I really like small cookery booklets, sometimes given free with appliances in the old days, sometimes produced by food manufactures, sometimes promoting a particular brand, and then this one, which cost 2s. 6d., ‘Traditional Recipes From Scotland, came from a BBC Scottish Home Service broadcast called ‘Morning Call’. The presenter of the recipes was Janet Murray, and the thirty six recipes are a mixture of traditional Scottish fare and other foods of the time. The following is one of them, and Janet wrote: “Do not be put off by the name. It is not in any sense an omelet; it is a very good baked apple pudding. There are several versions of this. I found this in my book of 1896 with a pencilled note beside it which said ‘Friar tucked in, I bet.’ And I bet he did – it is a delicious sweet.”
Friar Tuck’s Omelet
- 8 or 9 cooking apples, peeled, cored, cut into small pieces
- 4 oz butter
- sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten to a froth
- ground cinnamon (optional)
- stale breadcrumbs
- cook the apples gently in a little water with some sugar and 2 oz of the butter, taking care they don’t singe
- cook until quite soft then cool, and add cinnamon if liked
- beat the eggs into the apples
- heavily butter a pie-dish and put some of the crumbs round the sides and bottom,, pressing firmly so it is well coated
- gently pour in the apples
- mix the rest of the crumbs with some fine sugar and spread over the apples
- melt the remaining butter and spoon over the crumbs, spreading evenly
- shake more sugar on top and bake in a moderate oven for about 45 mins until brown and crusty
Lois Elsden 