Test Kitchen: Roman “French” Toast
People love sweets, especially at this time of year when many are thinking of pumpkin pies, holiday cookies, and jelly doughnuts. This ancient Roman dish is good to make on a cold night, as the baking bread will fill your house with warmth and comforting aromas.
As much as the Romans loved sweets, our friend Apicius’s fourth-century text De Re Coquinaria (On the Subject of Cooking) does not contain an abundance of what we would term sweet dishes or dessert recipes. A few survived, to be sure, including this “French” toast recipe, which is an odd mix of sweet and savory, but it is possible many more were lost to the ravages of time.
Unlike today’s French toast, this Roman version does not contain egg and requires a specially baked loaf of bread. The bread is simple; if possible, it is important to weigh the flour, as it ensures the right consistency (baking is a science after all). If you do not want to make the bread, you could buy a loaf (perhaps an Italian or French loaf), but baking it yourself does add a bit of authenticity to the recipe. The additions of pepper and cumin are a bit odd to our modern palates; I suggest liberality with the honey.
We hope you enjoy this Roman “French” toast with your family and friends.—J.D.
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Roman “French” Toast
Ancient Recipe
“Another sweet dish: Cut the crust from the best African mustaceum bread and soak it in milk. When it is saturated, bake it in oven, but not for too long to avoid drying it out. Remove the bread when it is hot, and pour honey over it. Prick holes in it so that it absorbs the honey. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.”1
BAR’s Variation
1 tbsp honey
¼ cup water
500g (about 4 cups) flour
2 tsp anise seed, ground
2 tsp cumin, ground
1½ cup white wine or white grape juice
Instructions: Mix the honey into warm water (110–115° F), then dissolve the yeast in the honey-water and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. Add flour, anise seed, and cumin and gently mix until the mixture forms a sticky consistency. Use white wine or white grape juice to moisten the dough, adding about a half cup at a time (I used 1½ cups). Knead the dough then leave it to rest for 2–3 hours. After resting, preheat the oven to 350° F and bake for 30 minutes. (The crust should not be too firm when you take it out.)
“French” Toast Ingredients:
Pepper (to taste)
Honey (to taste)
Instructions: Once the bread has cooled, remove the crust and cut the loaf into slices or cubes. Soak the cubes in milk until soft. Remove from milk and bake at 350° F until brown (about 20 minutes)—be careful they don’t dry out. When done, remove from oven, drench with honey, and sprinkle with pepper. Bon appétit!