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Phthois (Pastry Rounds)

Phthois (Pastry Rounds) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for deep-fried pastry rounds made with cheese and honey and drizzled in honey before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Phthois.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Cheese RecipesCake RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Phthois (from Athenæus' Deipnosophistae)

Athenæus was born in Naucratis, Egypt circa 180CE. He is remembered chiefly for his his compilation Deipnosophistae (The Deipnosophists [which is most often loosely translated as The Partying Professors). Writing in Greek, the book itself is a dialogue in which a variety of characters debate a wide spectrum of topics. Luxury, diet, health, sexual relationships, music, humour and Greek lexicography all come under discussion, but the focus is on food, wine and entertainment. There are numerous descriptions of meals and the curses involved in those meals. So detailed are many of these that a modern redaction of the food can easily be created. Though Egyptian Athenæus was a learned member of the Roman empire (Greek being the second language of the Roman Empire) and it is fair to assume that the food described by Athenæus would have been known across the Empire. It is also good to have someone apart from Apicius as a source of recipes!

Translation

Phthois is made like this: break off some cheese, grate it, put it in a bronze sieve and work it through. Then add honey and half a cup of the finest wheat flour and knead it into a soft ball.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

200g strong white cheese, finely grated (Cheddar would be good)
100g strong wholemeal flour
60g clear honey (for the pastry)
60g clear honey (for the coating)
1 tbsp poppy seeds
Olive Oil

Method:

Finely grate the cheese and mix in with the flour. Knead with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. At this point, add the honey and work into the dough.

Fill a frying pan to a depth of about 2cm with olive oil and heat. Test the oil by dipping a piece of the dough into it. When this begins to sizzle the oil is hot enough. Shape the remainder of the dough into balls about 2cm in diameter. Place these in the oil and cook until they are golden brown. Lift with a slotted spoon, drain and remove the excess oil with kitchen roll.

Pour the honey into a saucepan and heat until it becomes very runny. Coat the pastry rounds in this then pour the poppy seeds onto the plate and roll the honey-covered rounds in this until they are covered in the poppy seeds.

These can be served either warm or cold.