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 Rysshews of Fruyt - Take fyges and raisouns; pyke hem and waisshe hem in
wyne. Grynde hem with apples and peeres ypared and ypiked clene.  Do therto
good powdours and hole spices;  make balles therof, frye in oil and serue hem
forth.

Take figs and raisins; pick them and wash them in wine.  Grind them with
apples and pears pared and picked clean.  Add good powders and whole spices;
make balls thereof, fry in oil, and serve them forth.

1.25 cup raisins
10 figs
1/2  Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
1/2 Bosc pear, peeled and cored
1.5 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp whole fennel seeds

I started with 1/4 cup of raisins and 2 figs, which I soaked in chablis for
about 10 minutes.  I ended up adding lots more figs and raisins that didn't
get soaked.  There would probably be a bit more wine flavor if I had soaked
the rest of the fruit.

I used the food processor to grind up the initial 2 figs and 1/4 cup of
raisins and 1/4 of the apple and pear, added another 1/4 apple and pear to
make enough for the processor to work properly, then continued adding the
dried fruits until the mixture would hold its shape when dropped off a spoon.
 I didn't think I could get it thick enough to actually mold balls out of it.
I added the spices (except for the fennel) to the food processor, and added
the fennel after I stopped processing so the seeds wouldn't get chopped up.

I heated about an inch of olive oil in a frying pan and used two teaspoons to
drop balls of fruit into the oil (like putting cookie dough on a sheet).  The
initial ones were cooked for about 2-3 minutes on a side, trying to get them
to harden up, but they just ended up burnt on the outside.
Through trial and error, I determined that about 30 seconds on each side is
enough to caramelize the outside without burning it.  You still have to be
extremely gentle about turning or moving them, or they smoosh.  I drained
them on paper towelling - another place to be careful, as they tend to stick
a bit.
You can't eat them right out of the pan because they are way too hot, and
they hold the heat for a while.  At about 10 minutes, they are still warm and
very nice - the outside is chewy and the inside warm and..well, juicy, I
guess.  They are still very soft; if you grabbed them too hard, they would
squash.  The texture stays about the same at room temperature, and they could
easily be served at that temperature.

The other nice thing - the small amount of ingredients listed above made
about 45 rysshews, each around 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.  So we are dealing
with something that is relatively easy to make (although it needs a light
touch), holds well, and makes a lot for not much ingredients.  Definitely
going in to my June feast as the sweet for the first course.

Brangwayna Morgan