Spinach Tart

Spinach first appeared in England and France in the 14th century, probably via Spain, and it gained quick popularity because it appeared in early spring, when other vegetables were scarce and when Lenten dietary restrictions discouraged consumption of other foods. Spinach is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, the Forme of Cury (1390), where it is referred to as 'spinnedge' and/or 'spynoches'.

The first recipe is from the late 14th century; all others that I could find are from the 16th century. They must have been popular then.

Le Ménagier de Paris, J. Pichon (ed.), 1393

POUR FAIRE UNE TOURTE, prenez quatre pongnées de bettes, deux poignées de percil , une pongnée de cerfueil, un brain de fanoil et deux pongnées d'espinoches, et les eslisez et lavez en eaue froide, puis hachiez bien menu: puis broyez de deux paires de frommages, c'est assavoir du mol et du moïen, et puis mettez des oeufs avec ce, moyeu et aubun, et les broyez parmi le frommage; puis mettez les herbes dedans le mortier et broyez tout ensemble, et aussi mettez-y de la poudre fine.

J. Hinson (trans.)

TO MAKE A TART, take four handfuls of beet-leaves, two handfuls of parsley, one handful of chervil, a bit of turnip-top and two handfuls of spinach, and clean them and wash them in cold water, then chop very small: then grate two kinds of cheese, that is one mild and one medium, and then put eggs with it, yolk and white, and grate them in with the cheese; then put the herbs in the mortar and grind them up together, and also add to that some powdered spices.

David/Cariadoc Translation

To make a tart, take four handfuls of beet leaves, two handfuls of parsley, a handful of chervil, a sprig of fennel and two handful of spinach, and pick them over and wash them in cold water, then cut them up very small; then bray with two sorts of cheese, to wit a hard and a medium, and then add eggs thereto, yolks and whites, and bray them in the cheese; then put the herbs into the mortar and bray all together and also put therein some fine powder.

Or instead of this have ready brayed in the mortar two heads of ginger and onto this bray your cheese, eggs and herbs and then cast old cheese scraped or grated onto the herbs and take it to the oven and then have your tart made and eat it hot.

Redaction

1/2 pound spinach, washed and chopped 
1/2 cup parsley 
6 eggs 
2 cups mozzarella, grated 
1/2 cup parmesan, grated 
1 tsp. chervil 
1 tsp. fennel 
1 tsp. powder fine 

Wash spinach and parsley, and chop them well. Beat eggs in a large bowl, add greens and remaining ingredients, and mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake at 350°F until firm - about an hour.

A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye. Trans. Gloning, T. 1557

To make a tarte of spinage. Take Spynage and perboyle it tender, then take it up and wrynge oute the water cleane, and chop it very small, and set it uppon the fyre wyth swete butter in a frying panne and season it, and set it in a platter to coole then fyll your tart and so bake it.

A Book of Cookrye, 1591

Tartes of Spinage. Boyle your Spinage very tender, and three of foure apples with it, and when it is very tender, strine it through a faire cloth, and the season it with the yolk of an egge, Sugar, Sinamon, and Ginger.

The Good Huswife's Jewell, Thomas Dawson 1596

To make a tarte of Spennedge.
Boyle your Egges and your Creame togither, and then put them into a bowle, and then boyle your Spinnedge, and when they are boyled, take them out of the water and straine them into your stuffe before you straine your Creame, boyle your stuffe and then strain them al againe, and season them with suger and salt.

The Good Huswife's Jewell, Thomas Dawson 1596

To make a Tarte of Spinadge. Take spinadge and seeth it stalk and all, and when it is tenderly sodden, take it off, and let it drayne in a Cullynder, and then swing it in a clowte, and stamp it and straine it with two or three yolkes of egges, and then set it on a chafin-dish of coales, and season it with butter and Suger, and when the paste is hardened in the Oven, put in this commode, strake it even.

Lady Elinor Fetiplace, 1604

A Tart of Spinage
Take the spinage & boile it in water till it bee soft, then straine it, & put to it the yelks of vi eggs, & some rosewater and corrance, & sugar, & some sinamon, & ginger & some butter. boile it on the fier, a good while, before you put it in the paste.

The English Huswife, Gervase Markham, 1615

TO MAKE A TART OF SPINNAGE. Take some cast creame, and seeth some Spinnage in faire water till it be verie soft, then put it into a Collender, that the water may soake from it: then straine the Spinnage, and cast the creame together, let there be good plentie of Spinnage: set it upon a chafingdish of coales, and put to it Sugar and some Butter, and let it boyle a while. Then put it in the paste, and bake it, and caste blanche powder on it, and so serve it in.

The English Huswife, Gervase Markham, 1615

A Spinnage Tart. Take a good store of Spinage, and boyl it in a Pipkin, with White Wine, till it be soft as pap; then take it and strain it well into a pewter dish, not leaving any part unstrained; then put to it Rose-water, great store of Sugar and cinamon, and boyle it till it be thick as Marmalade. Then let it coole, and after fill your Coffin and adorn it.