Libum (Nova Roma)

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Visit Sodalitas Coquorum et Cerevisiae Coctorum (The Society of Cooks and Brewers).

Weights and measures

The recipe in Cato's De Agricultura is here.

Libum Recipe

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

If feta cheese is unavailable, use 1 cup cottage cheese and add 1/4 cup extra flour (but the taste is inferior).

Variation

PBS' NOVA [1] gives this variation:

• 1 cup plain, all purpose flour
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• bay leaves
• 1/2 cup clear honey

Follow directions as above, but divide dough into four parts and cook at 425 degrees "for 35-40 minutes until golden-brown".