Brazzatelle di Latte, e Zuccaro – Milk and Sugar Bagels (1557)

Brazzatelle di Latte, e Zuccaro – Milk and Sugar Bagels (1557)

Course: Bread for the Table

Feast: 12th Night 2024, Pan da Tavola, Made by Jennifer Bishop
Source: *Libro Novo* by Cristoforo di Messisbugo (1557)

These soft, slightly sweet breads were served at our Italian Renaissance feast as a morning-style bread, nestled between savory and sweet dishes. The original source calls them Brazzatelle—a term used in Italy for ring-shaped breads or cookies—and describes a process similar to making bagels, including boiling before baking. Enriched with milk, eggs, rosewater, and sugar, they may have been intended as a refined treat for a January banquet table.

A Renaissance Ring: The Story Behind Brazzatelle

Brazzatelle—also spelled brazzadelle, brazzadei, or brasadèle depending on region—were a type of ring-shaped bread popular across northern and central Italy from the medieval period through the Renaissance. The name likely stems from the Latin brachium (arm) or bracellus (bracelet), referencing their circular, bracelet-like shape.

These breads were often boiled before baking, giving them a glossy, firm exterior while preserving a soft interior. This technique, associated with extended shelf life, also made them ideal for festive or ritual uses. In Ferrara, Venice, and Bologna, brazzatelle were given as holiday gifts, blessed in churches during Easter, or included in wedding dowries.

Some were sweetened, like the version from Messisbugo’s Libro Novo (1557), while others were plain or flavored with anise seed. Their uses were diverse:

• Ritual breads for New Year’s, weddings, Easter, or religious processions
• Gifts or tokens of good fortune, especially when made in pairs or dozens
• Street or market fare—sold by licensed bakers, often under guild oversight

Are They Bagels?

While brazzatelle are not direct ancestors of the modern Ashkenazi bagel, they share several similarities:

• Ring shape and boiled-then-baked preparation
• Guild-regulated production and ceremonial use
• Flexible recipe base—ranging from peasant food to noble fare

It’s possible the boiling technique spread via cross-cultural contact. Jewish communities were established in Ferrara and other Italian cities by the 15th century, especially after the 1492 Spanish expulsion. Culinary exchanges between Jewish bakers and Italian guild traditions may have helped standardize boiled breads in both cultures [Gvion, 2004].

Sweet, Rich, and Refined

Messisbugo’s version reflects the courtly taste of the Este family in Ferrara: enriched with milk, eggs, sugar, butter, and rosewater, it would have been seen as a luxurious item. He suggests shaping them “as you like” and recommends adding anise seed, a common Renaissance spice prized for its digestive and humoral balancing properties [Albala, 2006].

In context, these may have been served with other banchetto items—spiced fruits, sugared nuts, or wine-soaked cakes—and consumed during the second or third course of a festive winter feast.

The original recipe yields 50 generous biscuits, each around 4 ounces. Our modern version scales down the ingredients, shapes the dough into braided twists or rings, and bakes them to golden perfection. While not as chewy as a modern New York bagel, these have a tender crumb and delicate flavor, perfect with jam, cheese, or on their own.

Original Recipe

📜 Ricetta Originale – Brazzatelle di latte, e zuccaro (1557)

Per far cinquanta brazzatelle di quattro oncie, si piglia quindeci libre di farina, tre oncie d’acqua rosa, tre libre di latte, e due di zuccaro bianco, venticinque ova, quattro oncie di butiro, et impastinsi bene insieme queste cose. Poi si faccino le dette brazzatelle secondo la maniera che si vuole fare, et si faccino lievitare con gran diligenza. Et lievitate che saranno, si faccia bollire acqua, et si gettino dentro le dette brazzatelle a cuocere, et quando saranno a galla, si cavino fuori, et si mettino in acqua fresca, et da poi si pongano a cuocere al forno. Et se si vorrà mettere dentro dell’anese, farà buona operazione.

— Messisbugo, Libro Novo, 1557

Translation note: The term brazzatelle refers to ring- or twist-shaped breads, often associated with ritual use. This recipe describes a luxurious enriched dough, boiled like a bagel, then baked—unusual for Renaissance Italy and suggesting a festive or banquet setting.

