Libum
This unleavened bread made with flour, curd cheese and honey, was made as an offering to the gods of the home and hearth in Ancient Roman households. They were placed on special altars in the kitchen or atrium to thank the gods for the food to be cooked and in the hope of future prosperity. Enough libums would be made so that they could also be eaten. The texture is somewhere between a bread and a cheesecake.
Equipment
Weighing scales
Baking sheet
Mixing bowl
Electric hand whisk
Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/gas 3.
Scatter polenta on the baking sheet.
Place the cheese and egg in the mixing bowl and beat together with the electric hand whisk.
Add the flour and fold in gently with a metal spoon.
Flour your hands and pat the mixture into a ball.
Place the bay leaves in the middle of the baking sheet and place the libum on top of them.
Press the libum down gently to slightly flatten the dough.
Make incisions in the top to divide the dough into 8.
Place in the oven and bake for an hour until golden and slightly risen.
Remove from the oven, pour plenty of runny honey into the incisions and serve immediately.
