The Bread of ANCIENT ROME | Pompeii's Panis Quadratus
In 79AD, a baker in Pompeii fled for his life as Mt. Vesuvius erupted, leaving his bread to burn. Join me in recreating the Panis Quadratus and explore the history of Pompeii and this iconic loaf of bread.
Follow Tasting History with Max Miller here:
Instagram:
Twitter:
Reddit: r/TastingHistory
Help Support the Channel with Patreon:
Tasting History's Amazon Wish List:
LINKS TO INGREDIENTS & TOOLS**
Emile Henry Bread Cloche:
Baking String:
Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Flour:
Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour:
LINKS TO SOURCES**
The Letters of the Younger Pliny:
SPQR A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard:
Giorgio Locatelli Recreates Roman Bread:
A 2000-Year-Old Carbonized Roman Bread:
Tavola Mediterranea:
Official Pompeii Site:
**Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links, so each purchase made from this link, whether this product or another, will help to support this channel with no additional cost to you.
PANIS QUADRATUS (Ancient Roman Bread)
INGREDIENTS
- 1kg Flour (Any combination of flours mentioned in the video)
- 250g Biga / Freshly Fed Sourdough Starter
- 3 Teaspoons of Salt
- 400ml - 500ml lukewarm Water
- 1 - 3 tsp Dried Herbs (Fennel, Hyssop, Coriander, Anise, Oregano, Caraway, etc)
METHOD
1. Mix your herbs into the flour, then, on a clean surface, create a ring of flour.
2. Dissolve the salt into the lukewarm water.
3. Pour the Biga/Starter into the ring of flour and slowly work in the flour adding water as needed. Note that, depending on the flours you use and the liquid content of your starter, you may not need the full amount of water, so add it slowly. Stopped mixing once the dough comes together.
4. Knead the dough until smooth (about 12-15 minutes). Then place it in a bowl, cover, and let rise approximately 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
5. Preheat your oven to 400°F/205°C. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface, knock the air out, and form it into a ball. Place the loaf on a baking sheet or bread cloche, cover, and allow to rise for 20 minutes.
6. Once the loaf has puffed up, take a piece of baking string and tie it around the middle (the waist) of the loaf, cinching it and creating a bow. With another piece of string, make four intersecting lines across the top of the loaf creating 8 equal triangles. These marks should be fairly deep as they will lessen as the loaf bakes. Then, with your finger, poke a deep hole in the center of the loaf.
7. Bake the loaf approximately 40 minutes. If you are using a cloche, remove the lid 30 minutes in to allow the loaf to darken. Once baked, remove the loaf and set on a wire rack to cool.
Photo Credits:
Pompeii Loaf: Beatrice / CC BY-SA 2.0 IT (
Barley: I, Dschwen / CC BY-SA (
Rice: By © 2009 Jee & Rani Nature Photography (License: CC BY-SA 4.0), CC BY-SA 4.0,
Spelt: Sten / CC BY-SA (
Sesame: Krish Dulal / CC BY-SA (
Pompeii Map: MapMaster / CC BY-SA (
Villa San Marco: Mentnafunangann / CC BY-SA (
Ruins of Pompeii: ElfQrin / CC BY-SA (
Pompeii Bakery: Wknight94 / CC BY-SA (
Bakery of Popidius Priscus: Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany / CC BY-SA (
Music Credits:
Blood Eagle by Alexander Nakarada |
Music promoted by
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Prelude Cello Suite 3
Exzel Music Publishing (freemusicpublicdomain.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
#tastinghistory #panisquadratus #romanbread #pompeiibread #ancientrome
Special Recipe
Peter cooks up his special recipe...for disaster!
Directed by Matt Tolman
Pumpion Pie from 1670 | The History of Pumpkin Pie
Help Support the Channel with Patreon:
Tasting History Merchandise:
Yesterkitchen's Pumpkin Pie:
Scappi:
Follow Tasting History here:
Instagram:
Twitter:
Reddit: r/TastingHistory
Discord:
Tasting History's Amazon Wish List:
LINKS TO INGREDIENTS & EQUIPMENT**
Canon EOS M50 Camera:
Canon EF 50mm Lens:
Emile Henry Pie Dish:
Currants:
Serra Mission Sherry:
LINKS TO SOURCES**
The Queen-Like Closet by Hannah Wolley:
American Experience - The Pilgrims:
Northwood by Sarah Hale:
America's Favorite Holidays by Bruce Forbes:
**Amazon offers a small commission on products sold through their affiliate links, so each purchase made from this link, whether this product or another, will help to support this channel with no additional cost to you.
