| 3 Tbs. olive oil | 1 lb. mushrooms, cleaned and chopped |
| 6 slices bacon, chopped | 2 cloves garlic, minced |
| 2 Tbs. parsley, minced | 1 cup Parmesan cheese, diced or shredded |
| 4 eggs, lightly beaten | salt and pepper |
| pastry crust for 9" single-crust pie |
Cover the bottom of a heavy skillet with the olive oil.
Saute the garlic [and bacon], then add the mushrooms, and parsley,
and cook through.
Remove from the fire and cool.
Add Parmesan, eggs, salt, and pepper.
Mix together and pour into a pie pan lined with pie pastry.
Bake in a moderate oven (350 F) until the eggs are set and the pastry
is nut colored, about 35-40 minutes.
The cheese can be all Parmesan, or a mixture of Parmesan and some other milder, cheaper cheese (I used some Mozzarella).
"This is not actually a researched medieval dish. I originally
took it from a book called "Food alla Florentine" by Naomi Barry and Beppe
Bellini (New York: Doubleday & Co, 1972) because the authors claimed
the recipes were served at an 'authentic Renaissance banquet'. In
1972 I knew a lot less about period cookery, and took the statement at
face value, whereas now I would question it further....
HOWEVER, the damn pie is so good, that I keep serving it, hoping one
of these days I will find the real source (maybe when more of the Italian
works are translated)."
Served at Winter's Edge (2002), among other events.