Filo/phyllo-- was [Re: SC - duck and bread]

[Huette von Ahrens]

Hi all,

Pennsic stuff still in my car, Pennsic laundry still to do, but I've
finally caught up with the list!  The cooks get-together was wonderful.
 Lots of good food and great people.  Please post recipes!  

As requested, here's the eggplant recipe, from The Neapolitan Recipe
Collection, Terence Scully, University of Michigan Press, 2000.

Primary Source:  Cuoco Napoletano, MS Buhler 19, Pierpont Morgan
Library in NYC, believed to be written at or about the Aragonese court
at Naples in the 2nd half of the 15th century.

33. Marignani
Piglia li marignani he falli bene netare he bene mondare sutilmente;
poi pone a focho uno pocho de aqua he falli dare uno bullore; che siano
tagliati in quarti he pone in quella aqua uno pocho de sale, he non li
lassare bullire piu che doi Pater Noster; poi cavali fora sopra uno
tagliero he falli sugare; poi infarinali he frigeli; et como li harai
friti, scola fora quasi tuto lo olio; poi piglia una spica de aglio he
pistala bene cum uno quarto de quisti marignani; he poi habi uno poco
de rigano de quello se mette sopra le alice, he pistalo cum lo aglio
cum uno pocho de pane, pipero, saffrano he sale; poi distempera tute
queste cose insieme cum agresto he cum uno pocho de aceto; poi getta
ogni cosa insiema in la padella a frigere un pochetto; poi meteli in
piatti he manda a tavola cum specie fine.

33. Eggplants
Get eggplants and wash and peel them well, then set a little water on
the fire and bring them to a boil; cut them into quarters and add a
little salt to the water; do not let them boil more than two Our
Father's; then take them out onto a cutting board and let them drain;
coat them in flour and fry them; when they have fried, drain off almost
all of the oil; get a clove of garlic, grind it up with a quarter-piece
of the eggplants; then get a little oregano, of the sort that is put on
anchovies, grind it up with the garlic and a little bread, pepper,
saffron and salt; then distemper all of this together with verjuice and
a little vinegar and throw everything together into the pan to fry a
little; then dish it out and serve it with mild spices. 

Tara's Pennsic version:
3 large eggplants 
Graham flour (stone-ground whole wheat flour)
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic
3 pinches oregano
3 pinches breadcrumbs
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch saffron 
salt
1 cup verjuice
3 splashes wine vinegar
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground ginger

Heat water, add salt.  Wash and peel eggplants, cut in half lengthwise.
 Boil for 4 Lord's Prayers.  They float, use something to hold them
under water.  Drain.  

Slice into 8 per eggplant half.  Coat each piece in flour and fry in
olive oil.  Drain.  Reserve a little oil.  Grind garlic, oregano,
breadcrumbs, pepper, saffron, salt together, grind in one piece of
eggplant and stir into oil.  Add verjuice and vinegar, stir and simmer.


Arrange eggplant on a tray, pour sauce over them, sprinkle cinnamon and
ginger over all and serve.  Yield - about 45 pieces.

Notes:  I redacted this as I made it in camp, without fancy kitchen
gadgets like measuring spoons, so pinches and splashes are the measures
- - and mine tend to be generous.  Large eggplant was on sale so that's
what I used.  Cooking had to fit between classes and choir practice, so
I boiled the eggplants in the morning and held them in a cooler.  I
didn't want to slice them up that early, so I boiled the large pieces
twice as long.  Either way takes the bitterness away.  Because the
eggplants were huge and I wanted finger food, I sliced them smaller
than directed.  To hold the dish until serving time, and for
presentation, I chose to keep the sauce simmering and serve it over the
eggplant instead of frying them together.  I used cinnamon and ginger
as "mild spices" because that's what we had in camp.

Enjoy,

Tara
Meridian for Temair, y'all


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