An early apple tart england, 1381
9 -in pie
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Apples | |
| 4 | Pears | |
| 1 | cup | Water |
| 1 | tablespoon | Sugar |
| 2 | tablespoons | Flour |
| ½ | cup | Chopped dried figs |
| ½ | cup | Raisins |
| 1 | teaspoon | Cinnamon |
| ¾ | cup | Sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon | Lemon juice |
| ½ | teaspoon | Nutmeg |
| ½ | teaspoon | Ginger |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Saffron |
| A little red wine or rum | ||
| 1½ | pounds | (9\") flaky pastry |
Directions
"Peel and core the apples and pears and slice them thinly. Put the cores and skins in a saucepan with the water and a little sugar Leave to boil until reduced by about a third. Meanwhile, make the pastry.
"Toss the fresh fruit in a bowl with the flour, then add the sugar and the dried fruits and dates, steeped with the lemon juice and spices in a little red wine or rum. Roll out the pastry and line a 9-inch pie dish with it, reserving enough for the lid. Fill the pie with the mixed fruit and strain over [the filling] the juice from the cores and skins. Cover with the pastry lid and bake at 350f for about 30 minutes."
From _Ancient Cookery,_ (1381): "For to make Tartys in Apples: Take good apples and good spices & Figs and raisins and Pears and when they are well braid colour it with safron well and do it in a coffin and do it forth to bake well."
_Seven Centuries of English Cooking_ Compiled and updated by Maxime de la Falaise Grove Press, London, 1992 Typos by Jeff Pruett.
Submitted By JEFF PRUETT On 04-24-95