Printed September 3, 2026
Roman Sala Cattabia (Apicius' Bread Salad)
From the 4th-century cookbook attributed to Apicius comes this surprisingly modern bread salad, ancestor to Italy's panzanella. Ancient Romans soaked their bread in a vinegar-wine mixture before adding vegetables and herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 pound day-old crusty bread, torn into chunks
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula or dandelion greens
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh pennyroyal or additional mint
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ounces aged sheep's milk cheese, crumbled
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
Preparation
The Roman cookbook De Re Coquinaria, attributed to the legendary gourmand Apicius, contains this recipe for a cold bread dish that would have graced tables from Britannia to Syria. Romans loved strong flavors, vinegar, and honey in unexpected combinations.
Preparation
- In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, wine, and honey until the honey dissolves completely.
- Add the torn bread chunks and toss to coat. Let soak for 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the bread absorbs most of the liquid but isn't mushy.
- Add the diced cucumber, sliced onion, arugula, mint, and pennyroyal to the bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin and salt.
- Toss everything together gently but thoroughly.
- Top with crumbled cheese and let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Historical Context: Romans rarely ate bread plain; they used it as an edible utensil and incorporated it into dishes like this one. The combination of vinegar and honey appears throughout Apicius' recipes, creating a sweet-sour profile that would have been considered sophisticated.
This dish would have been served as part of the gustatio, the appetizer course of a Roman banquet, designed to stimulate the appetite with bold flavors.
