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Ut Uncia Laseris Toto Tempore Utaris (How you Can Always Have Laser for Use)
Ut Uncia Laseris Toto Tempore Utaris (How you Can Always Have Laser for Use) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic method of making laser (asafoetida), which was becoming expensive, go further by using it to flavour ground pine nuts, which is also known as Parthian Laser. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: How you Can Always Have Laser for Use (Ut Uncia Laseris Toto Tempore Utaris).
prep time
10 minutes
cook time
10 minutes
Total Time:
20 minutes
Serves:
4
Rating: 
Tags : Spice RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Ut Uncia Laseris Toto Tempore Utaris (from Apicius' De Re Coquinaria) I, xiii
Laser in spatiosum doliolum vitreum mittis et nucleos pineos ut puta viginti, cumque utendum fuerit lasere, nucleos conteres, et in cibis miraberis [in] sapores. et tantum numero nucleorum doliolo referentur.
Translation
Put the laser in a spacious glass vessel. Count out and add twenty pine nuts. When laser is required, take some nuts and grind them. You will be amazed at the flavour they will give the food. Replace the ground nuts with a similar number of fresh ones.
Modern Redaction
Parthian laser is a method of using the fatty acids in pine nuts to pick up the flavour of 'laser' asafoetida, the cheap substitute for silphium. The sulphurous chemicals that give asafoetida its flavour bind to the fatty acids in the pine nuts so the nuts become flavoured with asafoetida. As a result they can be used in any dish that requires the flavour of 'laser' or 'silphium'. So a ridiculously simple recipe, but a very useful one for the frugal chef.
Method:
Scatter the asafoetida in the base of a small, cleaned and sterilized, glass jar. Scatter the pine nuts over the top and set aside for them to absorb the flavour of the asafoetida for at least 1 week.
When you need asafoetida flavour, take out the pine nuts and grind them. Use the pine nut meal instead of asafoetida in any Roman recipe that calls for laser or silphium. Replace the pine nuts you have removed with fresh ones and seal the jar again. These pine nuts will also absorb the asafoetida flavour.
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.
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