Pottage in the Italian Fashion. is a traditional Stuart recipe (from Robert May's cookbook) for a classic Italianate soup of green peas and bacon flavoured with parsley, black pepper and aniseed. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Stuart version of: Pottage in the Italian Fashion.
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Original Recipe
Pottage in the Italian Fashion. (from Robert May's Accomplisht Cook 1660)
Pottage in the Italian Fashion.
Boil green pease with some strong broth, and interlarded bacon cut into slices; the pease being boiled, put to them some chopped parsley, pepper, anniseed, and strain some of the pease to thicken the broth; give it a walm and serve it on sippets, with boild chickens, pigeons, kids, or lambs-heads, mutton, duck, mallard, or any poultry.
Sometimes for variety you may thicken the broth with eggs.
Modern Redaction
Note that you may need to add a little seasoning of salt to this dish, as Stuart bacon would have been much saltier to preserve it as compared with the modern equivalents.
Combine the peas and bacon in a pot and pour in 2l (8 cups) water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 40 minutes or until the peas are tender.
Remove some of the peas and puree then add the parsley, black pepper and ground aniseed to the pot. Stir in the pea purée, bring back to a simmer and continue cooking until the pottage has thickened. Serve hot on a bed of bread sippets.
Note that you may need to add a little seasoning of salt to this dish, as Stuart bacon would have been much saltier to preserve it as compared with the modern equivalents.
