Ove Plene

Cheese Stuffed Eggs

Original Recipe: (from Libro di cucina / Libro per Cuoco an anonymous Venetian manuscript)

Se tu voy fare ove implite, toy le ove e mitili a bolire e fay che siano ben duri e quando sono cocti traili fuora e mitili in aqua freda e schovrali e tagliali per mezo e trane fuora lo rosso e toy caxo magro al piú che tu poy che sia ben dolze e herbe bone che tu ay ben monde e ben lavate e pestali in lo mortaro. Quando sono bene menate, toy lo rosso de l' ova, el chasso e le specie e mecti in el mortaro con le herbe bone insieme e pesta bene e fay pastume, e distempera con ove crude e fay che non sea bono, e miti in la padella sopra el focho, e toy li elapi del ova che tu ay e impleli de questo pastume e fay choxere. Quando sono cocti trali fuora e polveriza di sopra del zucharo e dali caldi a tavola. E se tu voy fare savore, toli, etc.

Translation: (by Louise Smithson (Mistress Helewyse de Birkestad))

If you want to make stuffed eggs. Take the eggs and put them to boil and make sure that they are hard cooked. When they are cooked pull them out (of the hot water) and put them in cold water. Peel and slice (the eggs) in half and remove the yolk (reserve). Take the fattest sweetest cheese that you have. Take the best herbs that you have, peel them (from the stalk) wash and grind them together in a mortar. When they (the herbs) are well ground take the egg yolks, the cheese and spices and put them in the mortar with the good herbs. Grind all these things together to make a fine paste and temper (mix) with raw eggs until it is good (has the right consistency). Meanwhile put a frying pan over the fire. Take the egg halves and stuff with the paste (of egg yolks and cheese) and put them to cook (in the frying pan). When they are cooked remove from the pan and powder them with sugar before serving them hot to the table. And if you want to serve them savory take them (without sugaring them), etc.

My Interpretation:

Place 10 of the eggs in pot with enough water to cover and add 1 Tbsp salt to the water. Place pot over high heat and bring water to a boil. Turn off heat and let set in hot water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath for the eggs. Remove eggs from hot water and place in ice bath. Peel then slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks from eggs and place in medium size mixing bowl. Lightly beat two remaining raw eggs. Combine hard cooked egg yolks, cheese and finely chopped herbs with the lightly beaten eggs until a paste is formed. Stuff hard cooked egg whites with cheese paste. Place skillet over medium low heat. Coat bottom of skillet with olive oil. Place egg white halves, paste side down, into skillet. Gently fry eggs until lightly golden around the eggs. Remove eggs from skillet and place, paste side up, on serving platter.

Sources:

The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy; Odile Redon, Françoise Sabban, & Silvano Serventi, translated to the English by Edward Schneider; The University of Chicago Press, 1998

Smithson, Louise. "Translation of Libro Di Cucina/ Libro per Cuoco (14th/15th C.) (AnonimoVeneziano)." Anonimo Veneziano a Clean English Translation. Medieval Cookery, 28 Mar. 2005. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://helewyse.medievalcookery.com/libro.html>.Translation from the transcription of Ludovico Frati (ed.): Libro di cucina del secolo XIV. Livorno 1899 prepared and made available online by Thomas Gloning.

"Libro Di Cucina/ Libro per Cuoco (Anonimo Veneziano)." Libro Di Cucina/ Libro per Cuoco (Anonimo Veneziano). Ed. Ludovico Frati. Monumenta Culinaria Et Diaetetica Historica, 22 Dec. 2000. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/frati.htm>.