Pear Patina
from A Taste of Ancient Rome by Ilaria Gozzini Giacosa

The Romans referred to their dessert course as mensa secunda, or "second meal." They satisfied their fondness for sweets with desserts such as fruitcakes, pudding, sweet egg-based dishes, and sweet cheeses—and in this case, a delicious pear patina.

Ancient Roman Pear Patina Recipe (Apicius)

A pear patina: Grind boiled and cored pears with pepper, cumin, honey, passum, garum, and a bit of oil. When the eggs have been added, make a patina, sprinkle pepper over, and serve.

Modern Pear Patina Recipe (serves 4)

4 pears
water or white wine (to cook the pears)
1 tablespoon honey
pinch each pepper and cumin
1/2 cup passum (a modern version of this raisin wine is the Italian dessert wine Vin Santo)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil

Poach the whole pears in water or white wine. When they are done, peel and core them, then crush them into a puree, mixing in the honey, pepper, cumin and passum. Beat the eggs, adding the milk if desired. Then blend this into the pear mixture with the olive oil. Pour into a casserole and bake for around 20 minutes at 350° F.

Pear Patina
from The Classical Cookbook by Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger

1½ lb firm pears
10 fl oz red wine
2 oz raisins
4 oz honey
1 tspn ground cumin
1 tbspn olive oil
2 tbspn fish sauce
4 eggs
plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Peel and core the pears and cook in the wine, honey and raisins until tender. Strain and process the fruit and return to the cooking liquor. Add the cumin, oil and fish sauce and the eggs well beaten. Pour into a greased shallow dish and bake in a preheated oven (375º F) for 20 mins or until set. Let the custard stand for 10 mins before serving warm.

Serves 4

Pear Patina (Apicius 4.2.35 P. 193)
from Christopher Grocock & Sally Grainger, Apicius: A Critical Edition with an Introduction and English Translation, Prospect Books, 2006

1.5 kilos of pears, such as Beure Bosc or Bartletts, peeled, cored and chopped into large pieces
2 ½ cups of wine
4 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1-2 tablespoons oil
8 eggs.

Place pears in saucepan with wine and honey and bring to boil and simmer until cooked. Process until smooth. Add cumin, fish sauce, oil and eggs and mix together. Pour into a greased lasagna dish. Bake at 190° C until set.

Serve warm with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper.