[Sca-cooks] what is your project?

[Michael Newton]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy M. Renfrow" <cindy at thousandeggs.com>
To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2001 4:04 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] what is your project?


>
> I'd like to get an idea of who is working on what.
>
> Tell us, please, what culinary history project (if any) are you working on
now?
>
> What have you completed?
>
> Regards,
>
> Cindy
>
Since I have just been gifted with 4 to 5 lbs. of  beef liver, I'd thought
now would be a good time to experment (esp. as no-one else in my family
really likes liver).
I'm going to start out with Sabina Welserin's recipe for a liver tart (no.
77)
"Take liver from a calf or lamb, cook it until it becomes soft, take rich
meat broth, chop the liver small and put salt, ginger, and pepper in it and
let it bake."
I haven't decided on which pie crust recipe to use yet, although W has a
"pastry dough for all shaped pies" (no. 61)

Take flour, the best that you can get, about two handfuls, depending on how
large or small you would have the pie. Put it on the table and with a knife
stir in two eggs and a little salt. Put water in a small pan and a piece of
fat the size of two good eggs, let it all dissolve together and boil.
Afterwards pour it on the flour on the table and make a strong dough and
work it well, however you feel is right. If it is summer, one must take meat
broth instead of water and in the place of  fat the skimmings from the
broth. When the dough is kneaded, then make of it a round ball and draw it
out well on the sides with the fingers or with a rolling pin, so that in the
middle a raised are remains, then let it chill in the cold. Afterwards shape
the dough as I pointed out to you. Also reserve dough for the cover and roll
it out into a cover and take water and spread it over the top of the ccover
and the top of the formed pastry shell and join it together well with the
fingers. Leave a small hole. And see that it is pressed together well, so
that it does not come open. Blow in the small hole which you have left, then
the cover will lift itself up. Then quickly press the hole closed.
Afterwards put it in the oven. Sprinkle flour in the dish beforehand. Take
care that the oven is properly heated, then it will be a pretty pastry. The
dough for all shaped pastries is made in this manner.

The kneading of the pastry dough is opposite of what I've been taught in
making pie crusts, but I figure it may have to do with the crust being able
to stand on its own, hence "shaped pies" On the other hand, I could be
completely wrong. Why we're suppose to use meat broth in the summer rather
than water, I have no Idea. (any clues?)

I'll let you all know what happened.

Beatrix of Tanet