The Food of the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, the way in which food is consumed changed dramatically. The Romans and the Etruscans ate lying down and preferred purees, ground meat, meatballs, and boiled and stuffed meats that were easy to digest. However, in the Middle Ages, people began eating upright, seated on stools or benches.

The food was less elaborate and more in keeping with the nature of the times. A plate full of meats of various kinds was placed in the center of the tables of the nobles. People were encouraged to eat off the plate with their hands. The diet of the lower classes was comprised of grain and legume soups and a large slice of bread spread with sauces low in fat, protein and vitamins.

The word companion in fact, comes from the Latin cum pane, or the sharing of bread. The rich often ate wild game, including venison and deer, but no domestic animals. The use of aromatic and spiced sauces became more frequent and was used to mitigate the flavor and smell of the food. There was no refrigeration, so the food could not be stored for long periods of time. Spices and honey were used to mask the high level or acidity in both food and wine. The spices were considered a real status symbol.

The Recipes

Zanzarelli or Passatelli

Master Martino da Como, in his “Libro de Arte Coquinaria”, suggests this recipe for Passatelli:

Add some saffron to a sieved meat stock, to give it a golden color and bring it to the boil. Prepare the mixture to make the “passatelli” with egg and grated Parmesan (10-15 grams per egg) and sufficient bread crumbs to give a good firm texture.

Add the spices (cloves, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of pepper) and mix in. Toss the “passatelli” into the boiling stock and stir until they have become firm. Remove from the heat, check the salt and serve.

The recipe comes from:R. OMICCIOLO VALENTINI, Mangiare Medievale, Latina, Penne e Papiri, 2005, BIGAB 9. 22. 9.

Rice in Almond Milk

Rice was not a widespread cereal during the middle-ages in Europe and accompanying it with almond milk and saffron undoubtedly made this a dish for a nobleman’s table.

Prepare some vegetable stock, sieve it, bring it to the boil, then cook the rice (if possible wholegrain) in it. (If wholegrain rice is used, it should first be soaked for some hours and, during the cooking, lasting about 30 minutes, stirred as little as possible).

It is useful to keep some stock aside to add during cooking. When the rice is half-cooked, and the stock has been absorbed, add enough almond milk to finish off the cooking. Dissolve the saffron in a little stock, add to the rice, and adjust the salt. When cooked, the rice should be neither too dry nor too liquid, but creamy.

The recipe comes from:R. OMICCIOLO VALENTINI, Mangiare Medievale, Latina, Penne e Papiri, 2005, BIGAB 9. 22. 9.

Cheese Gnocchi

Using a fork, whisk to a cream 600 grams of fresh fat cheese, and mix with 200 grams of flour.

Salt, and add, one at a time, six egg yolks, continuing to mix until a homogeneous compound is obtained. Make the gnocchi from this with the aid of a spoon, forming small balls to be tossed into a pot containing abundant salted boiling water.

The gnocchi are ready when they float to the surface. Drain them and transfer to a preheated plate; sprinkle with a generous helping of grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

The recipe comes from: M. SALEMI, La Cucina Medievale, Firenze, Libriliberi, 2003, BIGAB 9. 22. 8.