ANCIENT ROMAN FOOD

Garum

As they are with modern Romans, sauces

and marinades were an essential

element in ancient Roman cuisine.

One of the most popular was garum, a

salty, aromatic, fish-based sauce. Apicius

used it in almost all of his recipes.

We don't need to use the original recipe, just buy a

bottle of fish sauce from the Asian Supermarket -

either Nuoc Mam or Nam Plah. Look for sauce of a

light amber colour and the words nhi or thuong

hang on the label. These terms indicate that the

condiment came from the first extraction of liquid

from the fermented fish.

Grades of fish sauces are similar to that of olive

oils. The first extraction is of the highest quality.

ALLSPICE

Allspice, Fructus

Pimentae, with its

pleasing clove-like

aroma can be

exchanged for the

'pepper' in many

ancient Roman recipes.

It's a handy liitle spice,

used by modern cooks

for stews, sauces and

for flavouring pickled

vegetables.

Allspice takes its name from its aroma,

which smells like a combination of spices,

especially cinnamon, cloves, ginger and

nutmeg. In much of the world, allspice is

called pimento because the Spanish

mistook the fruit for black pepper, which

they called pimienta. (This is especially

confusing since the Spanish had already

called chillies pimientos).

INGREDIENTS

Half a cup of plain flour

One cup of ricotta cheese

1 egg, beaten

bay leaves

Half a cup of clear honey

Method

Sift the flour in a mixing bowl.

Beat the cheese until s

oft, stir

into the flour.

Make an Ancient Roman Cheesecake

Add the beaten egg to the flour/cheese

mixture, forming a soft dough

Divide the dough into four and shape each

piece into a bunPlace on a greased baking tray with a

fresh bay leaf underneath.

Heat the oven to 425F - 220C. Bake for 35 -

40 minutes until golden brown.

Warm the honey, pour into a flat plate, place the buns in it and rest

till the honey is absorbed.

RECIPE : ISICIA OMENTATAIngredients:

500g minced meat1 french roll, soaked in white wine

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper50ml Liquamen (can be replaced by 1/2 tsp salt + a little white

wine)some pine nuts and green peppercorns

a little CaroenumBaking foil

Method:Mix minced meat with the soaked french roll. Grind up the pine

nuts and peppercorns, mix into the meat.

Form small balls with your hands.. Put them in a little packet of foil and add a splash of Caroenum. Close the packet.

Bake for 10 - 15 mins.

ISICIA OMENTATA

Recipe : Globuli

cheese, 500 g or about 1lb

A cup of semolina

honey

olive oil Press curd cheese

through sieve or let it hang

in cheese cloth until it's

drained well. Mix with the

semolina into a loose dough.

Let it sit for a few hours.

(Have a sip of the vino

Caroenum while you wait).

With wet hands form the

mixture into dumplings.

Quickly fry them in olive oil

for a few minutes. Drain and

roll in honey.

THE

END

Hüseyin ÖNER

GooD Byee (: