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[Kekilpenny@aol.com]

Here's another quince recipe to add to the collection.

TORTA DE MEMBRILLOS -- Quince tart

Source: _Libro del Arte de Cozina_ (Spanish, 1599)
Translation: mine

Set the quince to roast in the ashes of the coals, then remove the rind 
with wine, or water, and cut it in thin slices: have the tart casserole set 
aside, with your three crusts[1], and the large pancake[2] sprinkled all 
around with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and put the slices of quince 
with raisins, and morsels of lard, and all sprinkled with sugar and 
cinnamon, cover the tart with a thick crust, and some strips of crust, 
and cook it in the oven, and serve it hot with sugar and rosewater on 
top.  You can add to the quinces fresh dates cut small, after having 
been cooked in wine and sugar, and soaked[3] pine nuts, and some 
slices of new cheese.

[1] The Spanish word used is "hojaldres", which is in modern terms is 
puff pastry.  The term derives from "hoja", meaning leaf.  When I posted 
the recipe for carrot pie, a while back, I included a recipe from the same 
source for making hojaldre.  The directions made it clear that the 
finished product will puff up into many "leaves".
[2] the word is "tortillon".  In Iberian Spanish, "torta" is a cake and 
"tortilla" means a pancake or an omlette; the -on suffix denotes 
something large or substantial.
[3] The liquid is not specified, but there are many Spanish recipes of 
this period which call for soaking whole spices and other ingredients in 
rosewater overnight.

I would interpret the "three crusts" as being a large bottom crust 
sprinkled with sugar and spices, and a thick top crust, sealed on the 
edges with strips cut from the third piece of crust.

Brighid


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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