Tracta (dough) facts for kids

Tracta (pronounced TRAK-tah) was a type of dough or pastry used in ancient Roman and Greek cooking. It was also known by names like laganon or lagana. People in ancient times would roll out or stretch this dough to make different foods.

What Was Tracta?

It's a bit tricky to know exactly what Tracta was. Historians and food experts aren't completely sure because ancient recipes don't always describe it fully. It might have been different things at different times.

A Mystery Dough

Sometimes, Tracta was an unleavened bread. This means it was made without yeast, so it didn't rise. Other times, it might have been like a pancake. Later, some people think it could have been an early form of pasta.

How Was Tracta Used?

Ancient Roman cookbooks, like one called Apicius, mention Tracta. In these recipes, it was used to make liquids thicker, almost like a flour or cornstarch today. One idea is that it was a hard, dry piece of pastry, maybe like a ship's biscuit. These biscuits were very hard and could last a long time.

Tracta in Cakes

Tracta also appeared in recipes for cakes. For example, Cato the Elder, a famous Roman writer, had a recipe for a placenta cake. This cake was made with layers of Tracta dough and cheese.

A Special Bread

Another ancient writer, Athenaeus, wrote about a cake called kapyridia. He said it was also known as Tracta. This version used bread dough but was baked in a special way.

Tracta and Modern Foods

Some people think Tracta is connected to modern Italian lasagne. The word lasagne actually comes from laganum, which was another name for Tracta. However, most experts agree that Tracta was probably not pasta as we know it today. It was more likely a type of dough or flatbread.

Modern Lagana

Today, there is a Greek flatbread called lagana. This modern lagana is a leavened bread, meaning it uses yeast and rises. It's not clear exactly when the name lagana started being used for this kind of bread.