Cato's Grape Bread
Submitted by tvancats
Cato’s grape bread recreates an ancient Roman recipe with feta, cumin, anise, and grape juice baked over fragrant bay leaves. A 2,000-year-old loaf with rustic Mediterranean character.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
35 minREADY
5 hrsThis loaf reaches all the way back to ancient Rome. The original recipe appears in De Agri Cultura, Cato the Elder’s farming treatise written around 160 BCE, making it one of the oldest written bread recipes in Western cooking. The technique uses grape juice in place of water for a faintly sweet, fruity backbone that highlights the savory mash of feta cheese, the warm earthiness of cumin, and the licorice whisper of anise. Lard supplies the fat, traditional in Roman bread making, though butter or shortening work fine for modern kitchens. The unusual finishing touch sits underneath each loaf. Two bay leaves tucked beneath each shaped piece perfume the bread as it bakes, leaving a subtle herbal aroma in every slice. The dough rises slowly for three hours before shaping into rectangular loaves and rising again. Patience here is part of the recipe.
Pro Tips
- Choose unsweetened 100% grape juice for authentic flavor. Sweetened juice cocktails throw off the sugar balance and turn the loaves cloying.
- Mash the feta into a smooth paste with a fork before adding. Lumps will not distribute evenly through the dough.
- Tap the bottom of each loaf after baking. A hollow sound means it is fully cooked; a dull thud means more time is needed.
- Use fresh bay leaves when possible. Dried leaves work but contribute less aroma during the bake.
Variations
- Use red wine in place of grape juice for an even more ancient Roman version.
- Substitute butter for the lard if you prefer a richer, dairy-forward flavor.
- Make the unleavened version noted in the directions for a denser, biscuit-like result.
Ingredients
Directions
1) Place the flour, lard, mashed cheese, ground cumin and anise, and yeast in a large mixing bowl.
Blend well.
Add the grape juice and mix the dough well for 2 to 3 minutes until all the grape juice is absorbed and evenly distributed.
The dough will be damp and sticky, but no internal dry areas should appear by the end of the mixing.
If they do, mix a few minutes more or add a little more grape juice and mix again.
2) Let the dough rest 5 minutes.
Now sprinkle 1 or 2 tablespoon flour over the dough and knead, either in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic and only slightly sticky. Add more flour if needed. Let the dough rest 2 minutes.
3) The dough should now be very smooth and easy to handle. Knead 30 seconds more, return the dough to the bowl, cover the bowl with a dish towel or large plate, and let rise at room temperature for at least 3 hours.
4) Sprinkle top with flour, punch down, and form the dough into 4 rectangular loaves (4 in. by 2 in. by 2½ in.). Place two bay leaves on the bottom of each loaf, and lay them, leaf side down, on a greased cookie sheet. Cover with a towel and let rise for 1 hour, until well risen.
5) Bake in a preheated 400℉ (200℃) oven for 35 minutes, until the loaves are brown on top and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Serve when cool.
NOTE: To make these breads without leavening, omit the yeast, knead the dough thoroughly, then bake at 350℉ (180℃) for about 2 hours.
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