The Stewpot Recipe Gallery

Rissoles

(Le Menagier de Paris 1393)

Item, on ordinary days, Rissoles can be made of figs, raisins, roasted apples and shelled walnuts to mimic pignon nuts, and spice powder: and the dough should be very well flavored with saffron, then fry them in oil. If they need thickening, starch will bind them and so does rice.

Ingredients:

Pastry:
2 cups flour
10 Tbs. butter (slightly softened)
2/3  cups water
6 threads saffron
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
2 large apples
1/4 cup golden raisins
4 oz. dried figs
1/2 cup shelled walnuts
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp grains of paradise
1 tsp.  sugar
 

Preparation Steps

Ahead of time, cut the apples in half, remove the cores and bake them with a little water in the bottom of the pan, until they are cooked through, and quite tender.  To make pastry, Heat water to boiling, and infuse with saffron.  Allow water to cool.  Cut the butter into the flour until no large pieces of butter remain.  Lumps should be about pea sized.  Mix in salt.  Add water, a little at a time, mixing well, until dough begins to stick together, and can be pressed into a ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate the pastry until needed.  For the filling, remove the peel from the baked apple. Chop the apple, raisins, figs and walnuts.  Add spices and mix well. If the mixture is too moist, add a teaspoon of rice flour.

Roll the dough out thin on a well-floured board, and cut circles in it.  Put in a tablespoon of filling, and fold over to seal.  Bake in a 375 degree oven until done.  Serve at room temperature.

Yield

Makes 2 1/2 - 3 dozen.