Fritur Emeles

Almond Fritters

Source: Diuersa Cibaria, 14^th century

Original Recipe:

A fritur þat hatte emeles

Nym sucre, salt, & alemauns & bred, & grind am togedre; & soþþen do of ayren. & soþþen nim grece oþur botere oþur oyle, and soþþen nim a dihs, & smeore heom; & soþþen nym bliue, & cose wiþ sucre drue: & þis beoþ þin cyueles in leynten ase in oþur time.

My Translation:

A fritter that has Almonds

Take sugar, salt, and almonds and bread, and grind them together, and then do of egg and then take grease or butter or oil, and then take a dish and smear them and then take quickly and sprinkle with dry sugar: and this be thin cakes in Lent as in other time.

And if by chance you do not have any pork fat, use good oil. And similarly, if you don’t want to use sugar, use some good honey.

My Interpretation:

Combine sugar, salt, ground almonds and fine bread crumbs. Beat eggs together and add to dry mixture. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Put on plate and sprinkle with sugar.

Works Referenced:

Curye on Inglysch (Middle English Recipes) (Early English Text Society Supplementary Series) [Hardcover]. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. <http://books.google.com/books?id=aHptQgAACAAJ>. Curye on Inglysch contains the four earliest collections of culinary recipes to be found in English.