound sugar
1/2 ounce Cinnamon, ground

Combine Pomegranate syrup, water and Wine in large saucepan.  Dissolve sugar
and cinnamon over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring  occasionally. Let simmer
over medium heat for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring frequently  to avoid scorching.

Serve sauce with roasted meats.

NOTE:  If you can find pomegranate juice, you may substitute this for the pomegranate syrup and water.  You will need to boil longer to reduce and bring to serving consistency.

** Cemolella Ciciliana

#28 Falla cocere in brodo grasso, ponendola a pocho nela pignata, menando continuamente cum lo cughiaro; he falla bulliere per spacio de meza hora supre la braxe longe dal focho; poi fa le menestre he meteli sopra caso he specie.  Alla Quaresima la po fare cum latte de amandole he zucaro he aqua rosata.

Sicilian Semolina Dish (#28)
 Cook the semolina in fat a broth adding it little by little to the pot, stirring constantly with a spoon.  Boil it for half an hour on the coals away from the fire; then dish it up and put cheese and spices on top.
 During Lent you can make this with almond milk, sugar and rosewater.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 8-10   =09=09=09preheat stockpot to hold broth

1 c. Semolina
.25 c. grated Parmesan, Romano or other hard grating cheese
3 c. Chicken broth
pinch Menagier Fine Spice for garnish
salt to taste

Bring broth or water to boil with a pinch of salt.  Add semolina gradually, stirring constantly.  Bring back to simmer and reduce heat to simmer until done, stirring regularly, and all liquid is absorbed.  Stir in grated cheese.  Place on serving dish and sprinkle lightly with spice powder and more cheese. Serve warm.

NOTES:  Make a little more than you expect to need. It is a hit.  You can use water or vegetable stock, but the recipe will suffer. Be sure to season adequately water or vegetable stock.  Other animal stock will work as well, but chicken offers lightness.  This will thicken as it cooks. Stop short of the doneness/consistency you desire.  The cheese will bind it more.  Too much cheese will overwhelm this dish.

** De li sparaci

#20  De li sparaci: Togli li sparaci, e f=E1lli bollire; quando sieno bolliti, ponili a cocere con oglio, cipolle, sale e zaffarano, e spezie trite, o senza.

Asparagus with Saffron  Of Asparagus.  Take the asparagus and boil it; when it is cooked, put it to cook with oil, onions, salt, and saffron, and with ground spices, or without.  (Za 8)

Niccolo's Recipe
Serves 6 to 8

2 1/2 pounds asparagus
2 TBL olive oil
2 green onions or 1 small leek
8 to 10 strands saffron steeped 2 TBL in warm water
1/4 tsp ground black pepper or long pepper
1 pinch ground mace
1 pinch ground fennel seed
salt to taste

Clean and trim the asparagus of woody ends.  Peel stalks.  Bring several quarts salted water to boil.  Blanch asparagus until cooked but still slightly crisp.  While asparagus is cooking, heat olive oil in large pan and gently cook onion/leek so that it doesn=92t brown.  Add blanched asparagus and saffron and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.  Add spices and toss to mix and coat, then cook another 5 minutes covered, or until just done.

** Fungi di Monte

#21 Fingi di monte: Toglie fungi di monte, e lassali: e gittatene via l=92acqua, mettili poi a friggere con cipolla tritata minuto, o con bianco di porro, spezie e sale e d=E0 a mangiare

Sauteed Mushrooms with Spices (#21) Mountain Mushrooms.  Take mountain mushroom and boil them; and discard the water; the fry them with finely sliced onion, or with white of leek, spices, and salt, and serve.  (ZA 24)

Niccolo's Recipe
Serves 6 to 8

2 pounds mushrooms
olive oil
1 small onion or leek (white only)
1/8 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/8 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground coriander seed
4 to 6 strands saffron steeped in 1 TBL warm water.
salt to taste

Clean and trim mushrooms then cut larger mushroom into half or quarter, depending on size.  Blanch mushrooms briefly in rapidly boiling salted
water.  Chop finely and soften in oil over medium heat the onion or leek whites.  Raise heat to high, and add dry spices to toast briefly, then saffron water and mushrooms.  Fry on high heat until cooked and browned, about 15 minutes, stirring/tossing occasionally.

