A Fridayes Pye, without eyther Flesh or Fish - Beet and Apple Pie with Raisins

A Fridayes Pye made with Greens instead of beets

During my research, I ran across a recipe that caught my attention for a dish that could be prepared for large banquets that could be served warm or room temperature.  The recipe can be found in John Murrell’s “A new booke of Cookerie”.  

In our most recent meeting of our cook’s group, I brought this dish.  It was agreed that it was very pleasant tasting.  I didn’t miss the meat in this dish and I believe it would make a great starter dish for any banquet, possibly alongside some fresh cheese.

Recipe

WAsh greene Beetes cleane, picke out the middle string, and chop them small with two or three well relisht ripe Apples. Season it with Pepper, Salt, and Ginger: then take a good handfull of Razins of the Sunne, and put all in a Coffin of fine Paste, with a piece of sweet Butter and so bake it: but before you serue it in, cut it vp, and wring in the iuyce of an Orenge, and Sugar  (Gloning, 2001).

Note: The Beetes that are being referred to are not beet roots, but chard, a member of the beet root family, specifically red, or ruby chard, but any green can be used. I also think this would be lovely made with beet root, but the line “picke out the middle string, and chop them small” is the giveaway. For more information follow this link:  First Beets Yielded Only Greens

Ingrediants for a Fridayes Pye

Interpreted Recipe

1 bunch of swiss chard (or other leafy green) –OR- 2 pounds of beets, peeled and cubed

2 apples, peeled, cored and quartered and chopped to same thickness as greens or beets (whichever you choose)

¼ cup raisins or currants

2 tsp. ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup butter, melted

Juice of 1 orange (approximately ¼ cup)

1-2 tsp. sugar (or to taste)

1 9”  pie crust

Parbake your pie shell at 400 degrees for approximately 10 minutes then lower the heat to 350 degrees. Clean, wash and chop your greens, and dry them. Mix together butter, apples, raisins, ginger, salt and pepper and add them to your greens.  Place the mixture into your pie and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until apples have softened. Before serving, add juice of orange and sugar.

Some things that I would do differently with this recipe include finely chopping the greens.  I picked them apart, and they were a bit large.  I think this would also do very well if served in smaller bites, rather than one large pie. It was suggested at the gathering that baking this dish as tarts or in mini-cupcake tins would be a better choice.

Works Cited

Gloning, T. (2001, May 9). John Murrell: A new booke of Cookerie; London Cookerie. London 1615. Retrieved May 15, 2015, from http://www.staff.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/1615murr.htm