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Pullum Tractogalatus (Chicken Prepared in Pastry and Milk)
Pullus Tractogalatus (Chicken Prepared in Pastry and Milk) is a traditional Ancient Roman recipe for a classic dish of chicken cooked in wine, stock oil, onions and coriander that's served jointed, finished in a white sauce of milk and pastry and served with a spiced honey, boiled wine and stock sauce thickened with starch. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Ancient Roman version of: Chicken Prepared in Pastry and Milk (Pullus Tractogalatus).
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
120 minutes
Total Time:
140 minutes
Serves:
6
Rating: 
Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesChicken RecipesFowl RecipesMilk RecipesAncient Roman Recipes
Original Recipe
Pullus tractogalatus: pullum coques liquamine, oleo, vino, cui mittis fasciculum coriandri, cepam. deinde, cum coctus fuerit, levabis eum de iure suo et mittis in caccabum novum lac et salem modicum, mel et aquae minimum [id est tertiam partem]. ponis ad ignem lentum ut tepescat, tractum confringis et mittis paulatim, assidue agitas, ne uratur. pullum illic mittis integrum vel carptum, versabis in lance, quem perfundis ius tale: piper, ligusticum, origanum, suffundis mel et defritum modicum, et ius de suo sibi, temperas. in caccabulo facies ut bulliat. cum bullierit, amulo obligas et inferes.
Translation
Chicken Prepared in Pastry and Milk: Cook the chicken in stock, olive oil, wine, onions and a faggot of coriander. When done, lift [the bird] from the stock [and set aside]. In a clean saucepan, add milk, a little salt, honey and a very little water [ie a third the volume of milk]. Heat gently over a low flame then add crumbled pastry, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Put in the chicken, either whole, or jointed, turn out onto a serving dish then pour over the following sauce: [pound] pepper, lovage and oregano [in a mortar]. Add honey, a little defrutum and cooking liquor [from the bird]. Mix well, bring to a boil in a pan, thicken with starch and serve.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
1 prepared chicken (about 1.8kg)
600ml chicken stock
2 tbsp olive oil
200ml white wine
2 onions, chopped
1 faggot of
coriander (1 bunch of coriander, tied together)
For the White Sauce:
300ml milk
salt, to taste
2 tbsp honey
100ml water
crumbled pastry, to thicken
For the Spiced Sauce:
1 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
1/2 tsp
lovage seeds (or celery seeds)
1 tsp dried
oregano, crumbled
2 tbsp honey
60ml
defritum
200ml chicken cooking stock
2 tsp cornflour mixed to a slurry with 2 tbsp water (originally
wheat starch (amulum) would have been used)
Method:
Place the chicken in a pan with the stock, olive oil, wine, onions and coriander. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and cook for about 90 minutes, or until tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and joint. Strain the liquid and reserve.
Just before the chicken is due to be ready, combine the milk, honey and water in a pan. Season to taste with salt, bring to a simmer then slowly whisk in crumbled pastry (or flour) until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat in the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook gently as you prepare the spiced sauce.
Pound together the black pepper, lovage (or celery) seeds and oregano in a mortar. Work in the honey and defrutum then whisk in 200ml of the reserved chicken cooking stock. Turin into a pan and whisk in the cornflour. Return to a simmer and cook until thickened.
Turn the chicken and white sauce into a serving dish then pour over the spiced sauce 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.
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