[Sca-cooks] tarts vs. pies, a bit of help

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

Also sprach Samrah:
>I am new to this period recipe/redaction thing.  I am making a 
>version of a spinach tart from Le Menagier.  I managed to find the 
>original recipe on-line.  I can come up with my own redaction. 
>However, it just says "to make a tart".  I know there are lots of 
>you guys who can do this sort of thing in your sleep.  I can deal 
>with the pastry part, but I would like to know if you think a "tart" 
>in this context should be:
>
>1.  a circle folded in half and sealed

That's a fairly modern interpretation of a pasty, and probably not 
even what Le Menagier refers to when his translators use the term.

>2.  a regular sort of pie, open-faced like a quiche

This is a strong possibility, but then again...

>3.  a pie with a top crust

Depending on whether the original (which I don't have) specifies this 
as a tarte or a torta/torte/torteau, it's conceivable a high, 
free-standing crust with either a regular top or lattice crust may be 
intended. Modern Italian and French recipes for dishes like this 
exist (tortes of herbs) which use a spring-form pan.

>I am thinking that it probably should be a normal-sized 9"ish sort 
>of thing, as I was under the impression that larger was generally 
>more common in period.  I know that thinking and impressions are 
>dangerous,

"He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for Goodness' sake!"

>  so please steer me in the right direction.

Without looking at the French text, it's hard to tell whether option 
2 or 3 is indicated, but 2 is certainly simpler and would not be too 
far off in either case. One thing about this recipe that might be 
helpful in envisioning the final form it'll take is the fact that it 
mentions roughly how much of the filling herbs you're using. After 
the eggs, cheese, etc., are added, I suspect you might get more 
filling than a 9-inch shell will hold.

Adamantius
-- 




"S'ils n'ont pas de pain, vous fait-on dire, qu'ils  mangent de la 
brioche!" / "If there's no bread to be had, one has to say, let them 
eat cake!"
	-- attributed to an unnamed noblewoman by Jean-Jacques 
Rousseau, "Confessions", 1782

"Why don't they get new jobs if they're unhappy -- or go on Prozac?"
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