Why is recipe pronounced the way it is?

The pronunciation of recipe (ˈresəpē) has remained consistent for centuries. The word originates from early 14th century Vulgar Latin, meaning 'a medical prescription' or 'formula', with the same 'recipee' pronunciation in Middle English. The Middle French adapted this to 'receite' and this 'cei' combination was pronounced 'see'. The spelling later changed to 'recipe' during the mid 1600s.