Palathai, Dried Fig Cakes
Ripe figs sun-dried, crushed and pressed into compact cakes, sometimes dusted with seeds. A sweet reserve that lasts through winter, to nibble at the end of a meal or to take along — the wise man's treat who does not yield to luxury but accepts the sweetness nature gives.
Ripe figs sun-dried, crushed and pressed into compact cakes, sometimes dusted with seeds. A sweet reserve that lasts through winter, to nibble at the end of a meal or to take along — the wise man's treat who does not yield to luxury but accepts the sweetness nature gives.
The fig tree does not give you its fruit in the middle of winter, and you would be wrong to demand it out of season: take them when they come, and keep the rest dried. Here is how: leave the figs in the sun until they are hard, then press them together into a cake. Thus you have your sweetness when the cold comes, owing nothing to anyone. Desire things as they are, not as you wish them to be, and you will be at peace.
- •Ripe figs — a basket (sweet base)
- •Sesame or anise seeds — a handful (flavor and coating)
- •Fig or laurel leaves — a few (wrapping for preservation)
Palathai, Dried Fig Cakes
Ripe figs sun-dried, crushed and pressed into compact cakes, sometimes dusted with seeds. A sweet reserve that lasts through winter, to nibble at the end of a meal or to take along — the wise man's treat who does not yield to luxury but accepts the sweetness nature gives.
Why this dish? The fig is among the attested foods of Epictetus. Dried and pressed into a cake, it kept for months: the frugal sweetness a philosopher could keep without compromising his ideal of sobriety.
The fig tree does not give you its fruit in the middle of winter, and you would be wrong to demand it out of season: take them when they come, and keep the rest dried. Here is how: leave the figs in the sun until they are hard, then press them together into a cake. Thus you have your sweetness when the cold comes, owing nothing to anyone. Desire things as they are, not as you wish them to be, and you will be at peace.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ripe figs — a basket (sweet base)
- Sesame or anise seeds — a handful (flavor and coating)
- Fig or laurel leaves — a few (wrapping for preservation)
Ingredients
- Soft dried figs — 250 g (base)
- Sesame seeds (or anise) — 2 tbsp (flavor and coating)
- Honey — 1 tbsp (optional) (binder and sweetness)
- Water or sweet wine — 1 tbsp (to loosen the paste)
Method
- If your dried figs are too hard, soak them in a little warm water for 10 minutes then drain.
- Blend or finely chop the figs with the honey and a little water until you get a thick paste.
- Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan.
- Form small flat cakes with the fig paste, then roll them in the sesame seeds.
- Let air-dry for a few hours (or 1 hour in the oven at 50°C): they will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.
How it was made : Palathai (dried pressed fig cakes) are attested in the Greek and Roman world: figs, abundant and easy to dry, were a valuable winter reserve and a common snack. They were pressed into loaves, sometimes mixed with seeds, nuts, or aromatics, and stored wrapped in leaves.
The contemporary twist : Roll them in a mixture of sesame and fennel seeds and present them as "ancient energy balls": the Stoic hiker's snack.
Epictetus · Charactorium