Title: panforte-msg
Subject: A medieval Italian, sweetened, spiced dessert bread similar to fruitcake or Lebkuchen.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: panforte, pan forte, bread, pastry, dessert, sweet, spice, pepper, Italian, Italy

panforte-msg - 2/12/12

A medieval Italian, sweetened, spiced dessert bread similar to fruitcake or Lebkuchen.

NOTE: See also the files: fruitcakes-msg, lebkuchen-msg, spices-msg, fruits-msg, pastries-msg, Sugar-Icing-art, candied-fruit-msg, gingerbread-msg, fd-Italy-msg.

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                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:39:40 -0500
From: "otsisto" <otsisto at socket.net>
To: "Ansteorra Cooks Guild" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

What I have read on this is that is goes back to the 1200s but I have not
found any period recipe for this. It is alleged to be similar to Lebkuchten.
Also, looking for cavallucci which is alleged to be 1500s almond
biscuit/cookie.

My group is planning an "Italian" event and I was looking for a few sweets
for the Inn. Panforte is a specialty for the region we're doing.

De

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:03:03 -0400
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

Here's information I have sent to the list in the past that mentions  
panforte.

It should be in the archives.

Johnnae

Post on panpepati sent February 25, 2009

Maybe I can add some more information. I'll be drawing together  
information from several books so I hope this makes sense.

One book that has appeared since
your original research was done is Gillian Riley's The Oxford  
Companion to Italian Food (2007).
I won't reproduce the entire entry on "Panpepato" but there appear to  
be a number of variants to this cake or bread.
(To begin, Riley lists it as being a version of panforte and there's  
of course another entry on that. See below.)
In her entry on panepato, Riley writes "The scholar-courtier Francesco
Redi defined panpetato as coming in three versions: the /sopraffina/,  
made with refined sugar, decorated with marzipan shapes and coloured icing;
a medium quality made with honey and ordinary ingredients; and
the inferior sort, which to us sounds rather good, made with wholemeal  
flour and bran, pepper, dried figs, walnuts, and honey."
[Redi's dates are 1626-1697, so his remarks are 17th century.]

Riley refers to the work of Giovanna Giusti Galardi author of the 2001  
Dolci a Corte.
I actually own both the English translation and the original Italian  
version of Dolci a Corte, so I can easily look up her chapter on "panpepato." Giusti Galardi notes that the Palatine Electress Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici wrote from Dusseldorf to her uncle to thank him for the offer of a panpepato
that he was sending from Florence. This was 1692.

Giusti Galardi uses this letter as an introduction to a section on  
panpepato. She writes that it was "linked to the Feast of All Saints....in Siena it was called pane impepato (literally, peppered-bread), in Florence, less refinedly, pandigusto (flavourful bread). Giusti Galardi includes a 17th century recipe that calls for honey, squash preserves, orange preserves, spices, and flour as needed.

When one returns to Riley and her Oxford Companion to Italian Food entry on panforte, one comes across a few more places to check for medieval and  
Renaissance descriptions and recipes.  She writes "Spiced cakes or breads were described by Costanzo Felici in the 1560's."
(According to the bibliography there are two volumes of Felici letters  
that were published in the 1980's.)

Panfortes were also made "with honey or sapa, hence the name pan  
melato and panpepato." Riley ends with the interesting note that Maria Vittoria della Verde included recipes for several versions of a panmelato in her  notebooks.

This is an important note. By way of information, Suor (or Sister) Maria Vittoria was a nun in Perugia. In 1583 she began keeping a series of notebooks that include recipes for a number of confections and items like wafers. She died in 1622 at the age of 67, so her notebooks are late 16th and early 17th century as to dating. And all 170 recipes from the notebooks were published in 1989. It took me forever but I eventually found and  purchased a copy of this book
several years back. In it there are indeed a few recipes for panmelato.

