Recipe #48 Lattice Loaf
Feb 10, 2017 19:03:42 GMT
Hellvis Azal Deathley, Oh! Gronic, and 1 more like this
Post by Cushing4eva on Feb 10, 2017 19:03:42 GMT
Today I and, more importantly, my taste buds, travelled in time.
The Lattice Loaf is one of the most enigmatic entries in the recipe book. It is not assigned to any individual author, surely suggesting that it likely originated with Pertwee himself, and boasts just three ingredients (though it suddenly demands an unexpected fourth on the third step of the instructions). The decision not to mention the necessary milk is therefore likely to have a religious significance, designating the puff pastry, spam and stuffing mix as a sort of trinity of ingredients. If you are needing to be convinced any more of the great importance of this recipe, consider that not one but TWO coupons could be used to fund its purchase, providing they are redeemed before June 30, 1974.
Is it also significant that though the recipe claims this serves just two people, it could actually serve at least double that number when accompanied with a nice side salad or baked beans? Perhaps this is a miracle in line with the feeding of the five thousand.
But enough scholarly analysis... Let's get on with the recipe.
You will need:
7oz of puff pastry (redeem that coupon!)
7oz of Spam (given that the cans sold these days are mostly at the 14oz size this means that you will have leftover spam to enjoy - hurrah!)
1/2 a packet of sage and onion stuffing, scant (I had to check with my parents on package size in England in the 1970s - they said about 3.5oz so I worked off that number)
A small amount of milk that the recipe doesn't tell you it needs until you are mid-assembly, forcing you to rush to the fridge...
As with so many of these recipes, its genius is in its simplicity. First, make your stuffing and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (or mark 7). Then, unroll your puff pastry and cut your spam into four equally sized slices. Lay two of these in the center of your puff pastry, cover with half of the stuffing, then place the other two pieces on top and cover with the remainder.
Then make diagonal slanting cuts down the sides of your pastry and use these to wrap your spam slab in lattice-style effect, brushing with milk to seal. Make sure your two ends are sealed. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. When this elapses, lower the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or mark 5) and cook for another 15. Serve either hot or cold.
The Verdict
I have a strange feeling I actually used to eat this for school lunches when I was in elementary school in England. Certainly the unique flavor profile of the spam and stuffing combo brought back lots of memories.
The first thing to note is the strange lack of any vegetables, perhaps indicating that this should be consumed alongside a Pertwee's Platter to create a healthy plate. I would also suggest halving the quantity of Lattice Loaf as, having eaten the recommended portion sizing, I can confirm it leaves you feeling like your stomach is some sort of leaden drum you are being forced to drag under your body.
In terms of flavor, the spam is an unfortunately dominant flavor and hard to get rid of. It might be counterbalanced by adding some sautéed spinach or onions into the body of your lattice or by accompanying it with something with an equally strong flavor. Like aniseed or raw garlic.
Possible Variations
One exciting possibility we have open to us today that Pertwee did not have in his own era is the possibility of using one of the exciting new flavors of Spam on the market such as Jalapeno Spam. Perhaps some day I will sit down and try to figure out precisely how that might be made.
The Lattice Loaf is one of the most enigmatic entries in the recipe book. It is not assigned to any individual author, surely suggesting that it likely originated with Pertwee himself, and boasts just three ingredients (though it suddenly demands an unexpected fourth on the third step of the instructions). The decision not to mention the necessary milk is therefore likely to have a religious significance, designating the puff pastry, spam and stuffing mix as a sort of trinity of ingredients. If you are needing to be convinced any more of the great importance of this recipe, consider that not one but TWO coupons could be used to fund its purchase, providing they are redeemed before June 30, 1974.
Is it also significant that though the recipe claims this serves just two people, it could actually serve at least double that number when accompanied with a nice side salad or baked beans? Perhaps this is a miracle in line with the feeding of the five thousand.
But enough scholarly analysis... Let's get on with the recipe.
You will need:
7oz of puff pastry (redeem that coupon!)
7oz of Spam (given that the cans sold these days are mostly at the 14oz size this means that you will have leftover spam to enjoy - hurrah!)
1/2 a packet of sage and onion stuffing, scant (I had to check with my parents on package size in England in the 1970s - they said about 3.5oz so I worked off that number)
A small amount of milk that the recipe doesn't tell you it needs until you are mid-assembly, forcing you to rush to the fridge...
As with so many of these recipes, its genius is in its simplicity. First, make your stuffing and preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (or mark 7). Then, unroll your puff pastry and cut your spam into four equally sized slices. Lay two of these in the center of your puff pastry, cover with half of the stuffing, then place the other two pieces on top and cover with the remainder.
Then make diagonal slanting cuts down the sides of your pastry and use these to wrap your spam slab in lattice-style effect, brushing with milk to seal. Make sure your two ends are sealed. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. When this elapses, lower the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (or mark 5) and cook for another 15. Serve either hot or cold.
The Verdict
I have a strange feeling I actually used to eat this for school lunches when I was in elementary school in England. Certainly the unique flavor profile of the spam and stuffing combo brought back lots of memories.
The first thing to note is the strange lack of any vegetables, perhaps indicating that this should be consumed alongside a Pertwee's Platter to create a healthy plate. I would also suggest halving the quantity of Lattice Loaf as, having eaten the recommended portion sizing, I can confirm it leaves you feeling like your stomach is some sort of leaden drum you are being forced to drag under your body.
In terms of flavor, the spam is an unfortunately dominant flavor and hard to get rid of. It might be counterbalanced by adding some sautéed spinach or onions into the body of your lattice or by accompanying it with something with an equally strong flavor. Like aniseed or raw garlic.
Possible Variations
One exciting possibility we have open to us today that Pertwee did not have in his own era is the possibility of using one of the exciting new flavors of Spam on the market such as Jalapeno Spam. Perhaps some day I will sit down and try to figure out precisely how that might be made.