Category Archives: 15th century

Gyngerbrede

17 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by in 15th century, desserts

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Our reenactment group Merry Swan together with Häme Castle and friends arranged an event: Medieval food, everyday life and luxury, during the first weekend of December. I was displaying all sorts of vegetables and fruits that were most likely eaten in the castle during Medieval times. Representing luxury, I had payne ragoun and gyngerbrede for all the visitors to taste if they wanted to know how medieval delicacies tasted like. Having something to taste at the display was a huge success. Mervi had also baked different bread’s for guests to taste with homemade butter. She asked the spectators about how wealthy they were and then when hearing the response gave them either fine wheat bread, rye bread or barley bread all made from sourdough. She also baked some of bread at the site. Ah so much fun!

Anyway I have tested this recipe once and it worked. Many people have been asking for the recipe so I will publish it now although normally I will spend hours and hours to read and test the recipe. So here it is..

Suomenkielinen resepti löytyy yläpalkista!

Gyngerberde – Gingerbread

Take a quart of hony & sethe it, skeme it clene; take Safroun, pouder Pepir & throw ther-on; take gratyd Brede make it so chargeaunt that it wol be y-lechyd; then take pouder Canelle & straw ther-on y-now; then make yt square, lyke as thou wolt leche yt; take when thou lechyst hyt, and caste Box leves a-bouyn, y-stykyd theron, on clowys. And if thou wolt haue it Red, coloure it with Saunderys y-now.

Serves about 10

  • 450 g honey
  • 180 g dried bread crumbs
  • pinch of saffron
  • 1 teaspoon of ginger (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon fine ground long pepper (or black pepper)
  • 1 ½ tablespoon of cinnamon
  • (1 teaspoon of sandalwood powder)
  • whole cloves to garnish
  1. Bring the honey boil in a pot. Keep simmering the honey about 5 minutes. Stir and make sure it will not burn.
  2. Skim the surface.
  3. If you are using sandalwood to color the dish add it. Add saffron and pepper.
  4. Add dried bread crumbs and stir well.
  5. Take the mixture off the heat and let it cool.
  6. Sprinkle the cinnamon on a plate or cutting board where you are forming the pieces.
  7. When the mixture is not too hot you can cut it in pieces and form balls or use cutters to make different kinds of shapes. Dust the pieces with cinnamon or just roll the balls on the cinnamon.
  8. Garnish with whole cloves if you wish.

Comments: Since these gingerbreads are not baked, they are more like candies than actual biscuit or cake. The dough feels like marzipan but it can lose its form a bit in storage. Also the temperature will affect the shape after a while. The ginger is actually missing in the recipe but the name suggests that it might have added to the dish anyway. Although this is not certain. Some other similar gyngerbrede recipes does have ginger in it.

I decided not use the sandalwood either for coloring the gyngerbrede red this time. I do have sandalwood powder but I made this dish for the Häme Castle event and for the spectators to taste so I did not want it to be too exotic. Next time I need to test with the sandalwood and probably update the recipe after that. So at this point I don’t know how much sandalwood would be enough to color the dough, but my guess is that 1 teaspoon would do the trick.. perhaps less. Anyway the sandalwood is as the recipe says optional.

I had no boxwood leaves for to garnish the gyngerbrede (I don’t know if and where to get the leaves here in Finland). I am not completely sure but I read that they might be poisonous so I would omit them. You can use whole cloves to garnish as the recipe says.

Source:

  • Take a thousand eggs or more, A collection of 15th century recipes, Cindy Renfrow (Harleian MS.279, c.1420)

Asparagus x 2

25 Wednesday Apr 2018

Posted by in 14th century, 15th century, Anonimo Toscano, Platina, Sent Sovi, vegetables

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Asparagus season is here! This time I decided to do two different recipes. The first recipe is Italian and from Libro della cocina, Anonimo Toscano (around the end of the 14th century and beginning of the 15th century). It is the classic Asparagus with Saffron dish that is very well known among living history geeks and one version can also be found in our cooking book Saffron, Eggs and Almond Milk. I have made some changes for the recipe (mainly spices and for the cooking instructions). The second one is from a Catalan source Sent Sovi (around middle of 14th century). It is dish that is easy to make and very tasty.

Later during 15th century Bartolomeo Platina, a famous italian writer and gastronomist of that time, wrote in his book “De honesta voluptate et valetudine” about health benefits of eating asparagus. He wrote that if asparagus was eaten during the first course it would combat flatulence of the stomach and soften the bowels. But also it would bring clearness of the eyes and that it is good for chest and spine pains and for ills of the intestines. He wrote that adding wine to asparagus would make the benefits more effective but eating too much asparagus will be dangerous for the health.

Source: Platina, On Right Pleasure and Good Health, Milham E.

Suomenkieliset reseptit löytyvät yläpalkista!

De li sparaci – Asparagus with saffron

Togli li sparaci e falli bollire; e quando sieno bulliti, ponli a cocere con oglio, cipolle, sale e zaffarano, espezie trite, o senza.