--
Lastly, Lynne Rossetto Kasper, author of The Splendid Table, says that chocolate
was first added in the 19th century. She includes a recipe at:
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/dessert_chocolate_christmas_spicecake.shtml

Johnnae llyn Lewis

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:45:59 -0500
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

An entry for "honey and pepper cakes" shows up in a 13th Century monastery 
account book from the region near Sienna and it is this that is presumed to 
be the first reference to panforte.  I have done a modern panforte which is 
very similar to period gingerbread and lebkuchen and posted the recipe. 
It's probably out in the Florilegium.  I can make a case for panforte being 
of Medieval (and possibly eaqrlier origin, but recipes are limited to very 
late of just out of period.  Commercial baking of panforte appears in the 
18th Century according to my notes.

Bear

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:24:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: emilio szabo <emilio_szabo at yahoo.it>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

<< Commercial baking of panforte appears in the 
18th Century according to my notes.

Bear >>

The passage "Il pan forte che si fa nelle spetiarie ..." suggests that pan forte was made commercially at the time of Leonardo Fioravanti.

(unless I am missing something again; just let me know)

E.

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:04:57 -0400
From: Ginny Beatty <ginbeatty at gmail.com>
To: Sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

Here is a recipe created by my apprentice, Baroness Francesca Onorati.
It's quite yummy.
Gwyneth

PANFORTE

2 cups blanched toasted almonds, coarsely chopped or slivered
1 cup raisins, Zante raisins (currants), or golden raisins
1 cup chopped dates
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, then mix in the dried fruits and set
aside.  Grease an 11 inch springform or tart pan with a removable
bottom.  Line it with baker's parchment and grease the parchment.
Combine the sugar, honey and butter in a small sauce pan and bring to a
boil over medium heat.  When the syrup is between the soft and firm ball
stages (about 245 degrees F), thoroughly mix the syrup into the dry
ingredients to make a stiff batter.  Scrape the batter into the prepared
pan.  Spread and smooth it. (I needed to butter my hands to press it
into the pan.)

Bake in a pre-heated 300 degree F oven for about 40 minutes.  Remove
from the oven and let cool about 15 minutes.  Separate the walls from
the base.  Allow to cool on the base.  Remove from the base.  Peel off
parchment and serve.  It burns very easily.

It will keep for several weeks at room temperature.

Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:30:36 -0700 (PDT)
From: emilio szabo <emilio_szabo at yahoo.it>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: [Sca-cooks] pan forte / pan pepato sort of recipe 1564

Leonardo Fioravanti: Del Compendio de i Secreti rationali, 1564, p. 162.

(I marked the recipe section by [[ ]] )

Del modo di fare il pan forte, che si fa nelle speciarie. Cap. 39.

Il pan forte che si fa nelle spetiarie che ? Roma lo chiamano pan pepato, perchioche ui entra il pepe, & ? Bologna lo chiamano pan spetiale, percioche ui mettono dentro di piu sorti di spetie, & a Venetia lo chiamano pan forte dal pepe che ui mettono, & in altri luochi lo chiamano in diuersi altri modi; ma in quanto al modo di farlo ? quasi tutto uno, & si fa cosi cio?, [[ si piglia farina, & se gli fa il suo leuato come si fa per fare il pane, & poi si impasta con acqua e mele tanto di uno quanto di l? altro, et ui si mette pepe, zafarano, comino, garofali, zucche condite, scorze di naranze condite; di tutte le sopradette cose quella quantit? che pare allo speciale, che si conuenga in detto pane; & impastato che sar?, fare il pane et lasciarlo leuare, e poi farlo cuocere nel forno, auertendo che il forno non sia troppo caldo quando ui si mette il detto pane, ]] et questo ? molto salutifero allo stomaco rispetto alle specie che ui entrano.

http://books.google.com/books?id=EEE6AAAAcAAJ&pg=RA4-PA161-IA2&dq=%22pan+pepato%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=100&as_brr=1&hl=de&cd=20#v=onepage&q=%22pan%20pepato%22&f=false

I must leave the translation to somebody else.

