Mustacei - Cheesy bread rolls from Ancient Rome

These delightful bread rolls are made according to a recipe by Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Elder), from his book De agri cultura (“About Agriculture“, around 150 BC). The fresh grape must used by Cato would have served as a leavening agent. You might have access only to packed and pasteurized grape juice, therefore we will add a little baker’s yeast to the dough. You need: 1 pound (4 1/2 cups) of all purpose flour, 1 cup of fresh grape juice (or 1 cup of packed grape juice and 1 cube of baker’s yeast), 4 tbsp olive oil, 100g (3 1/2 oz) white cheese (f. e. feta or firm ricotta), 1/2 tsp aniseeds, 1/2 tsp cumin, bay leaves To say it with Cato: “Mustaceos sic facito: farinae siligineae modium unum musto conspargito; anesum, cuminum, adipis, casei libram, et de virga lauri deradito, eodem addito, et ubi definxeris, lauri folia subtus addito, cum coques.“