To make Char de Crabb (To Make a Crabapple Pie) is a traditional Medieval recipe for a classic apple and honey pie thickened with breadcrumbs. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Medieval version of: To Make a Crabapple Pie (To make Char de Crabb).
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Original Recipe
To make Char de Crabb
(from Harleian MS 5401)
To make Char de Crabb. Recipe crabbs & seth þam in watur tyll þai be softe, & take hony & strene þe crabbs þerwith throgh a cloth. Put to a iijd part of claryfyed hony & a quantyte of sawndyrs, & colour it with saforun; þen put þerto a quantyte of powdyr of pepper & ij d worth of þe flour of anneys & a quantyte of powdyre of licorys. þen take grated brede & mold it vp þerwith, & put it in cophyns & serof it forth, & bene facis. Quod Don Thomas Awkbarow.
Translation
To make Crabapple Pie. Recipe: crabapples & boil them in water til they be soft, & take hony & strain the crabbs therewith through a cloth. Put to a 3rd part of clarified honey & a quantity of sandalwood, & colour it with saffron; then put thereto a quantity of powder of pepper & 2d worth of the flour of anise & a quantity of powder of licorice. Then take grated bread & mould it up therewith, & put it in pie shells & serve it forth, & you will go well. So says Don Thomas Awkbarow.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
5 large green or tart apples, peeled cored and sliced (I like bramleys but I do make this with about 15 crab apples when I can)
250ml honey
a few drops of red food colouring
10 saffron threads
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground aniseeds
1/2 tsp ground liquorice
200g unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 pre-baked 22cm pie shell
Method:
Boil the apples until soft then drain. Pass through a food processor (or use a potato masher) along with 200ml of the honey to make a smooth purée. Place this purée in a large bowl then taste for sweetness and blend-in additional honey if required. Add the food colouring, saffron, salt and pepper along with the ground aniseeds and liquorice and blend in with a large spoon.
Add sufficient breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture to the consistency of a heavy cake batter. Place the apple mixture in the pre-baked pie shell and place in an oven pre-heated to 160°C (320°F/Gas Mark 3) and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven, allow to cool and set then serve.
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