Ryschewys

Risshewes are what would be called rissoles today. A rissole, initially created in France, (from Latin russeolus, meaning reddish, via French in which "rissoler" means "to [make] redden") is a small croquette, enclosed in pastry or rolled in breadcrumbs, usually baked or deep fried. It is filled with sweet or savory ingredients, most often minced meat or fish, and is served as an entrée, main course, dessert or side dish.

A ‘ryschewy’ is usually a pasta parcel which has been filled with a paste of spiced fruits and nuts. The title of one of the recipes gives us some idea of what we are to do with these parcels – ‘close and fry’. This is a dish which most likely arrived in England from the Crusades. Numerous variations of this recipe exist, both with and without nuts. Pine nuts, if you wish to add them, are probably the most appropriate nut for this dish.

Ryschewys in lente (Ragons) - forcemeat balls made with dried fruit, ale, almonds, pears, shredded fish, then placed in flour, dipped in an ale batter and fried in oil.

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, T. Austin (ed.)

Ryschewys in lente. Take Fygys & sethe hem uppe in Ale; than take whan they ben tendyr, & bray hem smal on a Mortere; than take Almaundys, & schrede hem ther-to smal; take Perys, & schrede hem ther-to; take datys, & schrede hem ther-to; & nym Milwel or lenge, that is wel y-wateryd, & tese ther-to; than make thin farsure, & rolle a-long in thin hond, & ley hem in flowre; than make thin bature with ale & Floure, & frye hem vppe brown in Oyle; ryt so, make round-lyke Fretourys in the maner be-for-sayd, & frye hem vppe, & that ben y-clepid Ragons, & thanne serue hem forth.

"Milwel" = mulvel (fish), "Lenge" = ling (fish)
"farsure" = forcemeat
"y-clepid" = called

Fried Pastry of Dried Fruits & Pine Nuts (nice accompaniment to roast pork)

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, T. Austin (ed.)

Ryschewys close & Fryez. Take Fygys, & grynd hem smal in a mortere with a lytil Oyle, & grynd with hym clowys & Maces; & than take it vppe in-to a vesselle, & cast ther-to Pynez, Saundrys, & Roysonys of Coraunce, & mencyd Datys, Pouder Pepir, Canel, Salt, Safroun; than take fyne past of flowre an water, Sugre, Safroun, & Salt, & make fayre cakys ther-of; than rolle thin stuf in thin hond, & couche it in the cakys, & kyt it, & folde hym as Ruschewys, & frye hem vppe in Oyle; and serue forth hote.

"couche" = lay
"kyt" = cut

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, T. Austin (ed.)

Risshewes. Take figges, and grinde hem all rawe in a morter, and cast a litull fraied oyle there-to; And then take hem vppe yn a vessell, and caste there-to pynes, reysyns of corance, myced dates, sugur, Saffron, pouder ginger, and salt: And then make Cakes of floure, Sugur, salt, and rolle the stuff in thi honde, and couche it in the Cakes, and folde hem togidur as risshewes, And fry hem in oyle, and serue hem fort.

"fraied" - fried; rendered
"couche" = lay

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, T. Austin (ed.)

Risschewes de frute. Take ffigges, and grinde hem in a morter al smal with a litell oyle, and grynde wit hem, clowes, and maces; and then take hem vppe in-to a diss, and caste thereto pynes, saundres, reisons of coraunce, myced dates, pouder of Peper, Canell, Saffron, and salt; And then make fyne paast of floure, water, sugur, saffron, and salt, And make there-of faire kakes; and then rolle the stuff in thi honde, and couche hit in the kakes; kutte hem, and so folde hem togedrys as risshewes, And fry hem in goode Oyle, And serue hem forthe hote.

Pastry of Dried Fruits & Pine Nuts that is Boiled and Roasted on a Griddle

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, T. Austin (ed.)

Ryschewys close. Nym flour and eyren, & kned to-gedere nym figus, resons, & dates, & do out ye stonys, & blanchid almandis, & goud poudur, & bray to-gedere make coffyns of ye lengthe of a spanne do thy farsour therynne, in euerych cake his porcion plie hem & boille hem in water & suththe roste hem on a gridel & if forth.

"span" = the width of a spread hand
"farsour" = forcemeat

Ryschewys of Marow (marrow)

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)

Risshewes de Mary. Take faire floure, and rawe yolkes of eyren, sugur, salt, powder ginger, and saffron, and make faire Cakes. And then take Mary, Sugur, powder ginger, and ley hit on the kake, and folde him togidre; And then kutte hit in maner of risshewes, And fry hit in fressh grece, And then serue hit forth.

"Mary" = marrow

Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)

lij - Ryschewys of Marow. Take fayre Flowre and raw 3olkys of Eyroun, and Sugre, and Salt, and pouder of Gyngere, and Safroun, and make fayre cakes; and than take marow, Sugre, and pouder of Gyngere, and ley it on thin cake, and fold hem to-gederys, and kytte hem in the maner of Rysschewes, and frye hem in freyssche grece, and thanne serue forth.