CARNESTOLENDAS WITH 15TH CENTURY RECIPE FOR SHROVETIDE PANCAKES

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Combate de Don Carnal contra Doña Cuaresma 

en la Plaza mayor de Madrid

(Sir Meat against Lady Lent in Combat 

Plaza Mayor, Madrid)

Photo from: SamJF

L. canelevarium (abandoning meat), Eng. Shovetide, carnival, the three days prior to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Traditionally, in Spain and throughout Europe, it is a festival of mascarades with practical jokes and gorging oneself with fatty foods above all parts of the pig. The Archpriest of Hita written by Juan Ruíz, who died in 1350, is an allegory portraying Don Carnival or Sir Meat against Lady Lent. During the entire poem the “meat army” consisting of partridge, roast capons, mutton, boar, etc. fights against halibut, herring, almond milk and other Lenten dishes. The fight continues for six weeks until the triumph of Easter, clearly showing medieval traits of gluttony, the constant worry about food and the Church’s attempt to curb sin.  During Shrovetide several traditional dishes were prepared to celebrate the days prior to the period of absentence culminating in Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day on which forbidden Lenten foods such as animal produces, milk, eggs and lard, are used up as well as sugar, a luxury in medieval times. [Ruíz/Brey. 1965: entire; and Tuña. 1996:roll]

SHROVETIDE ALMOND BUTTER FILLED PANCAKES ADAPTED
FROM NOLA’S RECIPE xliiii-3 EMPANADAS DE AZUCAR FINO

Ingredients

A Cardinal Sin Today is to buy ready made
Almond Butter when Homemade is Delicious!
Photo by: Lord-Williams 

For filling:
1 c unpeeled raw almonds
¼ c virgin olive oil1
½ c powdered sugar
1 tsp freshly ground ginger
¼ c rosewater

For Pancakes:
2 eggs
1 c milk
1 c flour
pinch salt
1 tbsp olive oil

For frying:
slices of butter

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Its a Winner for Breakfast and Desserts!
Photo by: Lord-Williams

For garnish:
Red raspberry jam
Mint leaves

Preparation

For filling:

Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and turn off heat. Add almonds. Let stand 3-5 minutes. Pop almonds out of skins.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Fry almonds and place them in a food processor without patting off olive oil with paper towels. Grind them thoroughly. Add powdered sugar and ginger. Dampen with rosewater. Place the paste in a dish for further use.

For the pancakes:

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor.

Heat butter in a frying pan. Add batter for one pancake. When the bottom side is golden brown flip it over. While the other side is cooking spread a layer of almond butter on cooked side. When the underside is golden brown, roll up the pancake.

Place pancakes on a serving dish plate adding touches of raspberry jam and mint leaves to give it color and serve.