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Panis Quadratus (Four-cut Loaf)

Panis Quadratus (Four-cut Loaf) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe derived from archaeology and reconstruction for the classic Roman loaf of bread. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Four-cut Loaf (Panis Quadratus).

prep time

30 minutes

cook time

45 minutes

Total Time:

75 minutes

Serves:

8

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian RecipesBread RecipesBaking RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Panis quadratus is an interesting loaf in that we know exactly what it looked like. We have carbonised examples from Pompeii that show a round loaf with string tied around the middle which is divided into eight segments by four slashes across the top. Indeed, this is why the bread has its name 'quadratus' from those four slashes. This seems to have been one of the commoner bread types that are displayed on numerous murals and mosaics.


This is generally a high quality wheat loaf leavened with sourdough (see Cato's recipe for this) that uses bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) probably combined with durum wheat (Triticum durum, the basis of the Roman Cura Annonae or bread dole). So, though this is a reconstructed recipe, the details are all historically and archaeologically accurate.

Ingredients:

500g wholemeal flour
500g durum wheat flour
4 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
c. 500ml water
600g biga acida (sourdough)

Method:

Mix together the wholemeal and durum wheat flours, and pour this on to your work surface. Create a large well in the centre.

Dissolve the salt and honey into the water. Mix the sourdough into the flour bit by bit, pouring it into the well you've just created. Once the sourdough is roughly incorporated, begin to pour the water into the well slowly, mixing gently with your hands.

Continue mixing until all the water is combined and any excess flour is fully incorporated into the dough. You will end up with a rough ball.

Start gently kneading the dough, folding it back on itself so it can 'take in' some air. Knead for a few minutes until you can form it into a smooth ball.

Flatten the top of the ball slightly with your palm, and transfer it to an oiled baking tray. Cover it, and set aside to rise for 90–120 minutes in a warm room.

Cut a piece of string long enough to go round your risen dough, with a bit left over to tie a knot. Wrap the string around the sides of the dough, pull it tight so it makes a lip around the side, and tie a knot to secure it.

Now, take a knife to score the top into eight equal segments (you will need four cuts, as the name of the bread suggests). Real loaves from the Roman period were often stamped too. If you want, now's the time to add your own stamp. It could be your initials or whatever you want, but bear in mind that your stamp must be oven-proof, and will need to be weighed down during baking with something heavy (like baking beans wrapped in foil).

Bake for 30–45 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 200C (400F). Keep an eye on your loaf so it doesn't come out looking carbonised like the one from Herculaneum! Set aside to cool before dividing into chunks and serving.

Once you've made the bread you will see that the string makes a convenient way of carrying the bread home. The string and the four slashes also allow you to easily divide the bead into top and bottom pieces or wedges so that it can be served in a range of ways.