VILLA Food & Drink Special Feasts Spring Winter Saturnalia

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Aliter Patina

Lettuce Patina - Serves IV

III bunches Romaine lettuce
I tbs. garum
about 1/4 cup caroenum
I Tbs. olive oil
water
IV eggs

Coarsely chop lettuce and heat in a pan with pepper, garum , caroenum, olive oil and water. Don't begin with too much liquid; you can always add a bit of water if neccessary while it cooks.

Meanwhile beat the eggs. Add to the mixture and continue cooking either on the stove or in the oven.

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Ova Elixa

Hard-boiled eggs with garum sauce

IV hard-boiled eggs, sliced
I tsp. oenogarum
II garlic cloves, pressed for their juice
pinch pepper

Mix garum or oneogarum, garlic juice oil and pepper together. Pour over sliced eggs and serve.

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divider

Roasted Boar with cooked sauce

Serves IV

II lb. boar tenderloin or shoulder butt, cubed

For the marinade:
II cups strong red wine
1/2 cup vinegar
I tbsp. garum
I tbsp. TOTAL celery seeds, mint, thyme and savory

For the sauce:
I tsp. cumin
I 1/2 oz. pine nuts
II oz. almonds
I tbs TOTAL celery seeds, mint, thyme and savory
pinch pepper
1/2 cup red wine
I tsp. garum
I tsp. honey
I tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground saffron

Marinate boar overnight. Drain and roast in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for around II hours.

For the sauce: roast cumin in a pan for a few minutes, do the same for the pine nuts and almonds. Chop together herbs, pine nuts and almonds, add pepper, wine, garum, honey and olive oil, finally the saffron. Heat and serve on the side.

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Mensa Secvnda

Aliter dulcia

Egg Pudding - Serves IV

III eggs
III Tbs. flour
I 3/4 cups milk
Pepper to taste
II 1/I2 oz. pine nuts
I-II Tbs. passum
IV tsp. honey

Beat the eggs in a bowl with the flour and milk. Add pepper and heat in a pan.

Meanwhile, grind the pine nuts with passum in a mortar. As soon as the egg mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat. Add the honey and the pine nut mixture. Resume cooking for approximately XV minutes more over a low heat, stirring so that no lumps form. Pour into I large or IV small individual bowls; add a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of pepper to each and serve.

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Dulcia Domestica

Stuffed Dates

The ancient Romans stuffed figs and dates with walnuts, hazelnuts, or pine nuts. If they are simply stuffed, dried dates can be used; but if they are to be cooked, it is better to use fresh ones.

Pit the dates and stuff some with chopped walnuts, others with chopped pine nuts. (I omit the salt prescribed in Apicius.) Cook in a bit of liquid honey that has been heated in a pan. Use V-VI dates for each serving. This recipe produces a delicate warm dessert.

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-- from A Taste of Ancient Rome , by Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa

VILLA > FOOD & DRINK > SPECIAL FEASTS > WINTER