Recipe Manuscript

Rapas Sive Napos

Name: Rapas Sive Napos
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g turnips or wild radishes (rapes, if available); 100 ml dry white wine; 5 g fresh rue (or 5 g arugula/parsley as substitute); 1/4 tsp asafoetida (or omit if unavailable), or 1 tbsp wine vinegar; 1 tbsp fish sauce (or 2 anchovy fillets mashed with 1 tbsp water); 1 tbsp grape molasses (or pomegranate molasses); 2 tbsp olive oil

"Turnips Or Parsnips"

1475

From the treasured pages of Apicius - De re coquinaria (handwritten excerpts)

Written by Apicius

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Intermediate Dinner Lunch Other

Original Recipe • 1475

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Rapas Sive Napos

"RAPAS. SIVE. NAPOS. Rapas siue napos elixatos exprimes, deinde teres cum minum plurima, rutam minus. Laser partum uel acetum. Liquamen, defrutum & oleum modice feruere facies et inferes. Aliter: rapas siue napos elixas inferes oleum simplicibus si uoles acetum adde."

English Translation

"Turnips or parsnips: Boil the turnips or parsnips, squeeze them out, then grind them with plenty of cumin, and less rue. Add a little laser (silphium/asafoetida) or vinegar. Add liquamen (fish sauce), reduced wine (defrutum), and a little oil, bring to a simmer and serve. Alternatively: boil the turnips or parsnips and serve them simply with oil; if you wish, add vinegar."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in abbreviated and almost note-like Latin, typical for the period—direct, pragmatic, and without detailed guidance. Apicius' terse instructions expect a degree of kitchen intuition, as home cooks of the day were assumed to be familiar with boiling, pounding, and seasoning. Spelling varies (e.g., 'rapas' for turnips, 'napos' for a kind of radish or turnip), partly because Latin culinary terms shifted over time and place. The exact quantities are omitted, a common feature of older recipes—cooks were expected to adjust based on experience and available ingredients.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Apicius - De re coquinaria (handwritten excerpts) - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Apicius - De re coquinaria (handwritten excerpts) (1475)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Apicius

Era

1475

Publisher

Venice

Background

A delectable compendium of ancient Roman cookery, this collection invites you to taste the flavors of antiquity through ten tantalizing sections based on Apicius’s famed De re coquinaria. Savor recipes, tips, and culinary wisdom penned in a fine Italian hand for the epicurean elite of the 15th century.

Kindly made available by

University of Pennsyllvania

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an Italian manuscript attributed to Apicius, the legendary Roman gourmet. It’s part of a much larger work on Roman cookery called 'De re coquinaria,' which was one of the most influential culinary texts of the ancient world. The manuscript in question dates from the late 15th century, a time when scholars in Italy were reviving classical knowledge with great zeal. The text showcases not only the ancient Roman palate (full of bold flavors and aromatic herbs), but also how knowledge was transmitted and interpreted in Renaissance Europe. The recipe itself reflects both abundance and practicality—transforming humble turnips into a complex and layered dish.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In antiquity, the primary tools would have been a bronze or stone mortar and pestle for pounding the vegetables and herbs, a knife for trimming the roots, and a basic pot—likely bronze or ceramic—for boiling and simmering. Fire would be controlled in a hearth or over coals to cook and heat the mixture. Serving would be done in wide, shallow ceramic bowls, with a wooden or bronze spoon.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1 lb 2 oz turnips or wild radishes (rapes, if available)
3.5 fl oz dry white wine
0.18 oz fresh rue (or 0.18 oz arugula/parsley as substitute)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (or omit if unavailable), or 1 tbsp wine vinegar
1 tbsp fish sauce (or 2 anchovy fillets mashed with 1 tbsp water)
1 tbsp grape molasses (or pomegranate molasses)
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

To prepare this ancient Roman dish, begin by boiling either turnips or rapes (a kind of turnip or wild radish) until tender, then press out excess water.
Next, in a mortar, pound the boiled roots with plenty of wine (white wine works well), a small amount of fresh rue (or substitute with arugula or a little parsley if unavailable), and a dash of asafoetida (in place of the now-rare laser, aka silphium) or simply use a splash of vinegar.
Add a tablespoon of fish sauce (or use a mix of anchovy fillets and water), a spoonful of grape must reduction (substitute with a tablespoon of thick grape syrup or pomegranate molasses), and a drizzle of olive oil.
Bring the mixture gently to a simmer without boiling for a few minutes and serve.
An alternative method omits the pounding—just serve the boiled turnips or rapes with plain olive oil, and if you wish, a splash of vinegar.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 20 minutes to cook the root vegetables until tender. Each serving has approximately 120 calories, and the recipe makes 4 servings.