Malaches of Pork

PERIOD: England, 14th century | SOURCE: Forme of Cury | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Pork Quiche

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Hewe pork al to pecys and medle it with ayren & chese igrated. Do therto powdour fort, safroun & pynes with salt. Make a crust in a trap; bake it wel therinne, and serue it forth.

- Hieatt, Constance B. and Sharon Butler. Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). New York: for The Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1985.

MODERN RECIPE:

• Pastry dough for 1 nine-inch pie crust
• 1 pound lean pork, cubed
• 4 eggs
• 1 C grated, hard cheese
• 1/4 C pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pinch of each, cloves, mace, black pepper

2. Line a nine-inch pie pan with the pastry dough, and bake it for five to ten minutes to harden it. Remove it, and reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3. In a frying pan, over medium heat, brown the cubed pork until it is tender.

4. In a bowl, beat the eggs and spices together.

5. Line the bottom of the pie crust with the browned pork, grated cheese, and pine nuts. Pour the egg and spice mixture over them.

6. Put the pie in the oven and bake for forty-five minutes, or until a toothpick draws out clean. Cool before serving.

Serves eight to twelve.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

This is one of three different malaches recipes found in Forme of Cury.

I blended several commonly used strong spices for powdour fort.

I brown the pork before adding it to the pie.