E.

Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 04:18:12 -0700 (PDT)
From: Louise Smithson <helewyse at yahoo.com>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] pan forte / pan pepato sort of recipe 1564

Leonardo Fioravanti: Del Compendio de i Secreti rationali, 1564, p. 162.

(I marked the recipe section by [[ ]] )

Del modo di fare il pan forte, che si fa nelle speciarie. Cap. 39.

Il
pan forte che si fa nelle spetiarie che ? Roma lo chiamano pan pepato,
perchioche ui entra il pepe, & ? Bologna lo chiamano pan spetiale,
percioche ui mettono dentro di piu sorti di spetie, & a Venetia lo
chiamano pan forte dal pepe che ui mettono, & in altri luochi lo
chiamano in diuersi altri modi; ma in quanto al modo di farlo ? quasi
tutto uno, & si fa cosi cio?, [[ si piglia farina, & se gli fa
il suo leuato come si fa per fare il pane, & poi si impasta con
acqua e mele tanto di uno quanto di l? altro, et ui si mette pepe,
zafarano, comino, garofali, zucche condite, scorze di naranze condite;
di tutte le sopradette cose quella quantit? che pare allo speciale, che
si conuenga in detto pane; & impastato che sar?, fare il pane et
lasciarlo leuare, e poi farlo cuocere nel forno, auertendo che il forno
non sia troppo caldo quando ui si mette il detto pane, ]] et questo ?
molto salutifero allo stomaco rispetto alle specie che ui entrano.

http://books.google.com/books?id=EEE6AAAAcAAJ&pg=RA4-PA161-IA2&dq=%22pan+pepato%22&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=100&as_brr=1&hl=de&cd=20#v=onepage&q=%22pan%20pepato%22&f=false

I must leave the translation to somebody else.

I found and translated this one back in February 2009.  Any way what it is is a bread, with instructions to add leavening and to let it rise. So it appears more like a columbo or Panettone than a lebkuchen. 

Translation here: 
The way to make "pan forte" that is made by the Spiciers (Chapter 39, Fifth book)

The strong bread that is made by the spiciers of Rome is called Peppered bread, because it contains pepper, in Bologna it is
called spiced bread because they put inside many more types of spices,
and in Venice they call it strong bread because of the pepper they put
in, and in other places it is called in many other ways, however in all
these places the way of making it is almost only one, and one makes it
thus that is, one takes flour, and one gives it it's raising agent
(bigo) the same as one does for making bread, and then one pastes it
(mixes it) with water and honey more of the one (first) than the other
(second), and one puts into it pepper, saffron, cumin, cloves, candied
gourd (could be squash given time period of writing) and candied orange
peel, and all these above things one puts in in the quantity that is
the opinion of the spicier, that one agrees is better to add to this
bread; and when it is mixed make the bread and leave it to raise, and
then put it to cook in the oven, taking care that the oven is not too
hot when you add the bread, and this is very healthy to the stomach
because of the spices it has inside. 

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:42:36 +0000
From: CHARLES POTTER <basiliusphocas at hotmail.com>
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] pan forte / pan pepato sort of recipe 1564

 Check this recipe from the 1549 Libro Novo by Christoforo Messisbugo.

                      A FARE MOSTAZZOLLI DI ZUCCHARO

 Piglia di cedro cofetto tagliato minutamente libre 3, di melle collato libre 3, di pevere, 5 oottavi, di zafarano scrupulo uno, di cinamomo, tre quarti d'oncia, di muschio tre grani, di farina tanto che basti ad impastare dette robbe.  Poi farai mostazzoli grandi, & piccioli, come a te piacera.  Poi li farai cuocere come pampapati, ma questi si fanno d'oncie 4 in 6 l'uno, e non piu grandi.

