[Sca-cooks] Lombard tart (was beets

[Louise Smithson]

The recipe for Lombard tarts from scappi is almost
certainly referring to the greens.  Still today in
Italy you almost never see the root, but Bietole is
widely available.  When I lived there Swiss Chard was
what was sold under this name.  
Here is the recipe from Scappi:
Per fare torta d’herbe alla Lombarda, Cap 92, folio
360 quinto libro, Scappi
Taglinisi biete minute con i coltelli, & si lavino in
piu acque, lasciandole scolare da se in un foratoro,
perche spremendole n’escie il sugo, che è la sua
bontà, & poi si pigli una libra di cascio Parmigiano,
overo di Riviera grasso grattato, e libra una di
ricotta pecorina fresca, overo di vacca, un’oncia tra
pepe, & cannella, un quarto tra garofali, & noci
moscate, quattro oncie di butiro fresco, & sei ove, &
fatta che sarà la compositione d’ogni cosa, habbisi la
tortiera onta di buttio con un sfoglio di pasta fatto
di fior di farina, acqua rosa, zuccaro, & butiro,
rossi d’ova, & acqua tiepida, & pongasi la
compositione in la tortiera, cuoprendola con un’altro
sfoglio di pasta cresputo, facciasi cuocere al forno,
o sotto il testo, & servasi calda, se si vorrà ponere
zuccaro in la compositione, & di sopra, sarà in
arbitrio. 

To make a Lombard style herb tart
Cut beet (swiss chard) finely with a knife and wash in
plenty of water, then leave to drain in a sieve,
because it will give out all the juice, that is its
goodness, then take a pound of parmesan cheese or that
fat cheese of Riviera, grated and a pound of sheep
milk ricotta, or that of cow, one ounce between pepper
and cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce between cloves and
nutmeg, four ounces of fresh butter, and six eggs, and
thus make the mixture of everything.  Have a tart pan
greased with butter with a sheet of pastry, made of
flour, rose water, sugar and butter, egg yolks and
warm water, and put the mixture into the tart pan,
covering it with another sheet of pastry wrinkled
(pleated?), put it to cook in the oven or under a
“testo” and serve hot, and if one wants to put sugar
in the mixture and on top it is at your discretion. 
Helewyse

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