To Make Little Rich Stars

Translation of a 16th century Italian Recipe.

From Christoforo di Messisbugo, Banchetti composizioni di vivande e apparecchio generale (Lucio Spineda, Venice, 1610)

p48v A fare dieci piatti di Stellete grasse. (To make ten plates of little rich stars.)

Take two fresh creamy cheeses which are fresh¹, and a pound and a half of grated cheese, and the flesh of a capon, and grind all these things together well. Then take eight egg whites, and a pound of sugar, and a good pinch of flour, and half a pound of whole raisins, and rose water, and half an ounce of cinnamon, and half an ounce of pepper, and knead these together into a dough, then make the sheet of royal pastry, like is said with the others, as thick as you would like, and with the cutter make your little pastries, and make the little stars as is said with the others, and keep the same rule for cooking them.

1. The cheese he talks about is named "puina", which Florio gives as "a kinde of fresh-cheese and creame". I guess it's probably something like a ricotta, or similar cheeses which are made quickly and eaten young.