To make a tarte that is a courage to a man or woman.

I'm putting this here to potentially try making this recipe in the future..

From The good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin.
London 1594

A Tarte to prouoke courage either in man or Woman.
TAke a quart of good wine, and boyle therein two Burre rootes scraped cleane, two good Quinces, and a Potaton roote well pared <"138">and an ounce of Dates, and when all these are boyled verie tender, let them be drawne throgh a strainer wine and al, and then put in the yolks of eight Egs, and the braines of three or foure cocke Sparrowes, and straine them into the other, and a litle Rosewater, and seeth them all with Sugar, Sinamon and Ginger, and cloues and Mace, and put in a litle sweet Butter, and set it vpon a chafingdish of coales betweene two platters, and so let it boyle till it be something big.

Modern Interpretation by Mell Taylor

 

1 large sweet potato

2 roots of burdock, parsnip or carrot (your choice)

2 quince.  You can substitute apple if you are unable to obtain quinces

1oz of pitted dates

1 quart sweet red wine

1tsp Cinnamon

1tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp ground mace or nutmeg.  Don’t be tempted to put in more nutmeg as it can have hallucinogenic properties if taken in excess

4 eggs, beaten

½ cup of sugar

1 tsp rosewater, but add more if you fancy it.

1 tbsp butter

A single pie crust.  Dawson has the mixture placed in a chafing dish with no mention of pastry, but this could prove messy.  I would use either a sweet rich French pastry, or simple shortcrust and bake the pastry blind.

Method

1. Set your oven at 350F
2. Peel and cut the sweet potato, quinces and your chosen root into 1” chunks and put them in a saucepan together with the wine and dates. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until all the solid ingredients are soft and the wine has reduced almost to nothing.
3. Either press everything through a sieve, or for ease use a food processor and run it until you have a smooth pulp that has cooled slightly. Add the butter, spices, sugar, rosewater and mix until the butter is all melted and then add the eggs, making sure the mixture is not too hot otherwise the eggs will scramble.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pastry shell and cook until the custard is set in the middle. The mixture should puff up, but this will not last and as the pie cools the filling will settle during the cooling process.
5. Serve with cream, or custard, but that is purely up to you.
6. Enjoy