Serves 4

  • about 450 g green asparagus
  • 1,5 dl water
  • olive oil
  • 2 spring onions (or 1 common onion)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of saffron
  • pinch of ground spices: cinnamon, ginger, cloves

Snap off the dry ends of asparagus and carefully peel the asparagus ends if needed (if they are very thick and woody, usually not necessary in my opinion). Place the asparagus on a large frying pan and add about 1,5 dl water and let it simmer for about 5 mins. Be careful not to overcook. Pour the reminding water away and add oil, chopped spring onions and spices. Fry 6-10 minutes or before they are done. Serve warm.

Comments: The original recipe tells to use onion which is most likely common onion. Scallions are mentioned twice in the source. In one recipe the scallions are mentioned with onions. So most likely the common onion is what was meant for this dish. I was rebellious and wanted to use spring onion because they were available.

The original recipe doesn’t specify what kind of ground spices to use. The recipe only suggest to use ground spices or not to use them. It is up to you. There is 184 recipes in the source and I quickly counted that there is about a bit over 70 recipes that does not specify what kind of ground spices (good spices, fine spices, some spices..) are used in the dish. Pepper and saffron were most commonly mentioned separately (sometimes with other “spices” and sometimes without). Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom were mentioned couple times. Also seeds like mustard, anise, fennel, cumin and coriander were mentioned. Some herbs too but those I did not count this time. I choose to use some most common spices.

Serve this dish for 4 people as an appetizer or with other main course dish.

Source:Libro della cocina, Anonimo Toscano around the end of the 14th century and beginning of the 15th century

Espàrrecs -Asparagus with white wine

Espàrrecs si vols fer; quan seran perbullits e sosengats mith-hi vin blanc e espècies comunes e un poc de bon sucre blanc.

Serves 4

  • about 450 g green asparagus
  • 1,5 dl water
  • olive oil
  • 0,5 dl white wine
  • pinch of common spices: cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, salt
  • pinch of sugar

Snap off the dry ends of asparagus and carefully peel the asparagus ends if needed (if they are very thick and woody, usually not necessary in my opinion). Place the asparagus on a large frying pan and add about 1,5 dl water and let it simmer for about 5 mins. Be careful not to overcook. Pour the remaining water away. Add oil and fry about 6 minutes and add white wine and spices. Boil well and serve hot.

Comments: The original recipe does not specify what kind of common spices were supposed to use for the dish. There is 87 recipes in Sent Sovi. Most common spices in the recipes are cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Also pepper (and saffron) were mentioned several times. Other spices like nutmeg, grains of paradise, cubebs, long pepper was mentioned.

Like in many other medieval dish there is sugar in ingredient list and the dish tastes sweet because of it. Sugar enhance other flavors in the dish. Serve this dish for 4 people as an appetizer or with other main course dish.

Source: The book of Sent Sovi: Santanach, Vogelzang. 14th century

Congordes – Squash soup

26 Sunday Oct 2014

Posted by in 15th century, soups

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There are all together four different extant Le Viandier manuscripts, which are one of the most famous medieval French cookery manuscripts from (dated around) 14th century. Fifth version was destroyed during the 2nd World War. All of the manuscript has variations and they are not identical. All in all there are 15 printed editions of them. Some of the editions clearly have recipes that probably are not even originally connected to Le Viandier but nevertheless they are dated from 1490 to 1604. This recipe comes from a 15th century printed edition.

CONGORDES

Pour congordes, pelés les et deccopés par rouelles, et ostés la graine dedens, s’il en y a, et les mettés pourboulir en une paelle, et puis les purés, et mettés de l’eaue froide par dessus, et les espregnés et hachés bien menu; et puis les assemblés avec boullon de beuf ou d’autre cher, et y mettés du lait de vache, et destrampés demy douzaine de moyeux d’oeufz, passés par l’estamine parmy le boullon avec le lait, et, au jours maigrez, de purée de poys ou de lait d’amandes, et du beurre.
squash soup
1,5 kg butternut squash (or pumpkin*) or about 1 liter of squash puree
1 dl strong meat broth
2 dl cream
2 egg yolks

Peel the squash and remove seeds. Cut the squash into small cubes. Boil the cubes soft in water and then puree the squash. Make sure that the puree is not too wet. Add meat broth and cream and boil briefly. Carefully mix together the egg yolks and little bit of hot soup in a separate bowl. Add egg mixture to the soup and mix well. Boil briefly and add salt if needed.

*Use squash or gourd if you can. You can use pumpkin (Cucurbita) too, but remember that most of the species are from New World. Lagenaria- family gourds have been cultivated in Europe during Middle Ages but these days it is really hard to find them from normal grocery shops at least here at Finland.

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CONGORDES

1,5 kg myskikurpitsaa tai muuta saatavilla olevaa kurpitsaa* tai n. litra kurpitsasosetta
1 dl vahvaa lihalientä
2 dl kermaa
2 kananmunan keltuaista

Kuori ja poista siemenet kurpitsasta ja leikkaa kurpitsa pieniksi paloiksi. Kiehauta kurpitsan palat vedessä kypsäksi. Tarkkaile, ettei soseesta tule liian löysää. Lisää lihaliemi ja kerma ja kiehauta. Ota hieman keittoa erilliseen kulhoon ja sekoita sen joukkoon kananmunan keltuaiset. Lisää seos kuumaan kiehuvaan keittoon hyvin sekoittaen. Kiehauta ja lisää tarvittaessa suolaa.

