Artolaganon II (Leavened Flatbread)
Artolaganon II (Leavened Flatbread) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe (based on a Greek original) for an alternate interpretation of Artolaganon as a leavened flatbread made with emmer wheat. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Leavened Flatbread (Artolaganon II).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
40 minutes
Serves:
2
Rating: 
Tags : Vegetarian RecipesVegan RecipesBread RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Modern bread wheats were not available to Romans. Rather, barley, spelt
Triticum vulgare and einkorn wheat
Triticum monococcum were the typical grains grown. Due to its lower gluten content, barley was cooked as porridge and gruel whilst spelt and emmer what weres used for breads, cakes and pastas… I've previously interpreted the artolaganon recipe as a kind of pastry or pasta type dough (as, indeed, the
tracta form was). This recipe takes the Streptikios (Twist bread) form and the positioning of this recipe within the 'bread' as in 'leavened bread' section of Athenaeus
Deipnosophists to interpret the recipe as a heavy, leavened, emmer-based flatbread.
Original recipe, Athenaeus
Deipnosophists Book 3.
A description of this is found in Athenaeus’ Deipnosophists,
The Partying Professors: Book 3: ὁ δὲ ΣΤΡΕΠΤΙΚΙΟΣ ἄρτος συναναλαμβάνεται γάλακτι ὀλίγῳ, καὶ προσβάλλεται πέπερι καὶ ἔλαιον ὀλίγον· εἰ δὲ μή, στέαρ. εἰς δὲ τὸ καλούμενον ΑΡΤΟΛΑΓΑΝΟΝ ἐμβάλλεται οἰνάριον ὀλίγον καὶ πέπερι γάλα τε καὶ ἔλαιον ὀλίγον ἢ στέαρ. εἰς δὲ τὰ ΚΑΠΥΡΙΑ τὰ καλούμενα τράκτα μίξεις ὥσπερ καὶ εἰς ἄρτον.
Translation
Streptikios (Twist bread) is prepared with the admixture of a little milk; there is added also a little pepper and oil or lard. But in making the so called artolaganon ('wheat-wafer'), a little weak wine, pepper, and milk are introduced, along with a small quantity of olive oil or lard. Similarly into kapyria, called by the Romans tracta, are put mixtures as into the wheat-wafer.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
300g (2/3 lb) stone-ground emmer wheat flour
1 tbsp sourdough starter
1 tbsp olive oil
60ml (1/4 cup) white wine
60ml (1/4 cup) goat’s milk (plus more to bring together as a dough)
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
Method:
The peppercorns should be crushed, not ground, so as to provide little explosions of fire when the flatbread is being eaten. A very short burst in an electric coffee-grinder will do the trick, but otherwise a pestle and mortar can be used, although I find that peppercorns have an annoying habit of flying out of the mortar during pounding.
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead well, adding more milk as needed, until you have a smooth dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for at least 10 minutes. Shape into a ball, coat in oil, place in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside to rise over night.
The following day, knock the dough back, knead once more until smooth and elastic then shape into one or two found flatbreads. Set aside in a warm place for 15 minutes then transfer to the centre of a hot oven (a pizza oven would be ideal) and bake for 15-20 minutes until nicely coloured and hollow sounding when the base is rapped with your knuckles.
Serve still warm from the oven.
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