To make fifty biscuits of four ounces each, take fifteen pounds of flour, three ounces of rose water, three pounds of milk, and two pounds of white sugar, 25 eggs, four ounces of butter, and knead these together well. Then shape your biscuits in the manner you like, and let them rise with great diligence. When risen, boil water and throw in the biscuits to cook. When they float, remove and place in fresh water. Then bake them on the fire. If you want to add anise, that would work well.
– Messisbugo, *Libro Novo* (1557)

Uva in Salamoia – Pickled Grapes for a Renaissance Antipasto

 

Uva in Salamoia – Renaissance Pickled Grapes

🥕 Gluten-free, vegetarian (vegan if sugar is bone-char free)

Pickled grapes ready to be served

In Renaissance kitchens, grapes were often served fresh, described by color (white or black), and used for sweet or savory contrast. This recipe, though not found in Scappi or Domenico Romoli directly, draws on 17th-century English and Italian preservation methods to create a sweet-sour pickled grape that pairs beautifully with rich dishes like crostata, cheese, or roasted meats.

Insalata di Cicoria Bianca – Renaissance Chicory Salad with Raisins & Shallots

Insalata di Cicorea Bianca, Scalognetti Freschi – White chicory salad with fresh shallots and raisins
— From the 16th‑c. Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook

Insalata di Cicoria Bianca – chicory salad served at Baronial 12th Night Feast

This vibrant bitter-sweet salad was served during the Secundo Servito – Antipasti di cucina course of the Baronial 12th Night 2024 Feast. Inspired by a 16th-century Hungarian court manuscript known as the Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook, it reflects a moment when Italian culinary sophistication influenced kitchens far beyond the Alps. The recipe calls out the Italians by name — praising their simplicity while offering a Hungarian twist.

This recipe comes from the Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook (mid-16th c.), preserved in Hungarian sources and available via MedievalCookery.com. It reflects Hungary’s cosmopolitan court culture under rulers like Gabriel Bethlen, where Italian culinary practices were deeply admired and adapted  

Historical Background: A Transylvanian Culinary Lens

The Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook was compiled in a culturally rich period when Transylvania — then a principality of the Kingdom of Hungary — absorbed diverse culinary influences from Italy, the Ottoman Empire, and the German-speaking world. Courts under princes like Gabriel Bethlen and György Rákóczi I cultivated both humanist learning and refined dining. Italian food was especially admired, and references in the manuscript highlight its prestige.

🌍 Cross-Cultural Influences in the Transylvanian Court Kitchen

The Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook reflects a sophisticated fusion of culinary traditions. While Italian cuisine is explicitly referenced, the manuscript shows clear signs of diverse influence:

• Ottoman Cuisine: Spiced meats, rice, pickled fruits, and sweet-sour pairings suggest Turkish and Persian inspiration.
• Germanic Traditions: Dumplings, pork fat, and bread-based dishes echo Saxon and Bohemian styles from Habsburg lands.
• Slavic Elements: Fermented dairy, allium-rich dressings, and foraged greens reflect broader East-Central European customs.
• Possible Armenian or Jewish Touches: Sweet-savory sauces with dried fruit and nuts hint at urban Levantine or Sephardic culinary habits.

This layered culinary identity was typical of 16th-century Transylvania, a crossroads of empires and trade. Recipes like this salad — which pairs Italian simplicity with Hungarian technique — exemplify that blending.

“The Italians do it like so: they slice [the chicory] into a pot or a plate, add salt and black pepper, then eat it. We Hungarian chef masters soak this, too.” — Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook

Renaissance Salad Styles

🌿 Renaissance Salad Styles

In Renaissance cookery, the concept of a salad went far beyond leafy greens. Derived from the Latin salata (meaning “salted things”), salads included raw or blanched vegetables, fresh herbs, cooked greens, and even warm dishes — all united by the presence of oil, vinegar, or brine.

Salads during this period often reflected Galenic medical theory, which emphasized balancing the four humors through food. Certain greens were considered cooling and moist, while others were hot and dry — and preparation methods were used to correct imbalances.

• Simple Salads – Raw herbs or greens, lightly salted or drizzled with oil
• Soaked Salads – Bitter greens or roots soaked to soften their bite or draw out excess moisture
• Composed Salads – Layered or marinated salads with ingredients like dried fruit, onions, and vinegar
• Herbed Salads – Complex mixtures of aromatic herbs, flowers, and sometimes spices
• Cooked Salads – Blanched or sautéed greens such as lettuce or spinach, often served warm and dressed, considered more digestible per Galenic principles

This dish blends the soaked and composed styles, pairing the bitter, cooling properties of chicory with the warming sweetness of raisins and the sharpness of shallot, all softened in a steeped vinaigrette. The balance of humors and textures makes it both medically appropriate and gastronomically appealing for a Renaissance table.