**Torta de Cerase

#137 Tolle cesrase rosse ho piu negre che si possa trovare, he poi cavarai for a quello suo osso he pista e cerase in uno mortaro; poi piglia rose rrosse he batile =96 dico, solo le foglie =96 cum uno cultello molto bene tute; poi habi uno poco de caso fresco he veghio cum specie a discretione, he canella he bono zenzaro cum poco pipero he zucaro, he miscolari tute queste cose insieme, agiongendoli .vi. ova; et farai una crosta de pasta sopre la padella he cum meza libre de butiro, he ponella ha a cocere, dandoli el foco temperato; he quando he cotta, pone del zucaro he aqua rosata.

Cherry Torte (#137)
 Get red cherries or the darkest available, remove the pit and grin in a mortar; then get red roses and crush them well -- I mean the petals alone =96 with a knife, get a little new and old cheese with a reasonable amount of spices, cinnamon and good ginger with a little pepper and sugar, and mix everything together, adding in six eggs; make a pastry crust for the pan with half a pound of butter and set it to cook giving it moderate fire; when it is cooked, put on sugar and rosewater.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE
Serves 8-12   prebake pastry crust  preheat oven to 350F

1 lb. Sour cherries
6 eggs
8 ounces fresh/soft cheese
dash of rose water (to taste)
.25 c. grated semi soft cheese
.25 tsp cinnamon
.25 tsp. Powdered ginger
pinch black pepper
2 Tbl sugar
Pastry crust (made with .5# butter)

Coarsely grind cherries in mortar or food processor, or chop coarsely with knife.  Mix together cheeses, sugar, spices and eggs.  Add cherries and rosewater.  Pour into prepared, pre-baked pastry shell as one pie or as several tarts.  Bake at 350F until just set and it moves as one mass when jiggled, about 40 minutes; do not overcook!  Remove from over and sprinkle immediately with sugar and a dash of rosewater.

** Dariola

#96 Consiarai la pasta in fora d'un pastello et impiela ben di farina che stia derittacocendola in la padella tanto che sia un poco secca.  Et facto queto cava fora la ditta farina et prendirai alcuni rosci d'ova, de lo lacte, del zuccaro et de la canella.  Et facto di questo cose una compositione la mettirai in la dicta pasta facendola cocere al moso de una torta, movendola tutta volta et volgendola spesso col cocchiaro.  Et como tu vidi che incomincia a pigliarsi sopragiogneli un poca d'acqua rosata, et volta bene cocere troppo et vole tremare como una ionchata.

 Darioles (#96) Form the dough into the shape of a deep pie and fill it completely with flour so it will keep its shape; cook it in a pan until it is somewhat dry.  And when this is done, remove the flour and take some egg yolks, milk, sugar, and cinnamon.  When these things are made into a mixture, put it into the pastry, cooking it like a tart, moving it from time to time and stirring with a spoon.  And when it has set completely it is cooked.  Note that it should not cook too much, and it should quiver like a junket.

NICCOLO'S RECIPE (I took license to adapt it and meld with concept of Flathonys from Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books, making it a hybrid of my own creation.)

PREHEAT OVEN to 425 degrees F
6 egg yolks
2/3  c. dark ale
3 Tbl melted butter
2/3 c. cream
2/3 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp ground zeylon cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 tsp ground cassia
pastry shell
sugar to sprinkle on top
1 to 2 tsp rosewater or
    orange flower water

Prepare pastry/pie shell before beginning custard.  Martino blind bakes the crust filled with flour, but you can use parchment and rice or beans for the same outcome.  Bake 15 minutes and remove weight, return to oven until just starts to set and lightly brown . . . . about 5 to 10 more  minutes.

Lower oven temp to 325 degrees F.    Beat lightly the egg yolks, add milk, cream and ale and whisk together till mixed.  Add sugar, melted butter, salt and spices.  Combine & add to shell.  Bake at 325F for 35 to 45 minutes until just set and crust golden.  The center should jiggle slightly like jello when the tart is shaken.  It will finish setting as it cools.  Sprinkle sugar on this AS SOON as it comes out of the oven.  Then sparingly sprinkle on some rosewater (Orange flower reasonable substitute.)

<the end>