*Suomessa ruokakaupassa myytävät kurpitsat ovat tavallisesti uuden maailman tuotteita, eli juuri näitä lajeja ei kasvanut keskiajalla Euroopassa. Niitä voi kuitenkin hyvin käyttää korvaavana raaka-aineena, ellei muuta ole saatavilla.

Le viandier pour appareiller toutes manières de viandes / 15th century Viandier, c. 1485/90
(Pichon/Vicaire: ‘Le Viandier de Taillevent, Édition du XVe siècle’). Digital edition by Thomas Gloning.
https://www.staff.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/viand15.htm

Cherry Torte

04 Monday Aug 2014

Posted by in 15th century, pies and tarts

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Summer has been busy as always. We once again we were making daily meals at Cudgel Wars in July. This time I had time to take couple of photos and I posted to “Let hem boyle’s” Facebook page. As soon as I have time I will write down the recipes and post them here. My dear friend Sahra became a member of the Order of the Laurel at Cudgel Wars. Last weekend I re-made a cherry torte I did for her vigil at the event.

How to make a red cherry and rose torte

Take the blackest cherries you can find, and after you have removed the pits, grind well in a mortar, and take some red roses that have been finely chopped with a knife, with a little fresh cheese and a bit of good aged cheese, adding some spices, that is, cinnamon, ginger, and a little pepper and some sugar. And mix all these things together very well, adding also three or four eggs as needed. And cook slowly in a pan with a crust on the bottom. As soon as it is done, top with some sugar and some rosewater.

cherry

The dough

3-4 dl flour
100 g butter
4 tablespoon of water
4 tablespoon of sugar

The filling

About 500 g cherries (3 dl chopped cherries)
(Couple edible rose petals chopped- or rosewater)
2 tablespoon of rosewater
200 g fresh cheese
1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese (-optional)
3 eggs
1/2 dl sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ginger
A dash of ground black pepper

Sugar and rosewater for finishing touch

Mix together the dough ingredients and put the dough to the fridge to rest until the filling is done.
Remove the stones and the stems from the cherries. Chop the cherries finely or grind them in a mortar. Mix together well all filling ingredients. Use chopped fresh edible red rose petals or rosewater. Bake in an oven in 225 Celsius about 20-30 minutes until the filling has set and the crust is golden brown. Sprinkle the torte with a little bit of rosewater and sugar if you wish before serving.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

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Kesä on ollut täynnä kiirettä kuten aikaisempinakin vuosina. Nuijasodassa ehdin jopa kokkauksen lomassa ottamaan pari valokuvaa ruuista.. reseptejä seuraa heti kun ehdin kirjoittamaan ne puhtaaksi. Tässä on kuitenkin nyt kovasti kysytyn kirsikkapiiraan ohje. Tein piirakkaa hyvän ystäväni Sahran vigiliaan (hänestä tuli laakeriseppeleen ritarikunnan jäsen) Nuijasodassa viime kuussa.

Kirsikkapiiras

Taikina

3-4 dl vehnäjauhoja
100 g voita
4 rkl vettä
4 rkl sokeria

Täyte

Noin 500 g kirsikoita (3 dl kirsikoita hienonnettuna)
(Muutama syötävä ruusun terälehti hienonnettuna tai ruusuvettä)
2 rkl ruusuvettä
200 g maustamatonta tuorejuustoa
1 rkl parmesan juustoraastetta (ei välttämätön)
3 kananmunaa
1/2 dl sokeria
1/2 tl kanelia
1/2 tl inkivääriä
Hyppysellinen jauhettua mustapippuria

Sokeria ja ruusuvettä viimeistelyyn

Sekoita taikinan ainekset keskenään ja laita taikina jääkaappiin vetäytymään siksi aikaa kun teet täytteen.
Poista kirsikoista kivet ja varret ja hienonna ne joko veitsellä pieneksi tai morttelissa. Sekoita keskenään täytteen ainekset hyvin. Käytä tuoreita syötäviä ruusun terälehtiä, jos niitä on saatavilla. Muuten voit korvata terälehdet ruusuvedellä. Paista 225 asteessa noin 20-30 minuuttia kunnes täyte on hyytynyt ja piirakan reunat ovat kullan ruskeat. Voit halutessasi pirskotella valmiin piiraan päälle hieman ruusuvettä ja sokeria ennen tarjoilua.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

Two Furmenty recipes

21 Sunday Apr 2013

Posted by in 14th century, 15th century, Forme of Cury, meat

≈ 1 Comment

I have done lots of cooking lately. I got sidetracked from my goal to re-make and write the recipes for the dishes (from Forme of Cury) that we made at Midwinter Feast.  Last weekend a friend came over and he brought some nice reindeer meat with him. I have always wanted to make Furmenty with Venison from Take a thousand eggs or more –2nd book (Harleian MS. 4016, c. 1450). So I ended up testing two recipes that goes well with the reindeer. The Furmenty version is posted here now along with the Forme of Cury’s (from MS. Douce 257, Ancient Cookery c. 1381 part by S.Pegge) furmenty recipe that we made at Midwinter Feast. The other reindeer recipe from last weekend and “how to cook venison” I will post later.

