Cheese Pie
as adopted for the feast Schola for the Lost II
by Lady Tirza bithe Reaboughes
Reference: The Epulario,
or The Italian Banquet is a collection of Italian recipes translated into
English in 1598. This book has now
been reprinted by Falconwood Press as edited by Susan J. Evans (copyright 1990).
From Page 52: To make Tartes in flesh
time, and first to make a white Tarte.
Original:
Take two pounds of good new Cheese and cut it smal, and them stampe it, then take fifteen or sixteen whites of egges, and temper and mixe them with the Cheese, putting thereto a pound of Sugar, halfe a pound of faire white Ginger, halfe a pound of sweet Butter, and some milke as much as wil suffice, then make your paste and let it be somewhat thin, and let it bake with a soft fire both under and ouer it, and let him bee somewhat browne, and when hee is baked straw Sugar and Rosewater upon it.
Summary of the Original:
2 lbs cheese, new, cut small, & stamped (Ricotta)
15-16 Egg whites (white tart)
1 lb Sugar
1/2 lb Ginger (less I think)
1/2 lb Butter
Milk, as needed.
Bake in double crust pie. (Low fire - 300 - 325?) When baked, strew w/ sugar & rosewater.
Recipe:
1 lb of Ricotta cheese (actually 15 oz.)
8 small egg whites (makes a shy 1 cup)
1 cup sugar
1 stick of butter (melted)
3 Tblsps ginger (original is way off)
Directions:
I did not need milk. Bake in double crust pie at 375* for 40 minutes. Bake time and 375 temperature from Joy of Cooking recipe for ricotta cheese pie from Northern Italy. Strew with sugar after baking. Serve hot. This produces about 1 extra cup of liquid than 9 inch pie shell will hold, but these are the proportions of one half of the original recipe. Can make individual servings in muffin tin with extra pastry. Bake these 30 minutes.