                 TO MAKE BREAD (BISCOTTI) OF SUGAR

  Take three pounds of candied citron cut very small, five pounds of sieved honey, of pepper five eighths (ounce), of saffron a scruple (1.0198g), of cinnamon three- quarters of a ounce, of musk three grains, of flour so much that is enough to work into dough the named ingredients.
  Then you shall make the biscotti large or small, like to your want.  Then these you shall make to cook like the peppered bread, but these you make four to six ounces each, and not any larger.

 I do not have a recipe in the Libro Novo for the peppered bread (ugh!) he refers to and this one looks like a biscotti, but very sweet and spicy.  I will see what I can do with this recipe for a Pennsic class.

 NOTE:  All pounds are 12 ounces (345g) and I would use true cinnamon instead of cassia cinnamon, but he may mean cassia as he uses the word cinamomo which is used rarely in this book.  The usual word is canella which I am very sure means Ceylon or true cinnamon.

                 Master B

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:24:53 -0500
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] pan forte / pan pepato sort of recipe 1564

<<< NOTE:  All pounds are 12 ounces (345g) and I would use true cinnamon 
instead of cassia cinnamon, but he may mean cassia as he uses the word 
cinamomo which is used rarely in this book.  The usual word is canella 
which I am very sure means Ceylon or true cinnamon.

                Master B >>>

The Italian libra of the period was closer to 328 g. being roughly .722 
avoirdupois pounds.  The Italian onza is approximately 27.25 g., making 
about 1 g. lighter than the standard avoirdupois ounce.

Bear 

Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:49:33 +0000
From: CHARLES POTTER <basiliusphocas at hotmail.com>
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] pan forte / pan pepato sort of recipe 1564

<<< The Italian libra of the period was closer to 328 g. being roughly .722 
avoirdupois pounds.  The Italian onza is approximately 27.25 g., making 
about 1 g. lighter than the standard avoirdupois ounce.

Bear >>>

 The weights I have given are only good for the Libro Novo (Bancetti) in the city of Ferrara.  There are no standard wts. and measures for all of Italy in the 16th century.  A very good source is Italian Weights and Measures from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century by Ronald Edward Zupko.  A wealth of information followed by a splitting headache if you read too much of it at a time!

        Master B

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 09:23:19 -0600
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

A while back, Emilio and Helewyse presented us with a period panforte recipe 
from "Del compendio de secreti rationale" by Leonardo Fiorvanti.  Helewyse kindly provided a translation.  I've been working on the recipe and for your
entertainment here is the most recent preparation from my kitchen.
Transcript and translation are appended to keep all of them together.

Bear

Panforte

Flour                                  900 grams (7 1/2 Cups)
Water                                 474 grams (2 Cups)
Honey                                   85 grams (1/4) cup
Yeast                                      1 Tablespoon
Salt                                         2 Teaspoons
Pepper                                    1 Teaspoon
Cumin                                   1/4 Teaspoon
Cloves                                  1/4 Teaspoon
Saffron (optional)                   2 or 3 threads

Candied Gourd                     96 grams (1/2 Cup)
Candied Orange Peel            96 grams (1/2 Cup)

1 beaten egg white for glaze (optional and beyond the actual recipe)

In a bowl, mix the candied fruit and 60 grams (1/2 Cup) of flour.  Mix 
together until the fuit is thoroughly coated.  I replaced the candied gourd 
with fruit cake mix, being without candied gourd.

Dissolve the honey in 237 grams (1 Cup) of just boiling water.  Add the 
saffron.  Set aside to cool.  If saffron is considered a scribal error, use 
237 grams (1 Cup) of warm water when adding the liqour to the dry 
ingredients.

Proof the yeast in 237 grams (1 Cup) of warm water.  Add a pinch of sugar to
activate the yeast, if necessary.

