Atina Ex Legatis Et Cerebellis

This recipe originates from a 15th-century Italian manuscript attributed to Apicius, or more accurately, composed of excerpts from his famed 'De re coquinaria.' By the late Middle Ages, classical Roman foodways were being rediscovered and adapted, demonstrating the enduring prestige of Roman culinary practice in Renaissance Italy. The text reveals not only a fascination with ancient cookery but also the continuation and translation of Roman luxury—brains, poultry, spice, and aromatic herbs were considered particularly refined. The recipe book itself, written in humanistic script, shows the merging of scholarly and gastronomic interests during the Italian Renaissance.

Historically, the preparation required a hand-thrown ceramic or copper pot ('patina') for baking or stewing, a knife for trimming brains and poultry, a wooden spoon or branch of rue for stirring, and a mortar and pestle for pounding the spices and herbs. An open hearth or wood-fired oven would serve as the heat source. Metal or clay dishes would present the finished layers, and all mixing and binding was done by hand with natural utensils—often including the very herbs used for seasoning.