So this post is all about that thick wheat porridge, which is very familiar for all who have read medieval recipes. It is very commonly served with venison in meat days. There are lots of different versions of the furmenty (or frumenty, frumentee…) in sources from different countries and time frame.

Thoughts about the two different recipes

There are some similarities definitely in these recipes, but lots of differences. The 14th century recipe suggests that you can use almond milk instead of “swete mylk, sweet milk” and that is a good choice if you are making the furmenty with fish and as a Lenten dish (Forme of Cury has a Lenten version of furmenty with porpoise – at that time thought to be a fish). The recipe also suggests that you should use broth, (probably meat broth if non Lenten time) but the other recipe does not call for broth, just “fair water”. The 15th century dish says that sugar and saffron is added to the dish.  So the dish should be sweet and sour and colored with saffron. The 14th century recipe does not advice to add sugar or saffron (although I did use saffron because I wanted to have more color to the dish). Both dishes say that furmenty is served with venison. The 14th century recipe also says it can be served with mutton.

Furmenty with Venison

Take fair wheat and bray it in a mortar. And fan away clean the dust, and wash it in fair water and let it boil till it breaks. Then take away the water clean, and cast thereto sweet milk, and set it over the fire. Let it boil till it is thick enough. And cast thereto a good quantity of separated raw yolks of eggs, and cast thereto saffron, sugar and salt; but let it boil no more then, but set it on few coals, lest the liquor wax cold. And then take fresh venison, and water it. Seethe it and cut it in thin slices. And if it is salted, water it, seethe it and cut it as it shall be served forth, and put it (in a vessel) with fair water, and boil it again. And as it boils, blow away the grease, and serve it forth with furmenty, and a little broth in the dish all hot with the flesh.

rdeerfurm-6539

Serves 4

3 dl spelt

5 dl water

2 dl cream

2 egg yolks

pinch of saffron

1 tablespoon of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of salt (or salt to the taste)

Cook the spelt in water until the water has absorbed. Add cream and saffron and simmer in a low heat until the cream has absorbed to the spelt. Add more water if needed. When the furmenty looks like a porridge and is done, add yolks, salt and sugar. Stir couple of minutes. Serve hot with boiled deer or reindeer meat (one recipe suggestion later).

Comments: Sugar makes a nice twist in this dish! Do not be afraid to use it.

(Take a thousand eggs or more, II Volume, Harleian MS. 4016, c. 1450)

For to make Furmenty

Nym clene wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys gon al of and seyt yt til it breste and nym yt up. And lat it kele and nym fayre fresch broth and swete mylk of Almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al. And nym the yolkys of eyryn. Boyle it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fat venison and fresh moton.

furmenty

Serves 4

3 dl spelt

5 dl meat broth

2 dl cream

2 egg yolks

(saffron, salt)

Cook the spelt in meat broth until the water has absorbed. Add cream (and a pinch of saffron if you want) and simmer in a low heat until the cream has absorbed to the spelt. Add more water if needed. When the furmenty looks like a porridge and is done, add yolks. Stir couple of minutes. Add salt if needed. Serve hot with boiled deer or reindeer meat or with cooked mutton.

Comments: Saffron is not mentioned in the original text. Other furmenty recipes sometimes call for saffron. You can leave it away if you wish.

(Forme of Cury, Ancient Cookery, c. 1381)

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Jouduin sivuraiteille viime viikonloppuna, tarkoituksena kun oli tehdä ruokia Sydäntalven juhlien pidoilta blogia varten ja keskittyä Forme of Curyyn. Kaveri tuli käymään meillä ja toi mukanaan poron paistia. Olen aina halunnut tehdä Take a thousand eggs of moren II-kirjasta perinteistä keskiaikaista vehnäpuuroa riistalihan kera (Furmenty with Venison, Harleian MS. 4016, ajoitettu n. 1450). Niinpä päädyin tekemään kaksi pororuokaa viime viikonloppuna. Furmenty (vehnäpuuro) versio poron kera on tässä alla sekä Furmenty, Forme of Curystä (peräisin MS. Douce 257 (Ancient Cookery) käsikirjoituksesta, joka on osa S. Peggen Forme of Cury reseptikokoelmaa), jota teimme myös Sydäntalven juhlassa. Aika sekavasti selitetty, mutta toivottavasti saatte jutun juonesta kiinni… Joka tapauksessa sen toisen viime viikonloppuisen pororeseptin ja “kuinka keittää poron paistia”- reseptin laitan tänne myöhemmin.