Editor: WarwicSN -
Subtitles: Jose Mendoza
PUMPION PIE
ORIGINAL 1670 RECIPE (From THE QUEENE-LIKE CLOSET)
To make a Pumpion Pie.
Take a Pumpion, pare it, and cut it in thin slices, dip it in beaten Eggs and Herbs shred small, and fry it till it be enough, then lay it into a Pie with Butter, Raisins, Currans, Sugar and Sack, and in the bottom some sharp Apples; when it is baked, butter it and serve it in.
MODERN RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
-1 Sugar or Pie Pumpkin
- 2 Sharp Apples (ex. Granny Smith)
- 3 Eggs beaten
- 2 Handfuls of fresh herbs (I used Rosemary, Parsley, and Thyme)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) Salted Butter
- 1/3 Cup (50g) Raisins
- 1/3 Cup (50g) Currants
- 1/2 Cup (100g) Sugar
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) Sherry or Sack
- Lard or Vegetable Oil for frying (optional)
- 1 Nine-Inch Pie Crust
METHOD
1. Set the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a pie dish with your pie dough.
2. Peel the pumpkin, then remove the stem and seeds, and quarter it. Slice each piece into thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat this process with the apples.
3. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter into a frying pan and set over medium heat. Note that, depending on the amount of pumpkin you fry, you may require more butter; you can also use lard or vegetable oil. Then mix the herbs into the beaten eggs and dip the pumpkin slices into the egg, coating them lightly. Then place them into the frying pan and fry for 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is quite soft. Depending on the size of your pumpkin, you may need to do this in several batches. The pumpkin should not be more than 3 layers thick in the pan.
4. While the pumpkin fries, line the bottom of your pie crust with the apples. Once the pumpkin is cooked, place it in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of the butter, along with the raisins, currants, sugar, and the sherry or sack. Mix everything together and pour over the apples, smoothing the top. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F (220°C), then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake 40-50 minutes longer, or until the top of the pie is bubbling. Remove from the oven and set a on a wire rack. Scatter the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter on the top of the pie and allow to melt in. Cool completely before slicing.
Send mail to:
Tasting History
22647 Ventura Blvd, Suite 323
Los Angeles, CA 91364
PHOTO CREDITS
Pumpkin Bowl:
#tastinghistory
1950's Fish Pudding
Thanks to Bespoke Post for sponsoring this video. Get 20% off your first monthly box when you sign up at and use promo code TASTINGHISTORY20 at checkout!
Support the Channel with Patreon ►
Merch ►
Instagram ►
Twitter ►
Tiktok ► TastingHistory
Reddit ►
Discord ►
Amazon Wish List ►
Send mail to:
Tasting History
22647 Ventura Blvd, Suite 323
Los Angeles, CA 91364
**Some of the links and other products that appear on this video are from companies which Tasting History will earn an affiliate commission or referral bonus. Each purchase made from these links will help to support this channel with no additional cost to you. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available.
Subtitles: Jose Mendoza | IG @worldagainstjose
PHOTO CREDITS
Kalua pua’a: By Adam - CC BY-SA 2.0,
Four banal at Urval: By MOSSOT - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0,
Traditional Clay stove from Serbia: By Gmihail at Serbian Wikipedia - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 rs,
Victorian Range: David Dixon / Victorian Range, Sudbury Hall Kitchen
#tastinghistory
Cookbooks: not just for recipes any more
MHS reference historian Zoe Ann Stoltz discusses the many layers of information that can be gleaned from old cookbooks.
Bill's Spinach Souffle is Perfect!
This spinach souffle is so easy to make and tastes great. Cooking with Bill will teach you how to make great meals to impress your family and friends. You will love to cook in the kitchen after learning a few tricks from me!
Please click this link to Subscribe: