The thesis in a study by the University of Iowa, according to which the recipe is found in an ancient cookbook
The origins of hamburger, one of the most popular dishes in America, may be linked to the history of ancient Rome. This is supported by research from the University of Iowa, led by Rosemary L. Moore. According to Daily Mail, in an ancient Roman cookbook there is a recipe for a meal called “Isicia Omentata”, which uses minced meat, juniper berries, wine, pine nuts, and a salty fish sauce, then assembled in the form of a pie.
The book, called Apicius, was composed at the end of the 4th or 5th century, and also contains other recipes that the Empire used regularly, such as fried veal with raisins, ostrich ragout, roast tuna, and many others. “When we think of Roman cuisine, Apicius is the reference book,” says Moore, professor of Classical History at the University of Iowa, referring to Marcus Gavius Apicius, considered a lover of refined luxury and gourmet food.
A study published in June last year found that the ancient Romans ate mainly vegetable protein, imported wheat, olive oil, and wine. Researchers at the University of Cambridge studied changes in the Roman diet due to contamination with the Ostrogothic and Byzantine empires. “There has been a diversification in the diet of local people, who have moved from a diet rich in animal proteins and wheat, olive oil, fish sauce and wine imported from North Africa to something more like a peasant diet, composed mainly of plant proteins,” explains Tamsin O’Connell, the main author of last year’s study.
