Salmon medieval pate

Medieval Pies are most reminiscent of the well-known English meat pies called pies today. Initially, they were an exclusive dish for the nobility and higher clergy, served as part of the introductory course. In the late Middle Ages and early modern period, they, along with pretzels, became street food in cities, baked in mobile ovens directly on the streets. At lavish banquet tables, the pastry of the pie essentially served as a container, merely holding the filling, which was the main attraction of the dish. The taste of the dough itself was not particularly refined, as it was assumed that the master would eat the filling while the pastry was either given to the servants or fed to animals. Over time, pies also took on highly decorative forms designed to impress diners. To embellish their tops, molds were used to press a decorative imprint onto the upper crust, as seen in illuminations from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The filling could include virtually any meat consumed at the time, and even fruit could be part of it.

The recipe, originally titled How to Bake Salmon, comes from the Czech cookbook Severin the Younger’s Cookbook from the early 16th century. An identical recipe, titled *A Good Dish of Salmon*, can also be found in the German cookbook Das buoch von guter spise, written between 1345–1354 by Michael de Leone. The same method can be used for pike, trout, chicken, partridge, and pheasant fillings. The pie can be prepared in the traditional way as described in the recipe, or a more modern approach can be used.

Recipe - Medieval Salmon Pie

Filling: 400 g salmon, lemon, a handful of fresh parsley and sage, ginger, ground black pepper, crushed anise, salt

Dough: 500 g fine whole grain spelt flour, 150 ml cream, 100 g butter, 2 eggs, salt, a pinch of saffron, 50 ml milk

Filleted salmon, with skin and scales removed, is cut into approximately 4×4 cm pieces. Add finely chopped parsley and sage. For enhanced flavor, unlike the original recipe, you can add juice from half a lemon. Season with salt, ginger, ground black pepper, and anise. Mix well and let rest in a cool place for about an hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Meanwhile, prepare the dough. Beat one egg into the cream and add melted butter. Mix well and gradually incorporate into the flour, which has been combined with a pinch of salt and saffron. Knead thoroughly until a firm dough forms. Then, separate one-quarter of the dough. Shape the larger portion into a deep dish form, leaving an edge of at least three centimeters around the filling. Roll out the reserved dough into a sheet and cut a circle to match the top of the dish with the filling. Place it on top and gently press the edges together, rolling them slightly inward. You can decorate the edges with spatula markings. Brush the pie with a beaten egg mixed with a bit of milk. Bake in an oven or stove at 170°C for about 40 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown.