Roman ‘pancake’, “like an egg custard”: very many thanks to Anne Hudson for sharing the result of her attempt at this recipe – as well as this photo!
It’s Pancake Day!
Would you like to celebrate it, Roman style?
Here is a quick and easy recipe from the late antique Roman cook book De re coquinaria, ascribed to one Apicius (7.11.8, transl. W. M. Hill, adapted):
Ova spongia ex lacte: ova quattuor, lactis heminam, olei unciam in se dissolvis, ita ut unum corpus facias. in patellam subtilem adicies olei modicum, facies ut bulliat, et adicies impensam quam parasti. una parte cum fuerit coctum, in disco vertes, melle perfundis, piper adspargis et inferes.
Omelette soufflée: four eggs in half a pint of milk and an ounce of oil well beaten, to make a fluffy mixture; in a pan put a little oil, allow for it to form bubbles, and carefully add the egg preparation. Place it in the oven to let it rise and when one side is done, turn it out into a service platter fold it pour over honey, sprinkle with pepper and serve.
Bene tibi sapiat – enjoy!
The Petrified Muse 
Very good stuff this – I personally can’t stand pancakes but need to get in the spirit of things…Thank you !
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You’re very welcome! De gustibus (etc.) – no requirement to have pancakes today, Roman or otherwise… 🙂
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Nice!
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Wot no flour? 😉
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Apparently not. 😜
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You never cease to amaze me, I bet it tastes delicious.
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It really does (astonishingly enough: most Roman recipes are more like recipes for culinary disasters, I found) – especially that combination of honey and pepper works really well! 🙂
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Wasn’t dormouse one of their favorite dishes? I always wondered about the little bones…
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Que buena pinta
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