SC - Here's the recipe

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Trying to spread these out so it's not so long at one time.

Corn (Maize)- Columbus tooks seeds back to Spain in 1492.  The cultivation
of Corn didn't start until 1520ish, when several varieties were introduced
from Mexico.  Portugal also began growing it in 1492 as well, and it
rapidlly apread throughout Europe since Corn has a pronounced ability to
acclimate quickly.  In Italy about 1530, Venice, while Naples received it
earlier (being part of Spain.)  It was also called Turkish wheat.  Pietro
Andrea Mattioli (1500-1570)
is quoted " (1568) "the country people who live near the border between
Italy and Germany make polenta from (corn) flour.  It is cooked in a mass,
the cut with a wire into large thin slices and arranged on a platter with
cheese or with butter and they eat it rather gluttonously."  Corn was
consumed mostly by the peasants.  In 1546 it was reported growing in
Germany.

Beans - Europe had two types of beans before the introduction of the
others.  Fava and black eyed peas.  Blacked eyed peas were called fagiolo
dall'occhio or "bean with an eye" Other types were introduced at the
begining of the 16th century.  It was suggested that they be cooked in milk
until they split open and to be eaten with mustard greens and cardoons.  It
also says that Italian women grew window boxes full of them for shade.

Squash - Pumpkins and zucchini entered into  Italy around the 16th century.
Mattiolo lists that "it is the practise to eat it either boiled or fried
in the pan or roasted,  Boiled it has little appeal in itself.  When
roasted or fried, it releases as great deal of it's moisture.  nonetheless,
because of its natural water, it should be eaten with oregano."   Lodovicio
Castelvetro (1505-1574) talking about long white squashes says " If soup is
to be made of these, they are boiled in water with salt.  and, when they
are almost cooked, a substantial quantity of good greens is added along
with olice oil and finely chopped small green onions as well as a bowlful
of immature grapes (verjuice?), known as agreste."  Smaller squashes, when
green are peeled and sliced, dredged in flour and fried in oil.  Once fried
they are sprinkled with salt, pepper, and the juice of the grapes not ripe.
They cure large amounts of squash with honey and sugar, and is then known
as zuccato.  After the introduction of zucchini to Italy, it replaced the
gourds in cooking.

        Torta di Zucche Secche.. anonymous 14th cent Venetioan.  Boil the
squashes (gourds) then pound them with pork fat and put them in a bowl.
Add as much cheese along with pepper and saffron and blend thoroughly.
Bind with eggsand use the mixture to fill a pastry shell.

        Zucche Fritte... Maestro Nartino, 1450.  Take some zucche and was
them well,  Cut them across into slices as thin as a knife blade.  Put them
to boil in water.  As soon as the water boils, remove and dry the slices.
Sprinkle with salt, drage them in flour, and fry them in oil.. Take a bit
of fennel flowers, garlic and bread with the crust removed.  Pound them in
a mortar, adding verjuice so that everything will remain moist.  Pass the
mixture through a sieve and spread it over the zucche.  It would be good to
sprinkle some verjuice and fennel flowers over the dish.  If you want the
sauce to be yellow, add some saffron.

Clare St. John




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