Eli siis.. tämä blogipostaus koskee pelkästään tuota keskiajalla tunnettua vehnäpuuroa. Tätä kyseistä puuroa on kutsuttu monella nimellä, riippuen lähteestä (furmenty, frumenty, frumentee..). Se on tuttu monelle, jotka ovat tutustuneet keskiaikaisiin ruokaresepteihin. Furmenty tarjoillaan usein riistalihan kera, yleensä peuran lihan kera (muutkin vaihtoehdot käyvät, koska sana ”venison” voi tarkoittaa hirveä tai kaurista tms.).

Ajatuksia kahden alla olevan reseptin eroista ja yhtäläisyyksistä

Näissä kahdessa alla olevassa reseptissä on paljon yhtäläisyyksiä, mutta toisaalta myös paljon eroja. 1300-luvun reseptissä neuvotaan käyttämään halutessa mantelimaitoa ”makean maidon” (tässä tapauksessa käytin kermaa) sijasta, mikä onkin hyvä vaihtoehto, jos ruuan tarjoilee kalan kera tai paastonajan ruokana. Forme of Curyssä on paastonajan versio tälle ruokalajille, joka on tehty mantelimaitoon. Paaston ajan furmenty neuvotaan tarjoilemaan hauskasti (?) delfiinin kera, jota tuohon aikaan pidettiin kalana. 1300-luvun resepti kehottaa käyttämään vehnän keittämiseen hyvää lientä (mahdollisesti lihalientä, jos kyseessä ei ole paastopäivä). 1400-luvun resepti taas ei neuvo käyttämään lientä vaan puhdasta vettä (jälleen hauska yksityiskohta, jota voisi pohtia enemmänkin). 1400-luvun resepti kertoo, että ruokaan tulee myös sokeria ja sahramia. Eli ruuan tulee olla suolaisen makea ja väriltään sahramin kultaista. 1300-luvun resepti ei neuvo lisäämän sokeria tai sahramia (tosin laitoin omaan versiooni sahramia, lähinnä värin vuoksi). Molemmat reseptit neuvovat tarjoamaan ruuan peuranlihan (tai vastaavan) kera. 1300-luvun resepti kertoo, että lampaan liha käy myös.

Furmenty with Venison – vehnäpuuroa riistalihan kera

Take fair wheat and bray it in a mortar. And fan away clean the dust, and wash it in fair water and let it boil till it breaks. Then take away the water clean, and cast thereto sweet milk, and set it over the fire. Let it boil till it is thick enough. And cast thereto a good quantity of separated raw yolks of eggs, and cast thereto saffron, sugar and salt; but let it boil no more then, but set it on few coals, lest the liquor wax cold. And then take fresh venison, and water it. Seethe it and cut it in thin slices. And if it is salted, water it, seethe it and cut it as it shall be served forth, and put it (in a vessel) with fair water, and boil it again. And as it boils, blow away the grease, and serve it forth with furmenty, and a little broth in the dish all hot with the flesh.

4 hengelle

3 dl spelttihelmiä

5 dl vettä

2 dl kermaa

2 kananmunan keltuaista

hyppysellinen sahramia

1 ruokalusikallinen ruskeaa sokeria

1 teelusikallinen suolaa tai suolaa maun mukaan

Keitä spelttihelmiä vedesssä, kunnes vesi on imeytynyt spelttiin. Lisää kerma ja sahrami. Hauduta miedolla lämmöllä, kunnes kerma on imeytynyt spelttiin. Lisää vettä tarvittaessa. Kun speltti on puuroutunut ja kypsää, lisää munankeltuaiset, suola ja sokeri ja sekoittele muutama minuutti. Tarjoa kuumana keitetyn riistalihan kera (reseptiehdotelma siitä, miten keitetään poroa, tulee tänne myöhemmin).

Kommentit: Sokeri tekee mukavan säväyksen tähän ruokaan! Älä pelkää käyttää sitä.

(Take a thousand eggs or more, II Volume, Harleian MS. 4016, n. 1450)

For to make Furmenty – vehnäpuuro

Nym clene wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys gon al of and seyt yt til it breste and nym yt up. And lat it kele and nym fayre fresch broth and swete mylk of Almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al. And nym the yolkys of eyryn. Boyle it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fat venison and fresh moton.

4 hengelle

3 dl spelttihelmiä

5 dl lihalientä

2 dl kermaa

2 kananmunan keltuaisia

(sahramia, suolaa)

Keitä spelttihelmiä hyvässä lihaliemessä, kunnes neste on imeytynyt spelttiin. Lisää kerma (ja sahrami, niin halutessasi). Hauduta miedolla lämmöllä, kunnes kerma on imeytynyt spelttiin. Lisää vettä tarvittaessa. Kun speltti on puuroutunut ja kypsää, lisää munankeltuaiset ja sekoittele muutama minuutti. Lisää suolaa tarvittaessa. Tarjoa kuumana keitetyn riistalihan tai lampaan kera

Kommentit: Sahramia ei mainita alkuperäisessä reseptissä. Muutamissa muissa keskiaikaisissa furmenty resepteissä sahrami on tosin mainittu. Voit jättää sahramin pois, jos haluat.

