Patina de Asparagis Frigida (Cold Asparagus Custard)*
| Categories: | asparagus Roman |
| Original Source: | Apicius, De Re Coquinaria |
| Secondary Source: | Vehling translation |
| Cook: | Tamara Iz Kieva |
| Meeting Date: | 1976-04-03 |
| Serves: | 10
|
ALITER PATINA DE ASPARAGIS FRIGIDA.
Accipies asparagos purgatos, in mortario fricabis, aqua suffundes, perfricabis, per colum colabis. Et mittes ficetulas curatas, teres in mortario piperis scripulos sex, adicies liquamen, fricabis, vini ciatum I, passi ciatum I, mittes in caccabus olei uncias III. Illic ferveant. Perungues patina, in ea ova VI cum oenogaro misces, cum suco asparagi impones cineri calido, mittes inpensam supra scriptam. Tunc ficetulas compones. Coques, piper asparges et inferes.
Cold asparagus pie is made in this manner, take well cleaned cooked asparagus, crush it in the mortar, dilute with water and presently strain it through the colander. Now trim, prepare (i.e., cook or roast figpeckers) and hold them in readiness. 3 scruples of pepper are crushed in the mortar, add broth a glass of wine, put this in a saucepan with 3 ounces of oil, heat thoroughly. Meanwhile oil your pie mould, and with 6 eggs, flavored with oenogarum, and the asparagus preparation as described above; thicken the mixture on the hot ashes. Thereupon arrange the figpeckers in the mould, cover them with this purée, bake the dish. When cold, unmould it sprinkle with pepper and serve.
Ingredients
| 1 | unbaked pie crust |
| 1 | breast of chicken |
| 3/4 lb. | fresh or canned asparagus |
| 1 Tbs. | cornstarch |
| 1 Tbs. | oil (incl. chicken grease) |
| scant 1/4 c. | white wine |
| 1 tsp. | lemon juice |
| 2 | large eggs |
| 3 dashes | white pepper (about 1/4 tsp.) |
| 1/2 tsp. | salt |
Steps
- Make single, unbaked pie crust.
- Roast 1 breast of chicken, cool and strip from bones. Cut in small, ragged pieces. Salt lightly. Place in bottom of crust.
- Boil about 3/4 lb. fresh or canned asparagus until soft. Mash asparagus in pan. Reduce liquid to less than 1/2 cup. Mix in 1 T. cornstarch (as a guarantee that the custard will work....)
- Beat together oil (incl. chicken grease), white wine, lemon juice, eggs, white pepper, salt.
- Gradually mix warm asparagus into oil and wine mixture. Pour on top of chicken in pie crust.
- Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes. Serve cold, according to Apicius.
Note
Make 1 very large, or 3 miniature pies.
Serves: 10-12.
Costs about $2.50.