Maestro Martino
Maestro Martino
The first italian chef (by Olivia Leni)
In medieval times, European cookbooks were anonymous, presumably written by cooks operating in the courts or by physicians dealing with healthy nutrition to curb the excesses of their wealthy patients. The recipes, transferred from manuscript to manuscript underwent variations and modifications, following the interpretation of the proponent according to custom and place. Until, in the 1560s, Martino de' Rossi appeared on the European gastronomic scene, removing all doubt by declaring the authorship of his Libro de Arte coquinaria: “Libro de cosina composto et ordinato per lo egregio homo Martino de' Rossi espertissimo in questa arte e homo legerai prudentissimo.”
Martino was born in the Blenio Valley, now in Switzerland, but in the 15th century it was part of the district of the diocese of Milan, so he himself claims to be “from Como.” He served at the court of illustrious personages of the time and traveled in their retinue. He was the “secreto” (personal) cook of Pope Paul II and his successor Sixtus IV in Rome, in a court, so to speak, international rich in European influences, where he met Bartolomeo Sacchi known as the Platina, a Roman humanist and scholar who wrote De Honesta voluptate et valetudine taking Martino's recipes as an example of good food for health. “And what cook ... can be compared to my Martino from whom I learned most of the things I am going to write?” And there is no prohibition to think that the two had collaborated in some way perhaps even in the writing of the cookbook in the Book. Upon the pope's death, the comasco passed into the service of Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, a noble condottiere whom he followed to Milan, to the Sforzas, and then to Naples.
Martino is thus the first to put his name on a recipe book and outlined a real evolution in Italian and European gastronomy. His choices and his approach to cooking would influence influential palates and dictate a new way of conceiving food that would see the preparation of recipes from all parts of Italy (Lombardesque, Sicilian, Zenovese style, etc.), creating a sort of taste map of the time.
One example above all is the recipe for Turnips lombarda style:
To make Lombarda-style turnip soup clean them very well and cut them into large pieces and cook them well in fatty meat broth then mash them with a large slotted spoon or if you want to mash them, then boil them in fatty broth with some salted meat, pepper and saffron.
In the earlier manuscripts, the recipes were in bulk, lacking dosages and not mentioning cooking times or even the type of ingredients or the best method of cooking them. Most likely they were addressed to insiders who already understood cooking well and did not need to learn but to replicate already established recipes.
Martino organizes his Book, unlike all the previous ones that have come down to us, by subject, almost a form of cataloguing, providing information on the ingredients and how to cook them, for example at the beginning of the volume he proposes a list of meats “to give an understanding of which meat deserves to go roasted et quale allesso,” furthermore he gives clear indications on cooking times according to the possibilities of an era without clocks by punctuating the minute markings through the prayers of one or more “Pater Noster.”
A series of suggestions, in short, professional advice that starts from some basic rules and is addressed, perhaps, to those who were trying their hand at the culinary art, thus acquiring a didactic character.
A teaching method, then, where he foregrounds “discretione,” discernment, the cook's personal choice in the dosage of ingredients or cooking of dishes “according to commune gusto” “secundo che ti piace,” or “secondo il bisogno,” which is equivalent to our quantum satis. Many of his recipes have also made it to our tables, because Maestro Martino knew how to juggle the highest level of cooking and everyday cooking as is well demonstrated by some of his dishes.
The apple fritters
To make apple fritters prepare the apples cut into thin slices, remove the seeds from the center fry said slices a little in lard or oil and put them to dry on a cutting board, then once they are dry you will pass them over a mixture of flour thinned with eggs, sugar and cinnamon and fry them a second time in good fat and in Lenten time in oil.
The omelet
To make a good omelet you will beat the eggs very well together with a little milk to make them softer and a little grated cheese and season them with good butter so that it will be fatter and to make it taste better you must not turn it or overcook it.
Eggnog
To make a good eggnog. To make a cup take the red of 4 eggs and enough sugar and cinnamon and good sweet wine and if it was too smoky add water or low-fat broth, then cook it as you cook a broth always stirring with a spoon and when it congeals take the eggnog off the heat then put it in a cup and this is taken in the evening when you go to sleep and it comforts the brain.
Libro de cosina by Maestro Martino da Como/Civic Library of Riva del Garda