MARTINO ROSSI

Rice with almond milk



Per farne dece menestre, togli una libra de amandole et mondale bene che siano bianche. Et togli meza libra di riso, et lavalo doi o tre volte con acqua tepida, et ponilo al focho con acqua chiara et fallo ben cocere: Dapoi caccial fore et ponilo a sciucchare. Dapoi pista molto bene le ditte amandole bagnandole et sbroffandole di sopra spesso con un pocha d'acqua frescha, acciochè non facciano olio; et distemperale con acqua frescha et passale per la stamegnia et mitti a bollire questo lacte in una pignatta giongendovi meza libra di zucharo fino. Et como comincia a bollire mittivi dentro il riso et poni la pignatta sopra la brascia longi dal focho voltando spesso col cocchiaro acciò che non pigli fume, et fallo bollire per spatio de meza hora. Similimente poterai cocere lo ditto riso con lacte di capra o con altro lacte. almonds
(goat's milk)
rice
sugar
To prepare ten portions, get a pound of almonds and peel them so that they are white. Get half a pound of rice, rinse it two or three times in lukewarm water and boil it in clear water until it is well done. Then, remove it from the water and set it out to dry. Finely grind the almonds, but moisten them often with sprays of cool water so that they do not release their oil. Now, add the proper amount of cold water and filter the mixture through a strainer. Next, heat this almond milk in a pot while adding half a pound of sugar, and pour in the rice when the mixture begins to boil. Be sure to place the pot far away from the flame and stir often with a ladle so that the mixture does not get a smoky taste. Let boil for half an hour. You can use the same method to cook rice in goat's milk or any other kind of milk.

HISTORIC NOTES

In his text, Martino first presents a recipe for cooking rice in "meat broth", and then the above formula using almond milk. This dish was probably intended for serving on meatless days and during Lent, or was destined for people who were ill. Rice had only recently become popular in Martino's time. Introduced into Europe by the Arabs, it began to be cultivated in Sicily in the XIII century and did not reach northern Italy or the Po valley (where it found favourable conditions for its development) until the XV century.


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