(Forme of Cury, Ancient Cookery, n. 1381)

Ravoli for non-lenten times

07 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by in 15th century, meat, pasta

≈ 3 Comments

Some time ago I was spending weekend alone at home. We have gotten a pasta machine as wedding gift and I finally decided to take it away from the box and learn how to do homemade pasta. I have done pasta with machine long time ago and I usually do ravioli only with rolling pin. I don’t have other (modern) pasta equipments like drying stand, ravioli trays.. pasta wheel I just bought. But you don’t actually need anything else than a knife and a rolling pin for making pasta or ravioli.

To combine two fun things I decided to learn how to make pasta with using modern machine and make medieval ravioli (which I cut out from dough only by using a knife).

There are several medieval pasta recipes in manuscript texts. As today pasta was dried or eaten fresh. Pasta was very often cooked in broth.

Picture of how to make pasta from Tacuinum of Vienna late 14th century- beginning of 15th century (picture taken from Gode Cookery website)

Ravioli for non-lenten times

To make ten servings: take a half libra of aged cheese, and a little fatty cheese and a libra of fatty pork belly or veal teat, and boil until it comes apart easily; then chop well and take some good, well-chopped herbs, and pepper, cloves, and ginger: and it would be even better if you added some ground capon breast; incorporate all these things together.

Then take a thin sheet of pasta and encase the mixture in the pasta, as for other ravioli. These ravioli should not be larger than half a chestnut; cook them in capon broth, or good meat broth that you have made yellow with saffron when it boils. Let the ravioli simmer for the time it takes to say two Lord’s Prayers.

Serves 2

Pasta dough:

4,5-5 dl Drum wheat flour (or normal wheat flour)

3 eggs (or 1,5 dl water)

1 tablespoon of olive oil

(salt)

Ravioli filling:

about 40 g ground cheese (aged/fatty or both)

about 80 g prosciutto ham (or cooked pork belly as the recipe suggests)

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon of pepper

½ teaspoon of ginger

¼ teaspoon of cloves

Egg for brushing the pasta sheets

For cooking:

1,5 l meat broth

pinch of saffron to colour the broth

Start with clean work surface. Take 4,5 dl flour and make a mound. Make a well in the middle of the mound and add beaten eggs (or water), olive oil and salt there. Start mixing slowly with your hands, slowly incorporating all the flour until the dough comes together. Knead about 15 minutes (this is essential part of making pasta) until pasta is soft and elastic. Add more flour if needed. Let the dough rest about 30 minutes covered.

Prepare the filling. Grate cheese and chop parsley and meat very fine. Add all together and mix well. Use machine or rolling pin to roll the dough to thin sheets. Beat one egg and brush egg to the sheet. Drop one teaspoons of filling to the dough couple centimeters away from each other. Cover the filling with a sheet of pasta and press the air out. Cutt and press the ravioli edges together firmly. Take a pot and bring meat broth to boil. Add a little bit saffron to colour the broth if you wish. When the broth boils add the ravioli and cook them 2-4 minutes depending on the size of your ravioli. Serve with or without the broth. Garnish with cheese and herbs if you wish.

Comments: If you roll all the dough at once, remember that the pasta sheets will start drying and handling drying pasta sheets makes it more difficult to form ravioli. You can use this pasta recipe for other types of pasta too. I haven’t yet dry pasta made with eggs, so I don’t know how long it will stay fresh. You can froze your pasta if you don’t want to use it right away. I have heard that it tastes almost as good as fresh. This pasta recipe will be added to the basic recipe section.

If you make ravioli for only two you really don’t need much filling. Making ravioli for many is quite time consuming which is good to know at advance. The recipe suggests adding both aged cheese and fatty cheese to the filling. I used only mozarella, beause I had that in my fridge. And I cheated a little bit by using prosciutto instead of cooked pork belly or veal teat.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

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Jokin aikaa sitten vietin viikonloppua yksikseni kotona ja jostain tarmon puuskasta päätin kaivaa esille häälahjaksi saamamme pastakoneen. Olen käyttänyt pastakonetta joskus aikaa sitten, enkä enää oikein muistanut, kuinka sitä käytetään. Olen tehnyt sen jälkeenkin ravioleja, mutta perinteisin menetelmin kaulimella. Samalla kun harjoittelin pastakoneen käyttöä, päätin kokeilla tehdä jotain kivaa tänne blogiin. Lopulta useammasta vaihtoehdosta tällä kertaa valikoitui tämä ravioliresepti, josta pidän paljon. Pastakokeilu jatkuu, eli seuraava ruokalaji onkin jo tuloillaan. Ylhäällä hauska kuva 1300- ja 1400-lukujen vaihteen tienoilta pastan valmistuksesta!

Lihapäivän ravioleja

To make ten servings: take a half libra of aged cheese, and a little fatty cheese and a libra of fatty pork belly or veal teat, and boil until it comes apart easily; then chop well and take some good, well-chopped herbs, and pepper, cloves, and ginger: and it would be even better if you added some ground capon breast; incorporate all these things together.

