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Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!

Aliter Dulcia: Ancient Roman Recipe to Celebrate the Ides of March with Bonus Recipes from the 4th Century!

Bucket of Bread
Step back in time with Bucket of Bread and discover the truth about the infamous Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. Although it may seem unrelated, bread was a crucial part of Roman culture, and one of the most be loved breads was the square-shaped Panis Quadratus. But what about round bread? Excavations in Pompeii suggest that round bread was also consumed in ancient Rome, and it may have been used in religious ceremonies or rituals. Learn more about Roman culinary history and culture and discover the famous last words spoken by Julius Caesar before he died in this fascinating article. Let's make some not-so-French, French Toast... or the Bucket of Bread version of "Aliter Dulcia."
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, lunch, Snack, Supper
Cuisine French, Roman

Equipment

  • 1 Spool Baking twine If you can find untreated garden twine that is a little thicker, this may work too; however, keep an eye on your oven as it may ignite. This item is also completely optional as you'll see the more you get into the recipe.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Bucket Bucket of Bread Hearty Wheat
  • 1 Cup Milk Optional: Let's use Buttermilk!
  • 3 Eggs Large
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions
 

Let's make some bread in the spirit of the Roman way. So, preheat the oven to 450° F.

  • Make a Bucket of Bread brand baking mix from the Hearty Wheat without using the honey added option and pull off a nice amount that rests on the lid (pictured is 800 g).
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Smash it using the lid.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Form up the sides. You're looking to get it at no more than an inch thick.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Use twine or rope to secure the sides. The breads found in Pompeii had such an indentation circling the loaves likely from a thicker rope.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Score the loaf into 8 pieces. Originally this was most likely done with some sort of tool that looked similar to a wagon wheel. Here, we're just using the back of a knife.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Also, for some reason, the Pompeii loaves had a big indentation right in the middle of it. So, let's use our thumb.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Rather than use parchment paper and a baking sheet, let's just use a baking stone to represent hot stone ovens of the past.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Let the loaves cool completely.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • The breads discovered at Pompeii were round and looked as if they were separated into 8ths. During baking there was a nice rise so the pieces were cut for serving.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.
  • Delicious with some honey.
    Roman Era Bread, French Toast, and a Couple Bonus Recipes.

BUT, let's use the left overs for the Aliter Dulcia!

  • Gather up your ingredients with some 1-2 day old bread from Bucket of Bread Hearty Wheat made to look like the bread of Pompeii.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Cut the bread into thick slices.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, honey, cinnamon, and pepper.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Dip the bread slices into the mixture, push on the bread to soak up the bath like a sponge.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Make sure to coat them well enough to soften up the crust a little.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil to coat the bottom.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Place the bread slices in the pan for several minutes.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Cook each side until you reach the desired browned coloring.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Drizzle with honey dusted with more cinnamon and a pinch of pepper.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • Serve hot.
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!
  • WOW! The taste for this is so much better than regular old, "French Toast". This is the way from now on!!! Enjoy!
    Aliter Dulcia Ancient Roman Recipe for Wheat Bread - The Real French Toast!

While the dish involves dipping bread in a mixture of milk and eggs before frying, it also includes honey, cinnamon, and pepper, which gives it a unique flavor profile that is different from modern French toast. Nonetheless, it’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between ancient and modern cuisines.

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    Notes

     

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    Keyword ancient rome, honey, roman bread
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