Combine 720 grams (6 Cups) of flour, salt, pepper, cumin and cloves in a 
mixing bowl.  Blend together.  Add the yeast mixture and beat it in.  Add 
the cooled honey mixture and beat it in.  The result should be a sticky, 
soft dough.  Add the remaining flour two other three Tablespoons at a time 
and work it in until the dough is only slightly sticky, hard dough.  Knead 
on a lightly floured surface or in the mixer.  Add small amounts additional 
flour if necessary during kneading.  Due to the honey, the actual amount of 
flour needed may vary from the amounts specified in the recipe.  If the 
dough becomes too dry to stick together add water, one tablespoon at a time 
until it does.

Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled bowl and cover.  Allow to rise until 
doubled.  Approximately two to three hours.

On a lightly floured surface, flatten out the raised dough.  Divide into two 
equal parts if two loaves are desired.  Scatter the fruit mix on the 
flattened dough.  Roll up the dough, so the fruit is evenly distributed 
throughout.  Shape into one or two loaves, as desired.

Scatter corn (maize) meal or other coarse meal on a baking sheet (to prevent 
the dough from sticking) place the loaf or loaves on the meal.  Cover and 
let rise until doubled. About one to two hours.

Brush beaten egg white on the crust(s), if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.  Turn the loaves out on racks to cool.

Del modo di fare il pan forte, che si fa nelle speciarie Cap 39 Libro
Quinto.  Il  pan forte che si fa nelle spetiarie che a Roma lo chiamano pan
pepato,  perciohe vi entra il pepe, a Bologna lo chiamano pan spetiale,
percioche  vi mettono dentro di piu sorti di spetie, & a Venetia lo chiamano
pan forte dal pepe che vi mettono, & in altri luochi lo chiamano in  diversi
altri modi; una in quanto al modo di farlo e quasi tutto uno,  & si fa cosi
cioe, si piglia farina, & se gli fa il suo levato  come si fa per fare il
pane, & poi si impasta con acqua e mele tanto  di uno quanto di l'altro, &
vi si mette pepe, zafarano, comino,  garofali, zucche condite, scorze di
naranze condite; di tutte le  sopradette cose quella quantita che pare allo
speciale, che si convenga  in detto pane; & impastato che sara, fare il
pane, & lasciarlo  levare, e poi farlo cuocere nel forno, avvertendo che il
forno non sia  trooppo caldo quando vi si metto il detto pane, & questo e
molto  salutifero (salutisero) allo stomaco rispetto alle specie che vi
entrano.

The way to make "pan forte" that is made by the Spiciers (Chapter 39, Fifth
book)  The  strong bread that is made by the spiciers of Rome is called
Peppered  bread, because it contains pepper, in Bologna it is called spiced
bread  because they put inside many more types of spices, and in Venice they
call it strong bread because of the pepper they put in, and in other  places
it is called in many other ways, however in all these places the  way of
making it is almost only one, and one makes it thus that is, one  takes
flour, and one gives it it's raising agent (bigo) the same as one  does for
making bread, and then one pastes it (mixes it) with water and  honey more
of the  one (first) than the other (second), and one puts into it pepper,
saffron, cumin, cloves, candied gourd (could be squash given time period  of
writing) and candied orange peel, and all these above things one  puts in in
the quantity that is the opinion of the spicier, that one  agrees is better
to add to this bread; and when it is mixed make the  bread and leave it to
raise, and then put it to cook in the oven, taking  care that the oven is
not too hot when you add the bread, and this is  very healthy to the stomach
because of the spices it has inside.

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 13:24:55 -0600
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

I've got a stack of recipes on candying fruits, roots, and peels, and I plan 
on trying them out, including candied squash or gourd (depending on what I 
can find, Oklahoma not being as kind as the Coasts).