Then take a thin sheet of pasta and encase the mixture in the pasta, as for other ravioli. These ravioli should not be larger than half a chestnut; cook them in capon broth, or good meat broth that you have made yellow with saffron when it boils. Let the ravioli simmer for the time it takes to say two Lord’s Prayers.

2 hengelle

Pastataikina:

4,5-5 dl drumvehnäjauhoja (tai normaaleja vehnäjauhoja)

3 kananmunaa (tai 1,5 dl vettä)

1 ruokalusikallinen oliiviöljyä

(suolaa)

Raviolitäyte:

noin 40 g juustoraastetta (kypsytettyä/rasvaista tai molempia tai mitä kaapista löytyy)

noin 80 g prosciuttoa (tai keitettyä porsaan kylkeä tms. rasvaista lihaa)

1 ruokalusikallinen hienonnettua tuoretta persiljaa

½ teelusikallinen mustapippuria

½ teelusikallinen inkivääriä

¼ teelusikallinen neilikkaa

Kananmunaa raviolilevyjen voiteluun

Raviolien keitinliemi:

1,5 l lihalientä

hyppysellinen sahramia

Aloita puhtaalta työtasolta. Ota 4,5 dl jauhoja ja tee niistä keko tasolle. Tee keskelle jauhokekoa kolo ja lisää sinne vatkatut kananmunat (tai vesi), oliiviöljyä ja suolaa. Aloita sekoittamalla taikinaa hitaasti keskeltä reunoille päin, kunnes taikina on valmis. Vaivaa ja venytä taikinaa kunnolla noin 15 minuuttia (tämä on olennainen osa kun tehdään pastaa), kunnes pasta on pehmeä ja joustava. Lisää jauhoja tarvittaessa. Anna taikinan levätä noin 30 minuuttia peitettynä.

Valmista täyte. Raasta juusto ja hienonna persilja ja liha hyvin hienoksi. Sekoita keskenään täyteainekset. Jaa taikina 4-6 osaan ja kauli kaulimella raviolilevyt tai käytä pastakonetta. Voitele levyt kananmunalla ja asettele noin yhden ruokalusikallisen verran täytettä muutaman sentin päähän toisistaan taikinalevylle. Peitä toisella taikinalevyllä ja painele ilma ulos. Leikkaa raviolit ja painele niiden reunat tiiviisti yhteen. Tee lihaliemi kattilassa ja lisää siihen hyppysellinen sahramia. Kun liemi kiehuu lisää raviolit ja keitä niitä 2-4 minuuttia riippuen raviolien koosta. Tarjoile keitinliemen kera tai ilman. Koristele juustoraasteella ja yrteillä, jos haluat.

Kommentit: Jos kaulit koko pastataikinan kerralla, muista laittaa levyt kosteahkon pyyhkeen tms. väliin, jotta pastalevyt eivät ala kuivumaan. Kuivahtaneiden tai hieman kuivahtaneiden pastalevyjen muotoilu ravioleiksi voi olla haastavaa, jos levyt alkavat halkeilemaan. Voit käyttää tätä pastareseptiä myös muunlaisten pastaruokien tekoon. Pastan voi myös pakastaa, jos sitä ei halua käyttää heti. Olen kuullut, että pakastettu tuorepasta on melkein yhtä hyvää kuin tuore. Lisään tämän pastareseptin myös perusresepteihin, josta se on jatkossa helposti löydettävissä.

Jos teet ravioleja vain kahdelle hengelle, et tarvitse paljon täytettä. Jos taas teet ravioleja useammalle, muista varata riittävästi aikaa. Raviolien tekeminen itse on melko aikaa vievää, mutta toisaalta taas palkitsevaa. Alkuperäisessä reseptissä ehdotetaan lisäämään täytteeseen sekä rasvaista juustoa että kypsytettyä juustoa. Käytin itse sellaista juustoa, mitä kaapista löytyi. Taisi olla mozarellaa.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

Lemon sauce

08 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in 15th century, sauces

≈ 6 Comments

This recipe is from one of my favourite books The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book and it is based on Maestro Martino of Como’s book Libro de Arte Coquinaria (c.1465). Martino is titled to be the most important cook of 15th century. There aren’t much knowledge about Martino’s life and the first part of the book tries to tell about his story via knowledge that we have gotten from one of (in my opinion) the most interesting guy in Italian renaissance, Bartolomeo Sacchi know also as Platina.

This recipe is a sauce that I made to accompany the fish that I posted here last time. It is excellent sauce for all types of fish dishes and again very easy to make.

Lemon sauce

Take almonds, blanch, and crush so as to turn them into milk; then boil the milk, that is, the almond milk, with cinnamon, ginger and saffron; pass the milk, that is, the almonds, trough a stamine with lemon juice or pomegranate and a little verjuice and lean broth; if you wish to make it stronger, add more lemon or other citrus.

Serves 4

3-4 dl almond milk made in vegetable broth (or fish broth or chicken broth)

½ dl fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon of vinegar

½ teaspoon ginger

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of saffron

(salt)

Make almond milk. Use vegetable broth or fish/ chicken broth for making the milk. Heat the almond milk briefly and add freshly squeezed lemon juice, vinegar and spices. Stir and taste. Add more lemon juice if needed and more salt if you wish. Serve warm or cold.

