12-08-2007, 10:28 PM
Have you considered Cato's 'placenta'? Lots of redactions and interpretations are around, so I am not going to pretend I have the answers, but basically you make a thin dough of coarse-ish wheat (emmer) ands water. This is rolled out as thin as it will go, and divided into a broad bottom sheet (big enough to werap all around the cake) and layer sheets (the size you want the cake to be). Layer them with a mixture of mild feta of (better) unsalted fresh sheep cheese and honey, cover it up by folding up the outer sheet, and bake. It's easier (but less fun) if you dispense with the outer layer and bake it in a lasagna pan.
Another possibility is 'erneum', also Cato. Again: fresh cheese, honey, coasrse flour (I prefer to use semolina) mixerd into a dough and put into a mopuld (Cato suggests a coarseware vesel which is afterwards broken, but I porefer a puddingmould). suspewnd in boiling water, cook till done, unmould and serve.
Galen has a tantalising little mention of a kind of cake made from boiled quinces and honey. If you just boil, puree and strain quinces and then slow-cook them with an equal weight of honey for a few ghours, the mixture will gel and can be cut into pieces that taste absolutely delicious.
Another possibility is 'erneum', also Cato. Again: fresh cheese, honey, coasrse flour (I prefer to use semolina) mixerd into a dough and put into a mopuld (Cato suggests a coarseware vesel which is afterwards broken, but I porefer a puddingmould). suspewnd in boiling water, cook till done, unmould and serve.
Galen has a tantalising little mention of a kind of cake made from boiled quinces and honey. If you just boil, puree and strain quinces and then slow-cook them with an equal weight of honey for a few ghours, the mixture will gel and can be cut into pieces that taste absolutely delicious.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!
Volker Bach
Volker Bach
