[Sca-cooks] true medieval bread recipes

[David Friedman]

On 9/25/16 12:18 PM, Susan Lord wrote:
>> David Friedman wrote:
>>
>> I'm working from Fernando de la Grania Santamaria's Spanish translation
>> of selections from the Fadalat. The recipe we are discussing is labeled,
>> in Spanish:
>>
>> [1] Pan Cocido en el Horno
>>
>> I'm guessing that means it's the first recipe in the Fadalat--at least,
>> the numbers increase irregularly through the Spanish translation (the
>> next one is [6]).
>>
>> The recipe starts:
>>
>> Se toma la semola, se remoja, se le echa sal, se deja ablandar v se soba
>> bien sobada.
>>
>> Susan's translation in the Floriligium has that as:
>>
>> "Baked Bread
>>
>> Soak semolina, add salt and let it soften. /Dip hands in lard or oil and
>> knead/it well."
> For the record I state:
> [1] Pan cocido en el horno
>
> Se toma la sémola, se remoja, se le echa sal, se deja ablandar y se soba bien sobada. Se añade la levadura y se va amasando con agua, poco a poco, hasta que la masa queda a punto y aparece trabada. Se le pone un poco de harina fina, se reboza con ella y se hacen tortas conforme se deseen, que se colocan en el doblez de un trozo de lino o de lana, que se recubre con pieles de cordero o cosa parecida, y se dejan que se leuden. La señal de que están leudas es que se levanta la masa y que al golpearla deja oír un ruido. En seguida se cuecen con cuidado en el horno. Una vez cocidas, se limpian, se ponen en una vasija y se comen cuando haya necesidad.
>
> Si se emplea harina de flor o de cualquier otra clase no hay necesidad de remojarla, sino ponerle desde el principio la levadura y amasar en seguida. En uno y otro caso se empleará el agua bastante caliente.
>
>   Baked Bread
>
> Soak semolina, add salt and let it soften. Dip hands in lamb fat or oil and knead it well. Add yeast and water little by little until the dough reaches the desired consistency. Coat it by sprinkling fine flour over it and divide dough to make the desired shapes for loaves. Fold a piece of linen or woolen cloth and place these in it, cover this with lamb skin or something similar and let the mass rise. When it has risen sufficiently, it will emit a noise when struck. Immediately bake with care in the oven. Once baked, clean the loaves and put them in a bread basket for consumption.
>
>   If using fine quality flour or other types, there is no need to soak it. Add the yeast and knead it. In either case use hot water.
>
> I am getting the feeling that you have me like a fly sprawling on a pen as T.S. Elliot would say.
And where in the Spanish text do you find "Dip hands in lamb fat or 
oil"? I can't find anything like that.

That's the question I am asking.

-- 
David Friedman
www.daviddfriedman.com
http://daviddfriedman.blogspot.com/