Comments: The recipe doesn’t tell if the sauce should be heated or not. But I decided to heat it because spices taste always better when heated a little bit.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

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Tämänkertainen resepti on yhdestä lempikirjastani eli kirjasta nimeltään The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book ja se perustuu Maestro Martinon Libro de Arte Coquinariaan (1465). Martinoa on sanottu yhdeksi renessanssin ajan tärkeimmäksi mestarikokiksi. Hänen elämästään tiedetään hyvin vähän, oikeastaan lähes kaikki tieto on peräisin Bartolomeo Sacchin (jota kutsutaan myös Platinaksi) kirjoituksista.

Tein tätä kastiketta viimeksi blogiin kirjoittamani kalan kaveriksi. Se sopii erittäin hyvin kaikenlaisten kalaruokien kanssa, miksei myöskin kanaruokien, etenkin jos mantelimaidon tekee kanaliemeen.

Lemon sauce – sitruunakastike

Take almonds, blanch, and crush so as to turn them into milk; then boil the milk, that is, the almond milk, with cinnamon, ginger and saffron; pass the milk, that is, the almonds, trough a stamine with lemon juice or pomegranate and a little verjuice and lean broth; if you wish to make it stronger, add more lemon or other citrus.

4 hengelle

3-4 dl mantelimaitoa tehtynä kasvisliemeen (tai kala-/ kanaliemeen)

½ dl vasta puristettua sitruunamehua

1 ruokalusikallinen valkoviinietikkaa

½ teelusikallinen inkivääriä

hyppysellinen kanelia

hyppysellinen sahramia

(suolaa)

Tee mantelimaito kasvisliemeen (tai kala-/ kanaliemeen). Kuumenna mantelimaito nopeasti ja lisää vasta puristettu sitruunan mehu, viinietikka ja mausteet. Sekoita ja maista. Lisää tarvittaessa makusi mukaan lisää sitruunamehua tai/ja suolaa. Tarjoa lämpimänä tai kylmänä.

Kommentit: Alkuperäinen resepti ei kerro tuleeko kastiketta kuumentaa ollenkaan. Mielestäni mausteet maistuvat aina kuitenkin paremmalle, jos niitä on ensin vähän lämmitetty. Siispä päätin kuumentaa kastikkeen.

(The Art of Cooking, The First Modern Cookery Book, The Eminent Maestro Martino of Como, 15th century, Ballerini)

Zabaglone

09 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by in 15th century, desserts, UlfR

≈ Leave a comment

Today at the test kitchen it was all about my husband in charge of cooking. This following recipe is his (my husband’s UlfR Knutsson’s) and with his permission and suggestion I am gladly writing it here. (Scroll down for Finnish version/ Kelaa alas suomenkieliseen ohjeeseen!)

There is by the way a great article about this dish online!

Zabaglone – warm egg custard

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 thck 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.

Serves 1

2 dl sweet white wine (as sweet as you can find)

3 big egg yolks

2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

(½ teaspoon of butter, optional)

Mix all the ingredients together and warm gently whisking all the time. Let it simmer couple minutes until it thickens and serve warm. If you want you can add more sugar and cinnamon.

Comments: He said that he used Riesling for the dish and it wasn’t sweet enough. Also he said that as the other article suggests strawberries would be nice addition to the dish, unfortunately ours are not ripe yet ;) (he is referring to our strawberry pot which will give us if we are lucky probably less than 20 berries, when they finally will be ripe).

(The Neapolitan Recipe Collection, Cuoco Napolitano, 15th century, Terence Scully)

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Tällä kertaa koekeittiössä kokkasi mieheni UlfR. Hänen luvallaan ja pyynnöstään laitan tämän reseptin tänne blogiin. Tästä ruokalajista on muuten hyvä artikkeli netissä!

Zabaglone – lämmin munaviinikeitto

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 thck 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.

1 hengelle

2 dl makeaa valkoviiniä (makeinta mitä löytyy)

3 isoa kananmunan keltuaista

2 teelusikkaa sokeria

1 teelusikka kanelia

(½ teelusikallinen voita, jos haluaa)

Sekoita kaikki ainekset keskenään kattilassa ja kuumenna sekoittaen hyvin koko-ajan. Anna kiehua hiljalleen pari minuuttia kunnes keitto hyytyy. Jos haluat, lisää sokerin ja kanelin määrää.

Kommentit: UlfR sanoi käyttäneensä Rieslingiä ja se ei ollut ihan riittävän makeaa. Lisäksi hän sanoi, kuten yläpuolella olevassa artikkelissa viitataan, sopii ruoka hyvin mansikoiden kera.. valitettavasti meidän mansikat eivät ole vielä kypsiä ;) (hän viittaa siis meidän amppelimansikkaan, josta hyvällä tuurilla saa ehkä alle 20 mansikkaa, kun ne ovat vihdoin kypsiä).

(The Neapolitan Recipe Collection, Cuoco Napolitano, 15th century, Terence Scully)