Italian vs. Hungarian Approaches

The manuscript’s author explicitly compares methods: Italians salted and dressed their chicory simply, while Hungarian chefs preferred to soak it. This extra step likely softened its bitterness and made it more palatable for guests unused to raw greens. The use of shallots and raisins adds both flavor complexity and textural contrast, demonstrating the court’s elevated approach to even humble ingredients.

The Role of Salads in Feast Structure

In formal Renaissance banquets, salads were often part of the Credenza (pantry-style) or Antipasti di Cucina (kitchen-prepared) courses. Their placement early in the meal aligned with medical advice — balancing digestion and setting the stage for heavier fare. This salad, with its bitter greens, aromatic vegetables, and tangy dressing, served as a perfect counterpoint to bot of the crostata's and pickled grapes also offered in this service.

Salads for Peasants, Merchants, and Princes

Not all Renaissance salads were created equal. Across early modern Hungary, salad preparation and presentation reflected both social class and medical belief:

• Noble Courts: Chicory, fennel, and imported greens were paired with raisins, citrus, or aromatic vinegars. These salads were layered, often steeped, and served early in formal meals to stimulate digestion.
• Merchant Households: Seasonal greens like cabbage or wild sorrel were tossed with onions, vinegar, and local oils. They mirrored court recipes in form but not luxury.
• Peasant Tables: Raw herbs and greens — if eaten — were foraged or grown and often dressed only with salt or a splash of vinegar.  In some European regions, fermented dairy or whey may have been used as a simple dressing. In Hungarian folk cooking, foraged greens like sorrel, nettles or dandelions were mixed with sourmilk or tejföl (fermented cream). Although these practices are not codified in noble cookbooks, they are part of practical traditions that have been handed down via oral tradition.

Over time, noble recipes filtered downward, simplified by necessity but retained in memory. This salad's bittersweet profile — once elite — became a rustic staple in many regional cuisines.

Modern Interpretation – Serves 8

• 1 large radicchio or white chicory, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded red or white cabbage
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• ½ shallot, thinly sliced
• ½ cup red raisins (or halved red grapes)

Dressing

• ½ cup raisins
• ½ shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp vinegar (balsamic or red wine)
• ¼ cup extra‑virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Toss salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine raisins, shallot, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil and let steep.
3. Just before serving, drizzle dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

Humoral Properties of Chicory

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) was widely praised in Renaissance herbals and medical texts for its cooling and drying qualities. According to Galenic theory, it helped balance excess choler and bile, soothed the liver, and stimulated digestion. Bitter foods like chicory were often served at the beginning of a meal to “open the appetite.” When paired with vinegar, oil, and sweet elements like raisins, it formed a well-balanced and elegant dish.

Renaissance Salad Comparison by Region

Region	Salad Base	Dressings	Cultural Notes	Extant Recipes
Italian States	Chicory, endive, lettuce, fennel	Olive oil, vinegar, salt, herbs	Served early in meals for digestion; emphasized freshness and refinement	Lettuce - a cooked lettuce salad served with green sauce
Hungary (Nobility)	Chicory, fennel, radicchio, cabbage	Olive oil, vinegar, raisins, shallots	Adapted Italian forms; emphasized balance of bitter/sweet and humoral properties	White Chicory Salad (Modern Redaction)
England	Lettuce, spinach, herbs, flowers	Vinegar, oil, sugar, citrus juice	Often layered with nuts, dried fruit, and sweet-sour dressings; herbal and floral salads appeared in elite dining	Pepys To Make Buttered Wortes – Pepys 18
Germanic Lands	Cabbage, cress, herbs	Vinegar, lard, egg yolk	Hearty, rustic, influenced by monastic and beer culture	Salat – Aromatic Medieval Herb Salad
Ottoman Territories	Herbs, purslane, onions	Lemon juice, yogurt, oil, sumac	Rich sweet-sour profiles; integrated medicinal herbs	Purslane Salad – Medieval Recipes

🥕 Dietary Notes

• Vegetarian: ✔️
• Vegan: ✔️
• Gluten‑Free: ✔️
• Galenic balanced: Bitter greens offset by sweet fruit and sharp aromatics

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Historical References

• Prince of Transylvania’s Court Cookbook (mid‑16th c.): includes “Chicory salad… The Italians do it like so…” and a list of 1603 feast menus 
• Chicory in Galenic medicine: see John Gerard’s Herbal (1597), and Mattioli’s Commentarii (1544)
• Banquet structure and salad use in Renaissance Europe: Platina, Scappi, and Romoli