Title: Spiced Onion Tart (Scottish Medieval)
Categories: British Medieval Vegetable Pie
Yield: 6 Servings

		** British Measurements **
PASTRY
3	oz	Wholemeal flour
3	oz	Self-rising flour
	pn	Salt
3	oz	Butter
		Cold water; as required
THE FILLING
3	oz	Butter
1	lb	Onions; mild, thinly sliced
2	tb	Fresh parsley; chopped
1 1/2	ts	Fresh sage; chopped *OR*
1/2	ts	Dried sage
6	oz	Curd cheese (cottage cheese)
2		Eggs; lightly beaten
	pn	Ground cinnamon
	pn	Ground cloves
1/2	ts	Ground ginger
1/2	ts	Ground mace
		Salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2	oz	Raisins

To make the pastry: sieve the flours and salt into a bowl, returning the bran left in the sieve to the bowl. Rub in the butter and sprinkle over enough water to make a smooth dough. Knead gently, then rest the pastry in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan, add the onions and cook very gently until they are very soft and transparent, without browning. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley and sage.

Preheat the oven to 375øF / 190øC / gas mark 5. Roll out the prepared pastry to line an 8-inch flan tin, preferably loose-bottomed. Prick the base, line with greaseproof paper or foil and fill with baking beans. Bake on a preheated baking sheet for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper or foil and return the pastry case to the oven for 5 minutes to dry out. Remove from the oven and cool.

Preheat the oven to 350øF / 180øC / gas mark 4. Mix the curd cheese with the lightly beaten eggs and spices, then add to the onion mixture. Season to taste. Put the pastry case on the hot baking sheet again and sprinkle in the raisins. Add the filling and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is firm and lightly browned. Don't overcook or the tart may be dry. Serve warm or cold.

Makes about 6 servings. ** A Book of Historical Recipes ** : by Sara Paston-Williams The National Trust of Scotland, 1995 ISBN = 0-7078-0240-7

Scanned and formatted for you by The WEE Scot -- pol mac Griogair ORIGINAL RECIPE::

Tart in ymbre day (dated from 1390 AD)

"Take and parboile oynouns & erbis & presse out the water & hewe hem smale. Take grene cheese & bray it in a mortar, and temper it up with ayren (eggs). Do therto butter, safroun & salt, and raisouns corauns, & a litel sugar with powdour douce (a mixture of mild spices), & bake it in a trap & serve it forth."

Historical note: Ember days were among the Church's many days for fasting and prayer. The eating of meat was forbidden, but fish and "white meats" (dairy products and eggs) were allowed. "Green cheese" was new curd cheese which had to be eaten quickly because it was too damp to mature properly.

From: Fred Ball Date: 30 Nov 96 National Cooking Echo Ä

previous

next