Dante and His Divine Egg: A 14th-Century Recipe 

Anecdotes abound when it comes to Dante Alighieri, the poet who penned the epic Divine Comedy in the 14th century. His contemporaries commented on his formidable memory, yet his reputation as a not-too-affable fellow often preceded him. 

His contemporaries chronicled that he loved to wander around his beloved Florence, occasionally stopping to reflect along the way — perhaps even plopping down on a stone to admire his “beautiful San Giovanni,” as he once referred to the city’s Baptistry, the hexagon-shaped Romanesque building in Piazza del Duomo completed in 1128. It’s said that during one of these moments of repose, a stranger crossed his path and casually asked him, “Dante, what do you think is the best food?” Known for his frugality, he answered, “the egg.” End of conversation. A year later (perhaps while seated in the same spot?), he encounters the same stranger who asks him point-blank, “and with what?” Now, any other person would have likely replied, “Huh?” But not Dante. Known for his flawless memory, he immediately responds, “with salt,” in a relatively condescending tone.

This story has been passed down for centuries, with praise for both Dante’s memory as well as for his choice. He probably meant enjoying a fresh raw egg in all its simplicity with just a pinch of salt, a costly ingredient at the time. This egg recipe comes from one of Western Christianity’s most ancient recipe books, the Liber de coquina: written in Latin between the 13th and 14th centuries. Created in Naples during the rule of the Angevin dynasty, the book is one of the most important testaments to late-medieval food and dining habits.

14th-Century Frittatina Recipe

Soften 4 slices of crustless white bread in ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk. Add 8 large eggs and salt, and mix well. Add 1 sachet of saffron as well as the spices of your choice. Now melt some butter in an 8" round pan, so that the frittata doesn’t become too thin when cooking. Cook over high heat until the base sets, then cover, reduce the heat, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Almond milk, saffron, and spices are among the fundamental ingredients of medieval cooking.