Libum (was RE: SC - OT Dogs vs Cats...)

[Decker, Terry D.]

As earlier promised, the recipe for Libum.

A testo is a covered terracotta baking dish used like a cloche oven.  The
closest thing to it today is Romertopf.  Using a covered dish for baking
will probably help retain moisture in the loaf.

Looking at the recipe, I think Giacosa is compensating for not using the
covered dish by adding an additional egg and reducing the flour by 1/3 ( a
cup of sifted flour is approximately 4 oz.).  I may experiment with this
when I have some time.

Bear


Libum  (Cato 75)

Libum hoc modo facito.  Casei P. II bene disterat in mortario.  Ubi bene
destriverit, farinae siligineae libram, aut, si voles tenerius esse,
semilibram semilaginis eodem indito, permiscetoque cum caseo bene.  Ovum
unum addito et una permisceto bene.  Inde panem facito, folia laurea
subdito:  in foco caldo sub testu coquito leniter.


Make a libum thus:  Thoroughly grind 2 librae of cheese in a mortar,  When
it is well ground, add 1 libra of fine flour or, if you want [the loaf to
be] softer still, 1/2 libra of the finest flour; mix well with the cheese.
Add 1 egg and mix well.  Then form a loaf, placing the bay leaves beneath.
Cook slowly under a testo on a hot hearth.

1 1/2 lb. ricotta or other soft cheese
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2-3 bay leaves per loaf

Mix the ingredients as prescribed in the recipe and form small loaves,
placing bay leaves beneath each one.  Bake in a medium oven (350 degrees F)
for around 30 minutes.

This bread is called libum (related to libare, to make an offering) because
it was also used as a sacrificial offering.  The farmer, for whom Cato wrote
these recipes, was expected to make ritual sacrifices to the Lares, the
guardian gods of home and property, " for the feast of the Compitalia,
either at the crossroads or the hearth."  We amy thus assume that what was
once good enough for the gods should certainly be appealing to us as well.

Giacosa, A Taste of Ancient Rome, pp. 169-170.




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