Foundation of the Deipnon
Maza of Barley with Oil and Cheese
EverydayDocumented🧂 🍄facile30 min
A dense flatbread of toasted and ground barley, kneaded with water and olive oil, topped with fresh goat cheese. It is the edible plate and everyday bread of the archaic Greek world.
Foundation of the Deipnon
A dense flatbread of toasted and ground barley, kneaded with water and olive oil, topped with fresh goat cheese. It is the edible plate and everyday bread of the archaic Greek world.
Approach, stranger, and do not disdain this humble flatbread: it nourishes all of Lacedaemon, and a queen's hand is not ashamed to knead it. The barley is toasted on the hot stone, ground, and spring water binds it under my fingers; a drizzle of oil, a bit of cheese from my goats, and there is enough to keep a man on his feet. Keep the white wheat for weddings and feasts—this is the bread of every dawn, and it is better than one might think.
Ingredients
- •Toasted barley flour (alphita) — two generous handfuls (base of the flatbread)
- •Spring water — enough to bind (binder)
- •Olive oil — a good drizzle (softness and flavor)
- •Fresh goat cheese — a portion (topping)
- •Sea salt — a pinch (seasoning)
How it was made : In the Homeric world and at Sparta, barley dominated wheat. The grains were toasted before grinding (hence the name alphita for barley flour), which improved preservation and gave the characteristic flavor. Maza could be eaten raw (simply kneaded dough) or cooked, and often served as a plate for the rest of the meal.
Sources : Homer, The Odyssey (descriptions of meals) · Andrew Dalby, Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece (1996)