THE APICIAN DISH IS MADE THUS: TAKE SMALL PIECES OF COOKED SOW'S BELLY
[with the paps on it] PIECES OF FISH, PIECES OF CHICKEN, THE BREASTS
OF FIGPECKERS OR OF THRUSHES [slightly] COOKED, [and] WHICHEVER IS
BEST. MINCE ALL THIS VERY CAREFULLY, PARTICULARLY THE FIGPECKERS [the
meat of which is very tender]. DISSOLVE IN OIL STRICTLY FRESH EGGS;
CRUSH PEPPER AND LOVAGE, POUR OVER SOME BROTH AND RAISIN WINE, PUT IT
IN A SAUCEPAN TO HEAT AND BIND WITH ROUX. AFTER YOU HAVE CUT ALL IN
REGULAR PIECES, LET IT COME TO THE BOILING POINT. WHEN DONE, RETIRE
[from the fire] WITH ITS JUICE OF WHICH YOU PUT SOME IN ANOTHER DEEP
PAN WITH WHOLE PEPPER AND PIGNOLIA NUTS. SPREAD [the ragout] OUT IN
SINGLE LAYERS WITH THIN PANCAKES IN BETWEEN; PUT IN AS MANY PANCAKES
AND LAYERS OF MEAT AS IS REQUIRED TO FILL THE DISH; PUT A FINAL COVER
OF PANCAKE ON TOP AND SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AFTER THOSE EGGS HAVE BEEN
ADDED [which serve] TO TIE THE DISH. NOW PUT THIS [mould or dish] IN A
BOILER [steamer, hot water bath, allow to congeal] AND DISH IT OUT [by
unmoulding it]. AN EXPENSIVE SILVER PLATTER WOULD ENHANCE THE
APPEARANCE OF THIS DISH MATERIALLY.
[1] Cf. ℞ No. 126.
[142] AN EVERY-DAY DISH
_PATINA QUOTIDIANA_ [1]
PIECES OF COOKED SOW'S UDDER, PIECES OF COOKED FISH, CHICKEN MEAT AND
SIMILAR BITS, MINCE UNIFORMLY, SEASON WELL AND CAREFULLY [2]. TAKE A
METAL DISH [for a mould]. BREAK EGGS [in another bowl] AND BEAT THEM.
IN A MORTAR PUT PEPPER, LOVAGE AND ORIGANY [3], WHICH CRUSH; MOISTEN
[this] WITH BROTH, WINE, RAISIN WINE AND A LITTLE OIL; EMPTY IT INTO
THE BOWL [with the beaten eggs, mix] AND HEAT IT [in the hot water
bath]. THEREUPON WHEN [this is] THICKENED MIX IT WITH THE PIECES OF
MEAT. NOW PREPARE [alternately] LAYERS OF STEW AND PANCAKES,
INTERSPERSED WITH OIL [in the metal mould reserved for this purpose]
UNTIL FULL, COVER WITH ONE REAL GOOD PANCAKE [4], CUT INTO IT A VENT
HOLE FOR CHIMNEY ON THE SURFACE [bake in hot water bath and when done]
TURN OUT UPSIDE DOWN INTO ANOTHER DISH. SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND
SERVE.
[1] List. _cottidiana_; G.-V. _cotidiana_. Everyday
Dish, in contrast to the foregoing Apician dish which is
more sumptuous on account of the figpeckers or thrushes.
In the originals these two formulæ are rolled into one.
Cf. ℞ No. 128.
[2] G.-V. _Hæc omnia concides_; Tor. _condies_; List.
_condies lege concides_ which we dispute.
_Condies_--season, flavor--is more correct in this
place; _concides_--mince--is a repetition of what has
been said already.
[3] Origany wanting in G.-V.
[4] List. _superficie versas in discum insuper in
superficium pones_; Sch. _a superficie versas indusium
super focum pones_; G.-V. _in discum_; Tor. _unum uerò
laganum fistula percuties à superficie uersas in discum
in superficiem præterea pones_--which we have translated
literally above, as we believe Tor. to be correct in
this important matter of having a chimney on top of such
a pie.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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