Itrion
Ancient Greek snack made with honey and sesame seeds
City/Region: Greece
Time Period: c. 600 BC
This simple yet delicious bar made of honey and sesame seeds would have been a welcome treat for any Ancient Greek hoplite, or citizen-soldier. Most armies in Ancient Greece were made up of hoplites (city-states like Sparta, which had a professional standing army, were rare), and each one was responsible for supplying their own gear and food, which needed to be cheap, travel well, and easy to prepare. A snack on the go doesn’t get much easier than this itrion, the energy bar of the Ancient Greek hoplite.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb (225 g) sesame seeds
- 1/2 lb (225g) pure honey
Instructions:
- Line the bottom and sides of a pan with parchment paper. I used a 9”x9” square pan, but you can use a larger pan if you want thinner itrion.
- Place a dry pan over medium heat and add the sesame seeds. Cook until nicely toasted and aromatic, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the sesame doesn't burn. Take the pan off the heat but don’t let the sesame cool too much, you want it to still be quite hot when you add it to the honey.
- Melt the honey in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. If any white foam rises up, skim it off. Continue to heat the honey until it hits 260°F (126°C), then immediately add the hot sesame seeds. Stir until combined.
- Continue to cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour the mixture into the lined pan and spread evenly.
- The itrion can be cut after a few minutes, but if it cools completely, the cut edges will be nice and crisp. Turn the itrion out of the pan, cut it however you like, and serve it forth.