A Boke of Gode Cookery Presents

To make a pye of alowes

PERIOD: England, 1545 | SOURCE: A Propre new booke of Cokery | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: A pie made of stuffed lamb steaks, accompanied with a wine syrup


To make a pye of alowes.

Take a legge of mutton and cutte it in thin slices / and for stuffing of the same take persely tyme and saueri / and chop them small / then temper among them three or foure yolkes of harde egges chopte small / and small reysyns / dates cutte with mace and a litle salte / then role them togyther. This dooen make your pye and laye all these therin / then ceason them with a litle suger and synamon / saffron and salte / then cast vpon them the yolkes of thre or foure harde egges and cut dates / with small resynges so close your pie & bake hym. Then for a sirrup for it take tosted brede and a litle claret wyne and strayne theim thyne togyther / and put there to a litle suger / synamon and gynger and putte it into your pye / and then serue it forth.


To make a pie of Aloes.

Take a leg of mutton and cut it in thin slices / and for stuffing of the same take parsley thyme and savory / and chop them small / then temper among them three or four yolks of hard eggs chopped small / and small raisins / dates cut with mace and a little salt / then roll them together. This done make your pie and lay all these therein / then season them with a little sugar and cinnamon / saffron and salt / then cast upon them the yolks of three of four hard eggs and cut dates / with small raisins so close your pie & bake him. Then for a syrup for it take toasted bread and a little claret wine and strain them thin together / and put thereto a little sugar / cinnamon and ginger and put it into your pie / and then serve it forth.


  • Lamb roast
  • Stuffing:
    • Parsley, chopped
    • Thyme, chopped
    • Savory, chopped
    • Hard boiled egg yolks, chopped
    • Raisins
    • Dates, chopped
    • Mace
    • Salt
  • One 9-inch pie shell with lid
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Saffron
  • Toasted bread crumbs
  • Claret
Carefully cut your lamb into long thin strips, about 6-8 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 1/8 inch thick. Blend together all the stuffing ingredients into a malleable mixture, then spread a spoonful of stuffing onto each strip of lamb. Roll the strip from one end to the other, placing each roll into the pie shell, continuing until the pie is full. Sprinkle on sugar, cinnamon, saffron, & a little salt, then cover with some chopped hard boiled egg yolks, chopped dates, & raisins. Cover with a pastry lid. In the center of the lid, cut a cross into the pastry. Peel the pastry back from the center points to make an opening in the middle of the pie, about 2 inches in diameter. Bake until the pastry is golden brown & the inside fully cooked.

Bring the claret to a low boil, and beat in a small amount of toasted bread crumb to slightly thicken it. Add the cinnamon & ginger and sweeten with sugar.

When the pie is removed from the oven, pour the sauce into the pie through the opening in the lid. Serve.

Aloes were small, stuffed meat rolls, usually prepared by roasting on a broach or spit. While being cooked they are similar in appearance to small birds, sans head & feet, being spit roasted, thus the name aloes, which was Old French for larks. This receipt is a unique variation of the usual medieval version in that the aloes are not spit roasted but made into a pie.

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