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Isicia Amulata a Balineo sic Facies (Meatballs with Starch Cooked in a Pan)

Isicia Amulata a Balineo sic Facies (Meatballs with Starch Cooked in a Pan) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of fish forcemeat served and cooked in a ginger sauce thickened with starch. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Forcemeats with Starch from a Vat (Isicia Amulata a Balineo sic Facies).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesHerb RecipesAncient Roman Recipes

Original Recipe

Isicia Amulata a Balineo sic Facies (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) II, ii, 7

Isicia amulata a balineo sic facies: teres piper, ligusticum, origanum, modicum silfi, gingiber minimum, mellis modicum, liquamine temperabis, misces, adicies super isicia, facies ut ferveat. cum bene bulliverit, amulo obligas spisso, et sorbendum inferes.

Translation

Meatballs with Starch Cooked in a Pan: Grind pepper, lovage, oregano, a small amount of silphium, and a pinch of ginger. Mix with a little honey and stock and add the forcemeats. Bring to the boil then thicken with starch. Serve to be sipped.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

300g minced (ground) pork
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp lovage seeds (or celery seeds)
1 tsp oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp honey
4 tbsp fish sauce
300ml shellfish (or fish) stock
cornflour, to thicken

Method:

Prepare the mussel forcemeat according to the recipe and shape into small balls.

In a mortar, grind together the pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds, oregano and ginger. Work in the honey and stock until you have a pourable liquid and scrape into a pan. Add the fish sauce and remaining stock then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, carefully add the mussel forcemeats

Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the forcemeats are done through then work 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) [wheat starch would originally have been used, but cornflour is commoner today and gives the same effect] with 2 tbsp water to form a slurry then stir into the sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes further, or until thickened and serve.
Find more recipes from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria along with information on Apicius and his cookbook, all part of this site's Ancient Roman recipes collection.