Remember that "panforte" means "strong bread." There are two types of 
panforte.  One is honey, fruit and nuts with a little flour mixed in and no 
leaven and no water.  It doesn't show up in the 19th Century Italian 
cookbooks I have, although it has similarity to period lebkuchen.  I think 
there is a modern recipe for it out in the Florilegium.  The second panforte 
is a sweetened bread with spice, fruit and nuts it does use leaven and water 
and is found in the 19th Century cookbooks.  The original 16th Century 
recipe I used calls for flour, water and bigo with more water than honey. 
It is obviously a bread recipe for a sweetened but not enriched bread.  It 
might also be classed as a great cake in that era.

My choices are based on experience with sweet doughs.  I am working by 
weight for precision.  The spices I am using are very fresh and they provide 
a pleasant bite without being overpowering.

You should be able to increase the cloves and the cumin to 1/2 teaspoon 
without much problem.  At 1 teaspoon, the pepper is very noticeable.  The 
saffron doesn't seem to add much to the bread, so it may need to be 
increased (or just omitted to keep costs down).  If in small pieces, the 
fruit could be doubled, but I would recommend not reducing the amount of 
dough or you run the risk of having too much fruit push through the crust. 
Use the 1/2 cup of flour with the candied fruit to keep it from sticking 
together.

The six cups of flour to the two cups of water and quarter cup of honey 
produces a soft, sticky dough.  The additional cup (or portion thereof) of 
flour produces a hard, less sticky dough.  You can increase the honey to a 
half cup, but you may need more flour than the six cups to form the basic 
soft, sticky dough.  If you are not measuring ingredients by weight, YMMV 
quite a bit from mine.  And remember, the stickier the dough, the more flour 
you will use during kneading and shaping.

The end product is similar to raisin bread, but more interesting in my 
opinion.

Bear

<<< Are you making your own candied gourd?
Also I am interested in your choice of amounts.
This does seem very "bread" like and not so much "panforte" like (having 
not made it yet).
I thinking of upping the spice and fruit ratio and lowering the flour 
amounts and using more honey.
I think this would become more "cake" like (quotation marks used because 
it is not really bread, panforte or cake).
Obviously your choices are totally appropriate, but the thinking behind 
them is what intrigues me.
I will post my redaction, interpretation, adaptation after I candy some 
gourd.
The saba making is tomorrow so I should probably prepare for that!
Eduardo >>>

Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2011 16:28:00 -0600
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Panforte

<<< The second panforte is a sweetened bread with spice, fruit and nuts it does use leaven and water and is found in the 19th Century cookbooks. The original 16th Century recipe I used calls for flour, water and bigo with more water than honey. It is obviously a bread recipe for a sweetened but not enriched bread. It
might also be classed as a great cake in that era. >>>

This sounds closer to the Italian sweet yeasted bread that is today called 
Pannetone (a four syllable word, BTW, for those unfamiliar with Italian). 
I don't bake yeasted stuff often, so i haven't compared yours with a 
modern Pannetone recipe. Have you baked Pannetone? If so, in what ways 
does it differ from the SCA period Panforte recipe?
-- 
Urtatim [that's err-tah-TEEM]
------------

Yes I have baked pannetone.  Pannetone uses sweeter spices, a broader range 
of fruit and nuts and the dough is enriched with eggs, milk and butter where 
the panforte uses spices with greater bite and is a sweetened basic bread 
dough.  It's the eggs, milk and butter that make the real difference in the 
two products.

Bear 

Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:32 -0600
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at att.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Interesting artilce-

I've made it a few times.  My cakes are flatter than what is shown, but that 
is more a matter of the pans.  Panforte is originally referenced in 13th 
Century monastery records from Siena as "honey and pepper cakes", but there 
is no period recipe for this variant although it is similar to contemporary 
lebkuchen and gingerbread.  There is a a period recipe for the more 
bread-like variant under the name panpepato.

