Basyniai
(Walnut and Fig Cakes)

Origin: Roman      Period: Traditional

Original Recipe

Basyniai (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 apoart from Apicius as a source of recipes!

Translation

Semus, in the second book of his History of Delos states: 'on the island of Hecate the people of Delos offer to Iris what are called basyniai. These consist of dough made from wheat flour cooked with honey and the so-called kokkora, namely a dried fig and three walnuts.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

For the Filling:

75g ground walnuts
15g poppy seeds
25g sesame seeds
25g dried figs
80ml olive oil
pinch of pepper
80ml clear honey

Method:

Mix the flour, olive oil and water in a large bowl until it forms a smooth dough (adding more water if needed). Leave this on the side and begin forming the filling.

Heat a dry frying pan and add the ground walnuts and poppy seeds. Toast these for about 3 minutes, stirring all the while to prevent burning. Turn out onto a plate and allow to cool.

Pour the sesame seeds in a bowl. Meanwhile place the figs and dates in a blender along with the nuts, poppy seeds and pepper. Blend unti the mixture resembles a thick dough.

Meanwhile roll out the pastry as thinly as possible on a floured surface. Using a 6cm diameter cutter excise discs from the pastry. Place a teaspoon of the pureed filling in to the pastry disc. Brush water around the edge of the pastry round and then place another on top, pinching the edges to seal them together.

Bake in an oven pre-heated to 200°C for about 40 minutes until the crust is a pale golden colour. This loaf should have a soft centre and is excellent with soups.

Once you have a stack of these heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the pastries until they are crisp and golden on both sides. Drain and set aside.

Once all he pastries are cooked, place the honey in a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Heat for about three minutes until the honey begins to darken and then add the pastries tossing them in the honey until they are coated. Serve warm.

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1 US cup of butter/margarine or sugar = 7 oz = 200g

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