Sala Cattabia
Latin
aliter sala cattabia: panem Alexandrinum excauabis; in posca macerabis. adicies in mortarium piper mel mentam alium coriandrum uiridem caseum bubulum sale conditum aquam oleum; insuper niuem et inferes.
English
Sala cattabia, another way: hollow out Alexandrian bread and steep it in posca [vinegar-water]. Put into a mortar pepper, honey, mint, garlic, fresh coriander, salted cow's-milk cheese, water, oil; add snow on top and serve.
Ingredients
- 150g white bread, crust removed
- 75 ml vinegar
- 1 Tb honey
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried mint
- 1 clove garlic
- Small handful of coriander leaves
- Pinch of salt
- 90 g feta cheese
- 3 Tb white wine
- 2 Tb olive oil
Method
- Break the white bread into medium chunks and place in a bowl.
- Mix the vinegar with 250 ml of water, pour over the bread and allow to soak.
- Place the pepper, garlic, mint, coriander, and salt into a large mortar, and grind to a paste. Add the honey and feta and continue to grind until homogenous, then add the white wine and olive olive along with 3 Tb of water and mix everything together.
- Remove the bread from the vinegar mixture and squeeze to remove excess liquid, then use it to line the serving bowl or other serving dish. Pat down gently to form a single layer.
- Pour over the cheese mixture to form a second layer on top, then place the serving bowl in the fridge for several hours to chill before serving.