Moretum
 Moretum in the mortar | |
| Type | Spread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Ancient Rome |
| Main ingredients | Herbs, fresh cheese, salt, oil, vinegar |
Moretum is a herb cheese spread that the Ancient Romans ate with bread.[1] A typical moretum was made of herbs, fresh cheese, salt, oil and some vinegar. Optionally, different kinds of nuts could be added. The contents were crushed together in a mortar, hence the name.
Recipes
A recipe can be found in the poem of the same name in the Appendix Vergiliana.[2] De Re Rustica, book XII of Columella contains further recipes of moretum. The variant with pine nuts is most often compared to pesto.
See also
References
- ^ Roman Cookery: Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchens by Mark Grant, ISBN 1-897959-39-7, by Serif, 47 Strahan Rd, London E3 5DA
- ^ Appendix Vergiliana in English translation
External links
Media related to Moretum at Wikimedia Commons- Appendix Vergiliana in Latin
- Columella at The Latin Library
- Columella Books I–IV in English translation at LacusCurtius