Tyropatinam

Original

One of the best-known Apicius recipes. The Latin text and English translation are widely available:

Tyropatinam: accipies lac, adversus quod patinam aestimabis, temperabis lac cum melle quasi ad lactantia, ova quinque ad sextarium mittis, si ad heminam, ova tria. In lacte dissolvis ita ut unum corpus facias, in cumana colas et igni lento coques. Cum duxerit ad se, piper adspargis et inferes.

Despite the name ("cheese patina"), this is actually a custard of milk, honey, and eggs — no cheese. Grocock & Grainger note the milk-to-egg ratio is essentially identical to modern crème caramel.

Translation

Translation (Grocock & Grainger, 2006): "Cheese patina: take some milk and choose a dish of sufficient size to hold it; flavour the milk with honey as though for milk pudding. Put in 5 eggs to a pint or 3 to a half pint. Dissolve them in the milk so that you have a smooth emulsion. Strain into a Cumaean clay dish and cook over a slow fire; when it has set, sprinkle with pepper and serve."

My Redaction

Tavola Mediterranea provides a detailed tested redaction with step-by-step method:

• Beat eggs until thickened
• Combine milk with honey, bring to low boil while whisking
• Temper eggs with hot milk mixture, combine
• Strain into baking dish, bake at low heat (300°F/150°C) in water bath until set
• Sprinkle with pepper and serve

Source: Tavola Mediterranea — tavolamediterranea.com/2017/10/11/roman-sweet-tooth-apicius-tiropatinam/

For hospitality service: Bake the day before, chill, slice into portions. The pepper on a honey custard is the conversation piece — it documents the Roman taste for spice in sweets. Needs cooler. Can be baked in individual ramekins for easier service.