 Moretum in the mortar | |
| Type | Spread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Ancient Rome |
| Main ingredients | Herbs,fresh cheese,salt,oil,vinegar |
Moretum is an herb cheesespread that theAncient Romans ate with bread.[1] A typical moretum was made ofherbs,cheese (typicallyricotta),salt,oil, andvinegar. Optionally, different kinds of nuts could be added. The ingredients were crushed together in amortar, for which the dish is named.[citation needed]
A recipe for Moretum was handed down in a Latin poem of 122dactylic hexameters attributed toVirgil under the titleMoretum in the so-calledAppendix Vergiliana.[2] It describes, as a parody of the exaggerated praise of rural life, how a simple farmer begins his day's work; the centrepiece is the preparation of moretum for breakfast.
Moretum is also mentioned inColumella'sDe re rustica (XII 59, 1-4). In it, Columella mentions a variant in which walnuts are used instead of cheese, as well as alternatives with roasted sesame seeds, with pine nuts or almond kernels, as well as mixtures with dried herbs.[3] The variant with pine nuts is considered to be a precursor ofpesto.
In his didactic poemsFasti,Ovid mentions a type of moretum in connection with the use of the worship of theMagna Mater, without, however, giving more precise details. According to this, this moretum is said to be an ancient food and made from ‘pure milk’, i.e. ‘white cheese’ and crushed wild herbs.[4]
Media related toMoretum at Wikimedia Commons