16th Century Pastry
Magistra Rosemounde of Mercia (copyright Micaela Burnham, 2009)
Sources:
Bancetti, Composizion di Vivande et Apparecchio Generale by Christoforo Messisbugo, 1549; trans. Charles A. Potter, 2004 (available on disk for about $20.00. Contact Charles Potter at [email protected] )
Opera di M. Bartolomeo Scappi, Cuoco Secreto di Papa Pio Quinto, 1570; trans. Terrence Scully, 2008
“Lost in Translation—Problems with the Scully Translation of Scappi,” a class by Helewyse de Bikestad, OL at Pennsic War 2009
Measurements:
The translated measurements from Scappi by Scully are incorrect and were not properly researched. When using the Scully translation, you will have to flip to the original text to read the measurements given and use the following “cheat sheet.” This is borrowed from Mistress Helewyse with my thanks. The notes from her class (listed above) are available on line at:
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-BOOKS/Scully-Opera-rev.rtf
Meaasurement in Original Correct Translation Scully translation
Libra (pound) 12 oz. (325 g.) 16 oz. (454 g.)
Bicchiero 1 cup (0.24 liter) 2 cups (.5 liter)
Foglietta 1 pint (2 cups) 1.5 pints (3 cups)
Boccale 4 pints (2 quarts) 6 pints (3 quarts)
The original Italian version of Scappi is available on disk for about $30.00 and is also available on-line at: http://alfama.sim.ucm.es/dioscorides/consulta_libro.asp?ref=X533351951&idioma=0
Types of pastry then and now
Layered pastries: puff pastry, filo dough pastry, strudel pastry. I have no documentation for filo, which is made from a different type of wheat flour, in period, either in European or Middle-Eastern sources. Sorry, baklava is not period. However, puff pastry and strudel pastry are both well documented.
Pâté Brisé: a standard unsweetened pastry used for pies and other types of pastry. Well documented in many different forms, often made with egg yolks, milk, and/or cream as well as butter in period. These additions are different types of fats and will give different types of texture and flakiness.
Pâté Sucre: a sweetened pastry generally used for desserts that was also very common in the Renaissance. Many ingredients might be added to the basic pastry in period, such as grated lemon zest, spices, and often, rosewater.
Yeast pastries: what we would call breads, bagels, or rolls, both sweet and non-sweet versions are found in the period sources, often stuffed with other ingredients.
Super-fatted pastry: this is pastry that is made, rolled out, smeared with more fat, re-rolled, repeat once more. In this way, large amounts of fat are incorporated into the dough. These pastries are very rich and have terrific mouth feel. They can be made with butter, lard, or a combination of the two. I find that lard or a lard-butter mixture helps makes the pastry sturdy for use in free standing pastries, but retains the rich flakiness and flavor of a good pastry. Well documented in period sources. Although butter was used almost exclusively in the Renaissance sources, lard is mentioned in some earlier sources, especially when making “coffins” or free-standing pastries.
Deep fried pastry cups: these are usually called timbales or rosettes in the modern world. They are found in several 16th century cookbooks. They are referred to as “German pastries” in Libro Novo.
Pizza: the word “pizza” is used to describe quite a few different pastries in Scappi. Although modern pizza is a yeast raised (bread) crust, this does not appear to be the case in period. Most of the pizzas described in the period sources were standard pastries or super-fatted pastries.
Baking soda, baking powder, and baking ammonia pastries: these are not period leavenings, and therefore any pastries made with them are not period. In modern cooking these ingredients are most often used in cakes and cookies.
Basic Two Crust Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached—no difference)
½ tsp. salt
1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes
½-3/4 cup ice water
Pastry may be made by hand or in a food processor. There are two basic principles: 1. everything should be cold, and 2. do not overwork the dough—this makes it tough.
Mix the flour and salt together. Cut in the cold butter either by hand, with a fork, pastry tool, or by pulsing in a food processor. Combine the butter and flour until the resulting product looks like coarse grain with a few pea sized lumps left. Sprinkle over this half of the ice water, and toss gently to combine. (Or pulse in the food processor) Add more ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough will hold together when formed into a ball, but is not sticky. This stage of mixing in the water is where you must be especially careful not to over work the dough. Touch it as little as possible and NEVER knead it like bread. When it is formed into a ball, divide it into two balls and flatten slightly into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours. Dust a cool surface, preferably marble, with a small amount of flour. Also dust your hands and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough to fit your pie pan. Gently lay it in the pan, and gently press it into the pan so that it touches all the interior surfaces. Trim the outside edge and decorate if desired.
Magistra Rosemounde of Mercia (copyright Micaela Burnham, 2009)
Sources:
Bancetti, Composizion di Vivande et Apparecchio Generale by Christoforo Messisbugo, 1549; trans. Charles A. Potter, 2004 (available on disk for about $20.00. Contact Charles Potter at [email protected] )
Opera di M. Bartolomeo Scappi, Cuoco Secreto di Papa Pio Quinto, 1570; trans. Terrence Scully, 2008
“Lost in Translation—Problems with the Scully Translation of Scappi,” a class by Helewyse de Bikestad, OL at Pennsic War 2009
Measurements:
The translated measurements from Scappi by Scully are incorrect and were not properly researched. When using the Scully translation, you will have to flip to the original text to read the measurements given and use the following “cheat sheet.” This is borrowed from Mistress Helewyse with my thanks. The notes from her class (listed above) are available on line at:
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-BOOKS/Scully-Opera-rev.rtf
Meaasurement in Original Correct Translation Scully translation
Libra (pound) 12 oz. (325 g.) 16 oz. (454 g.)
Bicchiero 1 cup (0.24 liter) 2 cups (.5 liter)
Foglietta 1 pint (2 cups) 1.5 pints (3 cups)
Boccale 4 pints (2 quarts) 6 pints (3 quarts)
The original Italian version of Scappi is available on disk for about $30.00 and is also available on-line at: http://alfama.sim.ucm.es/dioscorides/consulta_libro.asp?ref=X533351951&idioma=0
Types of pastry then and now
Layered pastries: puff pastry, filo dough pastry, strudel pastry. I have no documentation for filo, which is made from a different type of wheat flour, in period, either in European or Middle-Eastern sources. Sorry, baklava is not period. However, puff pastry and strudel pastry are both well documented.
Pâté Brisé: a standard unsweetened pastry used for pies and other types of pastry. Well documented in many different forms, often made with egg yolks, milk, and/or cream as well as butter in period. These additions are different types of fats and will give different types of texture and flakiness.
Pâté Sucre: a sweetened pastry generally used for desserts that was also very common in the Renaissance. Many ingredients might be added to the basic pastry in period, such as grated lemon zest, spices, and often, rosewater.
Yeast pastries: what we would call breads, bagels, or rolls, both sweet and non-sweet versions are found in the period sources, often stuffed with other ingredients.
Super-fatted pastry: this is pastry that is made, rolled out, smeared with more fat, re-rolled, repeat once more. In this way, large amounts of fat are incorporated into the dough. These pastries are very rich and have terrific mouth feel. They can be made with butter, lard, or a combination of the two. I find that lard or a lard-butter mixture helps makes the pastry sturdy for use in free standing pastries, but retains the rich flakiness and flavor of a good pastry. Well documented in period sources. Although butter was used almost exclusively in the Renaissance sources, lard is mentioned in some earlier sources, especially when making “coffins” or free-standing pastries.
Deep fried pastry cups: these are usually called timbales or rosettes in the modern world. They are found in several 16th century cookbooks. They are referred to as “German pastries” in Libro Novo.
Pizza: the word “pizza” is used to describe quite a few different pastries in Scappi. Although modern pizza is a yeast raised (bread) crust, this does not appear to be the case in period. Most of the pizzas described in the period sources were standard pastries or super-fatted pastries.
Baking soda, baking powder, and baking ammonia pastries: these are not period leavenings, and therefore any pastries made with them are not period. In modern cooking these ingredients are most often used in cakes and cookies.
Basic Two Crust Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour (bleached or unbleached—no difference)
½ tsp. salt
1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes
½-3/4 cup ice water
Pastry may be made by hand or in a food processor. There are two basic principles: 1. everything should be cold, and 2. do not overwork the dough—this makes it tough.
Mix the flour and salt together. Cut in the cold butter either by hand, with a fork, pastry tool, or by pulsing in a food processor. Combine the butter and flour until the resulting product looks like coarse grain with a few pea sized lumps left. Sprinkle over this half of the ice water, and toss gently to combine. (Or pulse in the food processor) Add more ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough will hold together when formed into a ball, but is not sticky. This stage of mixing in the water is where you must be especially careful not to over work the dough. Touch it as little as possible and NEVER knead it like bread. When it is formed into a ball, divide it into two balls and flatten slightly into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours. Dust a cool surface, preferably marble, with a small amount of flour. Also dust your hands and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the dough to fit your pie pan. Gently lay it in the pan, and gently press it into the pan so that it touches all the interior surfaces. Trim the outside edge and decorate if desired.