JÚNIOR WITH A PAN CHEESE RECIPE, A FORERUNNER OF QUICHE

Cradling Wheat
Photo from: Mike Fitzpatrick

tributaries. Originally this was a tribute to Our Lady or the Virgin Mary’s commission, which consisted of a Morning Prayer Service held before field laborers commenced the harvest and included a donation or promise to Our Lady. Probably this was paid in kind after the harvest.

The “junior” was adopted from Charlemagne and included in Alfonso X’s Fuero (Code of Law) of León in 940. This included juniores de cabeza, a feudal law obliging the vassal to render his personal services to his lord like participating in the harvest.

Vassals also paid a tithe of their produce to the lord for letting him use his lands to produce wheat and other products such as cheese from their personal herds of goats, sheep and cows.

[Sánchez-Albornoz. 2000:31:117:118 etc]

A PAN CHEESE RECIPE, A FORERUNNER OF QUICHE ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN, AL-ANDALUS #66 SARTÉN CON QUESO, p 48

Ingredients

Aging Cheese at Lachiores alpage
Photo from: Xavier

1 lb assorted cheeses

2 tbsp sifted flour

2 c milk

2 ½ tsp oil

2 ½ tsp oil

5 eggs

¼ tsp white pepper

1 tsp mashed saffron dissolved in milk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp chopped lavender

1 tbsp chopped coriander

Optional:

fried small birds or cut-up pigeons

egg yolks

split almonds

Variation:

Coriander seed and cilantro water instead of milk

Mint water instead of saffron

Preparation

A 13th Century Quiche Predessesor
Photo by: Lord-Williams

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400ºF/º200C

Shred cheese and put it in a pan with flour and add 1 c milk. Add seasoning to eggs and slightly beat eggs. Add them to the pan and stir until thick. Add more milk if necessary.

Cover a pie dish with oil and pour the cheese mixture into it. 

Bury birds, egg yolks and/or almonds in the mixture if desired.

Bake 35-40 minutes until brown on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve.

ANÓN AL ANDALUS #66 SARTÉN DE QUESO, p 48 AMBROSIO HUICI’S TRANSLATION

Se toma queso tierno, que no sea fresco al día, sino que  le hayan pasado tres o cuatro días y se amas a  mano; a dos libras de él se le añaden dos onzas de harina escogida; se pone en leche fresca y se le cascan diez huevos y se espolvorea con pimienta, azafrán, canela, espliego y cilantro  seco; se bate todo en la sartén y cuando se espesa, se viere sobre él leche fresca y se cubre con mucho aceite, se verte sobre él leche fresca y se cubre con mucho aceite; se meten en él pájaros fritos o pichones troceados y fritos, yemas de huevo y almendras picadas,; se mete en el horno a fuego moderado y se deja hasta que se seque y se cuaje y se tueste su cara; se saca par que se enfríe y se sirve. Se hace esta sartén más reducida con agua de cilantro seco y tierno y agua de menta sin azafrán y resulta otro plato, y el que quiera esta sartén con queso solo, sin pájaros ni carne, lo hará asó y de todos modos es bueno.