Stattitati (Honey and Sesame Pizza)

Stattitati (Honey and Sesame Pizza) is a reconstructed traditional Ancient Greco-Roman recipe for a dough cooked in a skillet that's topped with mashed feta cheese, honey and sesame seeds. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Honey and Sesame Pizza (Stattitati).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Additional Time:

(+100 minutes proving)

Serves:

2

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesBread RecipesCheese RecipesBaking RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Athenaeus Deipnosophists
σταιτίτας πλακοῦς ποιὸς ἐκ σταιτὸς καὶ μέλιτος, μνημονεύει Ἐπίχαρμος ἐν Ἥβας Γάμῳ. σταῖς δ᾽ ἐστὶν ὑγρὸν εἰς τήγανον ἐπιχεόμενον, μέλιτος ἐπιβαλλομένου καὶ σησάμης καὶ τυροῦ, ὡς Ἰατροκλῆς φησίν.

English Translation

A type of cake made with spelt dough and honey. Epikharmos mentions it in his Marriage of Hebe. The moist dough ts spread on a Frying pan, and on it are poured honey, sesame seeds and cheese, according to Iatrokles.’

Modern Redaction

These are described as 'cakes' but to a modern eye they could be interpreted as a kind of ancient pizza. I've already presented a reconstructed recipe for a ancient Roman pizza based on an image from Pompeii. Provided that these cakes are cooked carefully, they provide an ancient
equivalent of pizza, to be eaten as a snack or as part of a larger meal.

Ingredients:

1 tsp honey
150ml warm water
1 tsp dried yeast
250g spelt flour
Olive oil for frying
200g feta cheese (or semi-hard goat cheese, julienned)
2 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp sesame seeds
Sea salt

Method:

Dissolve the honey in the warm water. Spoon in the yeast and leave to stand for 15 minutes to until active and frothy.

Tip the flour into a bowl, form a well in the middle and add the yeast mixture. Bring the ingredients together to form a supple dough (add a little more flour or water as needed). Knead the dough for a few minutes then transfer to a greased bowl, cover and set aside in a warm spot to rise for about an hour.

Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Transfer these to a floured work surface and roll out into rounds about 25cm in diameter. Place on individual floured baking trays, cover with tea towels and set aside to prove in a warm place for 40 minutes.

Place a cast iron pan over low heat. When hot, grease with olive oil then slide the first round of dough into the pan and cook very gently, turning over from time to time until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to keep warm.

Repeat the cooking with the other piece of dough, greasing the pan with olive oil before cooking.

To garnish, mash the feta cheese and spread it over both discs. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with sesame
seeds.

If desired, flash under a hot grill (broiler) to melt the cheese, cut into wedges and serve (though grilling is more of a modern technique; the Romans might could have placed a hot frying pan over the bread to melt the cheese).