White dish in the Catalan Fashion

A 16th century Italian Recipe, translated into English by Shannon Wanty

From Rosselli, Giovanne: Epulario: qual tratta del modo di cucinare ogni carne, vccelli, pesci, & ultra qualita di viuande (Altobello Salicato, Vinegia, 1596)

p10r/v Per fare dodeci menestre de bianco mangiare al modo catelano. (To make ten dishes of white dish in the Catalan fashion.)

Take a full pot of goat milk and eight ounces of very fine rice flour and put this milk to boil, then take the breast of a capon killed that day, and half cook it, and unravel all of this breast thinly like hairs & put it in the mortar and there grind it at least twice with the pestle, then when the milk has boiled half an hour throw in this breast thus unraveled & one pound of sugar & let it boil for the space of half an hour or about, & this thing should be stirred continuously with the spoon from the beginning to the end. Note to know when it is cooked draw the spoon & [it will] seem new, and then put in the rose water like the one above, & make the dish the same as that taking a little of sugar, and then of almonds on the table.