12-21-2008, 05:47 PM
Last night I brought appetisers to a dinner party and made Epyterium, ancestor to the modern tapenade, and a pine nut puree which that might be the great-grandfather to modern pesto. I presented the appetisers in reproduction pottery (thanks to the incomparable services of Venetian Cat!) and everybody raved about them.
The following is an adaptation of a recipe from On Agriculture by Columella, from Mark Grant's Roman Cookery:
100 g (3 oz) pine nuts (can substitute hazelnuts)
A handful of fresh parsley
80 ml (3 fl. oz) olive oil
80 ml (3 fl. oz) red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
125 g (4 oz.) feta cheese
A handful of fres coriander
2-3 mint leaves
a sprig each of savory, rue, and thyme (I used dried)
Sea Salt
Put all ingredients in a food processor and puree until you have a smooth consistency. If using hazelnuts, roast under a hot grill for five minutes to release their nuttiness; turn to avoid burning.
I used pine nuts and processed everything in my large mortar and pestle, which takes longer, but I much prefer it, especially to grind herbs -- once you do this, you'll never buy powdered herbs again!
The following is an adaptation of a recipe from On Agriculture by Columella, from Mark Grant's Roman Cookery:
100 g (3 oz) pine nuts (can substitute hazelnuts)
A handful of fresh parsley
80 ml (3 fl. oz) olive oil
80 ml (3 fl. oz) red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
125 g (4 oz.) feta cheese
A handful of fres coriander
2-3 mint leaves
a sprig each of savory, rue, and thyme (I used dried)
Sea Salt
Put all ingredients in a food processor and puree until you have a smooth consistency. If using hazelnuts, roast under a hot grill for five minutes to release their nuttiness; turn to avoid burning.
I used pine nuts and processed everything in my large mortar and pestle, which takes longer, but I much prefer it, especially to grind herbs -- once you do this, you'll never buy powdered herbs again!
Iulia Sempronia (Sara Urdahl)
Officium ante Proprium Bonum
Officium ante Proprium Bonum
