[Sca-cooks] rookie cooking question

[Jill Koski]

Greetings!

I am relatively new to this list, and very new at trying
period dishes.  I have the "Traveling Dysshes, etc"
cookbook by Siobhan Medhbh O'Roarke and Cordelia Toser.
Today I tried the Auter Tartus (cheese tart) redacted by
Siobhan f. from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books,
1430-1450.

First question, the recipe says to bake for 30 minutes, and
the filling puffs up.  My filling didn't seem to puff much
at all.  Why might this be?

Also, how does one tell if the tarts are truly done?  One
of them was very liquidy in the center after 30 minutes; I
kept it in the oven for 45 minutes, to the detriment of the
crust edges (my fault; forgot to shield said crust edges),
and it was still a bit wobbly in the center.  The first
wobbly center did firm up some after sitting out of the
oven a while.  So, is this what needs to be done--just let
stand for a while after baking?

Also, the recipe suggests using Mexican queso fresco, as
being close to "chese newe."  I did, and it was very good.
But, can anything else be used, such as farmer's cheese, in
interest of lower costs?  Also, can these tarts be frozen?
I am planning my first feast in June, and as we are at a
very primitive site, we want to start preparing things and
freezing them in the next couple weeks, if possible.

Thanks for any help you can render, and thanks for your
patience with a very new medieval cook.

Lady Johanna de Swynford
Skerrstrand
Northshield
Midrealm (for a little while yet)

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