Bear

Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:28:28 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Pan Pepato - was Interesting artilce-

On Jan 28, 2012, at 1:00 PM, Terry Decker wrote:
<<<< I've made it a few times.  My cakes are flatter than what is shown,  
but that is more a matter of the pans.  Panforte is originally  
referenced in 13th Century monastery records from Siena as "honey  
and pepper cakes", but there is no period recipe for this variant  
although it is similar to contemporay lebkuchen and gingerbread.   
There is a a period recipe for the more bread-like variant under the  
name panpepato.

Bear >>>

Baroness Helewyse actually came up with a recipe in 2009.

On Tue Feb 24 11:05:44 PST 2009, she wrote
<<< The odd thing is that I finally found a period recipe for panpepato  
(pan forte) in a chiurgeon book of all places.
It is, after all the same festival bread referenced in Elizabeth  
Davids bread book and previously identified in other period cook  
books.  I.e. a yeast bread with added sugar, spices, fruit etc.
I have included the recipe and reference below, the original book is  
in the Gallica collection at BNF:

Del modo di fare il pan forte, che si fa nelle speciarie Cap 39 Libro Quinto.
Il pan forte che si fa nelle spetiarie che a Roma lo chiamano pan pepato,
perciohe vi entra il pepe, a Bologna lo chiamano pan spetiale, percioche vi
mettono dentro di piu sorti di spetie, & a Venetia lo chiamano pan forte dal
pepe che vi mettono, & in altri luochi lo chiamano in diversi altri modi;
una in quanto al modo di farlo e quasi tutto uno, & si fa cosi cioe, si
piglia farina, & se gli fa il suo levato come si fa per fare il pane, & poi
si impasta con acqua e mele tanto di uno quanto di l'altro, & vi si mette
pepe, zafarano, comino, garofali, zucche condite, scorze di naranze condite;
di tutte le sopradette cose quella quantita che pare allo speciale, che si
convenga in detto pane; & impastato che sara, fare il pane, & lasciarlo
levare, e poi farlo cuocere nel forno, avvertendo che il forno non sia
trooppo caldo quando vi si metto il detto pane, & questo e molto salutifero
(salutisero) allo stomaco rispetto alle specie che vi entrano.

The way to make "pan forte" that is made by the Spiciers (Chapter  39, Fifth book)The strong bread that is made by the spiciers of Rome is called  Peppered bread, because it contains pepper, in Bologna it is called spiced bread because they put inside many more types of spices, and in Venice  they call it strong bread because of the pepper they put in, and in other places it is called in many other ways, however in all these places the way of making it is almost only one, and one makes it thus that is, one takes flour, and one gives it it's raising agent (bigo) the same as one does for making  bread, and then one pastes it (mixes it) with water and honey more of the one(first) than the other (second), and one puts into it pepper, saffron, cumin, cloves, candied gourd (could be squash given time period of writing)and candied orange peel, and all these above things one puts in in  the quantity that is the opinion of the spicier, that one agrees is  better to add to this bread; and when it is mixed make the bread and leave it to raise, and then put it to cook in the oven, taking care that the  oven is not too hot when you add the bread, and this is very healthy to the stomach because of the spices it has inside.
[The book was:   ]

Type : texte imprim?, monographie
Auteur(s) :  Fioravanti, Leonardo
Titre(s) :  Compendio de i secreti rationali [Document  
?lectronique] / di M.
Leonardo Fioravanti Bolognese,...
Type de ressource ?lectronique :  Donn?es textuelles
Publication :  1995
Description mat?rielle :  [11]-183 f.

Note(s) :  Date d'?d. du microfilm provenant d'un catalogue d'?diteur
Reproduction :  Num. BNF de l'?d. de : Cambridge (Mass.) : Omnisys,  
[ca 1990] (Italian books before 1601 ; 425.4). 1 microfilmReprod. de  
l'?d. de : Turino : appresso Giovanni Dominico Tarino, 1592

Subject(s) :  M?decine -- Ouvrages avant 1800 >>>

Johnnae

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	panforte-msg	 of