Maza, the Everyday Barley Cake
A dense cake of toasted barley flour, kneaded with water and olive oil, barely salted. The staple food that satisfied all of Greece before wheat bread.
A dense cake of toasted barley flour, kneaded with water and olive oil, barely salted. The staple food that satisfied all of Greece before wheat bread.
Do not think, you who listen, that kings' daughters eat only rare foods. Every day on our tables there is maza: we toast the barley, grind it, knead it with a little water and our olive oil, and make a firm cake. We break it by hand to sop up the rest of the meal. It feeds palace and cottage alike — barley is the Greek's faithful friend.
- •Toasted barley flour — two handfuls (base)
- •Water — as needed (binder)
- •Olive oil — a drizzle (softness)
- •Sea salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Maza, the Everyday Barley Cake
A dense cake of toasted barley flour, kneaded with water and olive oil, barely salted. The staple food that satisfied all of Greece before wheat bread.
Why this dish? Even in a palace, the base of the Greek meal remained barley. Maza accompanied Cepheus's table every day; without it, no meal was complete, from servant to princess.
Do not think, you who listen, that kings' daughters eat only rare foods. Every day on our tables there is maza: we toast the barley, grind it, knead it with a little water and our olive oil, and make a firm cake. We break it by hand to sop up the rest of the meal. It feeds palace and cottage alike — barley is the Greek's faithful friend.
Ingredients (period version)
- Toasted barley flour — two handfuls (base)
- Water — as needed (binder)
- Olive oil — a drizzle (softness)
- Sea salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Barley flour — 200 g (base)
- Warm water — about 120 ml (binder)
- Olive oil — 2 tbsp (softness and binder)
- Salt — 1/2 tsp (seasoning)
- Sesame seeds (optional) — 1 tbsp (decoration and flavor)
Method
- Briefly toast the barley flour in a dry pan to awaken its flavor, then let cool.
- Mix flour, salt, olive oil, and warm water until a firm but pliable dough forms.
- Shape flat cakes about 1 cm thick.
- Cook dry in a hot pan or on a stone, 4 to 5 minutes per side, until colored.
- Sprinkle with sesame if desired and serve warm to accompany meats, olives, and cheese.
How it was made : Maza, made from barley rather than wheat, was the staple food of ancient Greece, mentioned countless times. It was eaten raw (as a simple paste) or cooked, and often served as a utensil to sop up dishes.
The contemporary twist : A lightly smoked 'grill' version, presented stacked with a small bowl of new olive oil for dipping.
Sources : Athenaeus of Naucratis, The Deipnosophists · Andrew Dalby, Food in the Ancient World from A to Z (2003)
Andromeda · Charactorium