[Sca-cooks] Redaction done this weekend
David Friedman
ddfr at daviddfriedman.com
Mon Apr 18 10:40:32 PDT 2005
Sound fun. Two questions:
> Libro Novo (Banchetti) by Cristoforo Messisbugo from the 1557
>edition of the Libro Novo printed in Venice as translated by Master
>Basilius Phocas (MKA Charles A. Potter)
>
>The following recipe:
>
>51 C TO MAKE TEN PLATTERS OF OBLONG RAVOLI IN THE LOMBARDY
>STYLE, FOR A DAY OF MEAT AND FOR LENT
>Take Swiss chard well washed, and mince, and you shall fry it in six
>ounces of fresh butter, note that it does not take the smoke. And
>then when it shall be fried you shall leave it to cool a while, then
>you shall put it in a pot with two pounds of good hard cheese well
>grated, and four eggs, and four ounces of sugar, a quarter (ounce)
>of pepper, and a ounce of cinnamon, and you shall mix everything
>well together.
>Then you shall make your pastry sheet with a small amount of butter
>and an egg, and then make your small ravioli long, which you shall
>cook in good broth for a day of meat and for a Lenten day in water
>with butter. And then when they shall be ready for the banquet, you
>shall put over them a pound of good grated cheese, and a quarter
>(ounce) of pepper, and three ounces of sugar, blend together
>everything.
>And then when they shall be ready to set for the banquet you shall
>cover them with other plates, and you shall put them over hot ashes,
>so that they would stay hot till it is enough that you shall want to
>send to table. And note that such like small ravioli you with it
>can serve, and alone, and for covering capons, ducks, pigeons, and
>others you want.
...
>The recipe I ended up with was 2 & 1/2 cups flour, 1 egg and 1 egg
>white. I cut in four tablespoons of butter and a 1/2 teaspoon of
>salt (next time I will increase the salt to the full teaspoon called
>for in the recipe.) ...
I don't see any salt in the recipe you quote above--do you have
another recipe with information on making pasta?
Also (Elizabeth's question) it's odd that the original has butter and
cheese and eggs, but then gives a Lenten alternative for cooking it.
Do we know if Lenten customs in Italy at the time permitted eggs and
dairy?
--
David Friedman
www.daviddfriedman.com
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