[Sca-cooks] Introductions.. And Meat Pies

[Bronwynmgn at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/14/2005 12:32:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
vladimir_armbruster at hotmail.com writes:

<<My initial interest is in a portable meat-pie that can quite  easily be 
served cold or hot, and perhaps stored half-finished to be prepared at  an event. 
 I have come across a few recipes, but I was hoping that perhaps  the good 
gentles of the cooks list might have a recipe with some period  connections?>>
 
Pies of Parys.  Equally good hot or cold, and a staple of the cooler  taken 
to Pennsic, where we eat cold, personal size pies of Parys for lunch  during 
set-up...
 
 
Pies of Parys
>From Harleian MS 4016, c. 1450, as redacted in Pleyn  Delit
 
Take and smyte faire buttes of porke and buttes of vele togidre, and put  hit 
in a faire potte.  And putte thereto faire broth, And a quantitie of  Wyne, 
And lete all boile togedidre til hit be ynogh; And then take hit fro the  fire, 
and lete kele a litel, an cast ther-to raw yolkes of eyren, and pouudre of  
gyngeuere, sugre, and salt, and mynced dates, reseyns of corence; make then  
coffyns of feyre past, and do it ther-ynne, and keuere it & lete bake  y-nogh.
 

Pastry for a 9-inch pie pan (top and bottom) or ca 24 tart shells
1  ½ pounds mixed ground meat, including at least two of pork, veal, beef
1 cup  each meat stock or broth, red wine
3 egg yolks or 1 whole egg plus one  yolk
½ tsp. each ginger, sugar, and salt
¼ cup each minced dates,  currants
optional: pinch of ground pepper or cubebs, and/or mace, ground  clove
 
Put the ground raw meat in a saucepan and cover with the wine and water;  
bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Then drain all the cooking  juices 
into a heatproof container, setting aside the meat.  Let the cooking  liquid 
cool (preferably in the refrigerator or freezer) until you can remove all  the 
fat from the top.
When you are ready to assemble the pie,  line a pie dish with pastry.  Then 
bring the defatted juices to a boil;  beat the egg yolks (or egg and yolk) in a 
bowl and beat in a littleof the hot  (but not quite boiling) stock.  Beat in 
the rest, still off the heat; then  mix together meat, dried fruits, spices, 
and sauce and stir over low heat for a  few minutes to thicken slightly.  Put 
in the prepared pie shell and cover  with a top crust (unless you are making 
individual tarts).  Bake in a  pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 1 hour (less 
for individual tarts).   As the mixture may tend to be pretty sloppy at 
first, be sure to slit the top  crust to allow steam to escape; and it may also be 
wise to put a cookie sheet or  a piece of foil under the pie pan.


Brangwayna