Stuffed Gourds Appetizer
Origin: Rome, Italy
Source: Apicius, 400
Ingredients
- gourds
- pepper
- lovage
- oregano
- liquamen (Roman fermented fish sauce)
- brains (cerebella)
- eggs
- wine
- passum (raisin wine)
- olive oil
- starch (amulum)
Instructions
- Cut gourds from the side into an oblong lid shape, hollow them out and soak in cold water.
- Make the stuffing: grind pepper, lovage and oregano with liquamen, grind in cooked brains, dissolve raw eggs and combine into one smooth body, tempering with liquamen.
- Fill the part-cooked gourds, close with their lids, pin shut, cook, then take out and fry.
- Make an oenogarum: grind pepper and lovage, moisten with wine and liquamen, temper with passum, add a little oil and boil, then thicken with starch.
- Pour the oenogarum over the fried gourds, sprinkle with pepper and serve.