Mustaceus

Revision as of 08:52, 20 July 2006

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Weights and measures

Mustaceus was "a popular spiced cake baked in bay leaves and eaten after a feast to prevent indigestion." (Rosengarten 1969)

Variation 1 (Cato)

Ingredients

• 1 cup feta cheese, drained, crumbled, and packed into the measuring cup
• 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 6 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions

Put the cheese into a medium size mixing bowl. Mash well with the fingers until it becomes a smooth, lumpless paste.

Add the flour and mix well with the fingers.

Add the beaten egg and mix well. The dough will be rather sticky.

Divide the dough into two equal parts, then form two round, flat, 1/2 inch thick loaves. Lay each on three bay leaves set on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until cooked through.

Remove the loaves from the oven, spread the tops with the honey, and let cool.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Variation 2

Ingredients

• 4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup lard, shortening, or butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled and mashed into a paste
• 1 tsp cumin seed, ground
• 1 tsp anise, ground
• 1 1/2 cup grape juice, purple or white
• 1 package dry yeast
• 8 bay leaves

Directions

1) Place the flour, lard, mashed cheese, ground cumin and anise, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Blend well. Add the grape juice and mix the dough well for 2-3 minutes until all the grape juice is absorbed and evenly distributed. The dough will be damp and sticky, but no internal dry areas should appear by the end of the mixing. If they do, mix a few minutes more or add a little more grape juice and mix again.

2) Let the dough rest 5 minutes. Now sprinkle 1 or 2 tbsp. flour over the dough and knead, either in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and only slightly sticky. Add more flour if needed. Let the dough rest 2 minutes.

3) The dough should now be very smooth and easy to handle. Knead 30 seconds more, return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with a dish towel or large plate, and let rise at room temperature for at least 3 hours.

4) Sprinkle top with flour, punch down, and form the dough into 4 rectangular loaves (4 in. by 2 in. by 2-1/2 in.). Place two bay leaves on the bottom of each loaf, and lay them, leaf side down, on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour, until well risen.

5) Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 35 minutes, until the loaves are brown on top and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Serve when cool.

NOTE: To make these breads without leavening, omit the yeast, knead the dough thoroughly, then bake at 350 degrees for about 2 hours. They will be chewy and moist, and very foreign to our taste. The Romans thought unleaven bread was manlier and much better for the digestion.

References

• Rosengarten, F. (1969), The Book of Spices. ISBN 0515064904