flipSavoyard Pear Rissoles
Savoyard Pear Rissoles
Why this dish? At Les Charmettes near Chambéry, Rousseau spent the sweetest years of his youth with Madame de Warens; these small Savoyard fruit-filled pastries, which keep well and slip into a knapsack, accompanied the great walker on the roads.
Small golden pastry turnovers filled with honey-and-cinnamon pear marmalade, fried until crispy. The pocket-sized sweet of the Savoyard traveler, which keeps for several days.
At Les Charmettes, I knew such complete happiness that I still weep when writing it. Maman had these golden rissoles prepared, filled with pears from our orchard that were candied in honey. We folded them, crimped the edges, and dropped them into the frying fat until they sang. I carried them in my pocket for my rambles through the woods, and their sweetness kept me company on the paths. Bite into one, and you will know the taste that freedom had for me.
- •Wheat flour — enough for a dough (wrapping)
- •Butter — a piece (dough richness)
- •Ripe pears — a few (filling)
- •Honey — generous (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
- •Lard or butter for frying — as needed (frying)
Savoyard Pear Rissoles
Small golden pastry turnovers filled with honey-and-cinnamon pear marmalade, fried until crispy. The pocket-sized sweet of the Savoyard traveler, which keeps for several days.
Why this dish? At Les Charmettes near Chambéry, Rousseau spent the sweetest years of his youth with Madame de Warens; these small Savoyard fruit-filled pastries, which keep well and slip into a knapsack, accompanied the great walker on the roads.
At Les Charmettes, I knew such complete happiness that I still weep when writing it. Maman had these golden rissoles prepared, filled with pears from our orchard that were candied in honey. We folded them, crimped the edges, and dropped them into the frying fat until they sang. I carried them in my pocket for my rambles through the woods, and their sweetness kept me company on the paths. Bite into one, and you will know the taste that freedom had for me.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wheat flour — enough for a dough (wrapping)
- Butter — a piece (dough richness)
- Ripe pears — a few (filling)
- Honey — generous (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — a pinch (spice)
- Lard or butter for frying — as needed (frying)
Ingredients
- Shortcrust pastry (250 g flour, 125 g butter, 1 egg, water) — 1 batch (wrapping)
- Ripe pears — 4 (filling)
- Honey — 3 tablespoons (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — 1 teaspoon (spice)
- Butter — 20 g (compote)
- Neutral oil (for frying) — 1 bath (cooking)
- Icing sugar — for dusting (finishing)
Method
- Peel and dice the pears; cook them with the butter, honey, and cinnamon for 15 minutes until a thick marmalade forms. Let cool.
- Roll out the pastry and cut into 8 to 10 cm discs.
- Place a spoonful of marmalade in the center, brush the edges with egg wash, fold into a turnover, and seal by pinching.
- Fry in hot oil (170°C/340°F) for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden.
- Drain on a cloth, dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold; keeps for a few days.
How it was made : Rissoles — fried sweet or savory turnovers — are a classic of Savoy, traditionally made with fruits (pears, apples, prunes) for end-of-year celebrations. Sturdy and filling, they traveled well in a knapsack, hence their place with walkers and pilgrims.
The contemporary twist : Bake them at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, brushed with egg, for a lighter version, and slip a piece of poached pear in verjus into the filling.
Sources : Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Les Confessions, books V-VI (stay at Les Charmettes)
Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Charactorium
