Aliter Tubera (Truffles, Another Way)
Aliter Tubera (Truffles, Another Way) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of truffles that are grilled, marinated in a wine sauce and allowed to absorb the sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Truffles, Another Way (Aliter Tubera).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Wild FoodSauce RecipesVegetarian RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Aliter tubera: elixas et, asperso sale, in surculis adfigis et subassas. et mittes in caccabum liquamen, oleum viridem, caroenum, vinum modice et piper confractum et mellis modicum, et ferveat. cum ferbuerit, amulo obligas, et tubera compunges, ut combibant illud. exornas. cum bene sorbuerint, inferes. si volueris, eadem tubera omento porcino involves et assabis et sic inferes.
Translation
Truffles, Another Way: Boil them, sprinkle with salt, put on skewers and grill lightly. In a saucepan, put stock, virgin olive oil, caroenum, a little wine and ground pepper and a little honey. Boil and thicken with starch. Prick the truffles so that they can absorb the sauce. Take out the skewers and remove when the truffles have absorbed as much of the liquid as possible. Serve. If you wish, you can cover the truffles in caul, grill, and serve thus.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
truffles, peeled
salt, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp liquamen (fish sauce)
60ml
caroenum
100ml white wine
1/2 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed to a slurry with 2 tbsp water (originally
wheat starch (amulum) would have been used)
Method:
Peel the truffles then bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil. Add the truffles and cook for 5 minutes then drain and thread onto skewers. Place onto skewers, and set under a hot grill. Cook until well browned all over then remove from the heat.
In the meantime, combine the olive oil, liquamen, caroenum, white wine, black pepper and honey in a pan. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil then beat in the cornflour slurry. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce has thickened.
Prick the truffles with a skewer and sit in the sauce. Simmer gently for a few minutes, or until the truffles have absorbed the sauce. Remove the truffles from the sauce and arrange on a dish. Pour over the remaining sauce and serve.
Find more recipes from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria along with information on Apicius and his cookbook, all part of this site's Ancient Roman recipes collection.