Samartard

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: A Noble Boke off Cookry | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Cottage Cheese Fritters

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

To mak smartard tak wetted cruddes er they bee pressed and put them in a clothe and grinde them well to pured flour and temper hem with eggs and cowe creme and mak ther of a good batere that it be rynynge then tak whit grece in a pan and let it be hete and tak out the batter with a saucer and let it ryn into the grece and draw your hand bakward that it may ryn abrod then fry it welle and whit and somwhat craking and serue it furthe in dishes with sugur ther on.

- Napier, Robina. A Noble Boke off Cookry ffor a Prynce Houssolde or Eny Other Estately Houssolde. London: Elliot Stock, 1882.

MODERN RECIPE:

• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup cottage cheese
• 4 tsp heavy cream
• 1 cup oil for frying
• brown sugar to taste

2. Add eggs and cream to the bowl, and, with a whisk, blend it all together until smooth.

3. In a frying pan, heat oil and fry the batter a small amount at a time, spreading it out as it is poured into the pan. Allow the fritters to cook until they start to brown around the edges. With a spatula, carefully remove fritters from pan and drain between paper towels. Arrange on a serving dish and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Serves four to six.

I substitute oil for grease. The batter could be fried in butter like a regular omelet as well.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

In In Festo Sancte Trinitatis in Cena, this dish is listed as Samaca. Thomas Austin, who edited Harleian MS 279, thinks this is a scribal error, and should read Samata (c and t look very much alike in fifteenth century secretary script). This is a deep fried omelet. The batter might also be fried in butter like a regular omelet.

Samartard is featured in In Festo Sancte Trinitatis in Cena