Italy · Sweet Dishes

Savillum (Ancient Roman Cheesecake)

The oldest cheesecake recipe in the world: an ancient Roman cheesecake of ricotta, flour, honey and one egg, written down by Cato around 160 BC.

60 min✻8 servings✻295 kcal
Savillum (Ancient Roman Cheesecake)

Ingredients

  • ricotta, well-drained850 g
  • flour, whole wheat or spelt110 g
  • honey90 g
  • honey, for glaze90 g
  • egg1
  • olive oil1 tbsp
  • poppy seeds3 tbsp

Method

  1. 1Drain the ricotta through a fine sieve for at least 30 minutes. Press it gently — the drier it is, the better the final texture.
  2. 2Combine the drained ricotta and flour in a large bowl. Mix until no dry streaks remain.
  3. 3Add the egg and 90 g honey. Stir until you have a thick, slightly sticky batter.
  4. 4Brush a round baking dish (20–24 cm) generously with olive oil. Pour in the batter — it should sit about 4–5 cm deep.
  5. 5Bake at 175°C (no fan) for 35–50 minutes. The center must be fully set. A skewer inserted in the middle should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
  6. 6Take the dish out of the oven. Immediately pour the remaining 90 g honey (warmed slightly) over the hot surface.
  7. 7Scatter the poppy seeds evenly over the honey glaze. Return to the oven for 5–7 minutes.
  8. 8Serve warm or at room temperature directly from the baking dish, with a spoon.