Give Deviled Eggs An Overhaul With This Ancient Roman Upgrade

Deviled eggs are a savory, rich, and deeply craveable appetizer at any gathering. There are tons of different versions out there, ranging from pickle-flavored to punchy horseradish deviled eggs. However, maybe you want to try making something unusual for your next gathering. Rather than keeping things modern, you should turn to history for a new gustatio, or appetizer. After all, deviled eggs themselves originate in ancient Rome. One ancient egg dish, called Ova Elixa, suggests an herbal wine sauce upgrade dating all the way back to the first century.

Romans loved egg dishes, so Ova Elixa was likely served at banquets and social gatherings, much like modern deviled eggs. Translated as "boiled eggs," Ova Elixa is a well-documented dish (though we aren't entirely sure what it looked like) because the recipe has survived for centuries. Well, sort of.

The book "Apicius, De Re Coquinaria", based on writings from Marcus Gavius Apicius, shares a basic list of the dish's ingredients. The direct translation from Latin says that you need garum, oil, high-quality wine, pepper, and laser. Many interpret this ingredient list as what you need to create the herbal wine sauce, served over the hard-boiled eggs, mixed into the yolks, or perhaps used to boil the eggs themselves. It would be a savory, salty, and rich addition that brings plenty of umami flavor to the party. This saucy topping interpretation is your new deviled egg secret weapon.

Some of the ingredients may sound a bit confusing, but you should be able to find good modern substitutions. Ancient recipes describe the wine as "pure," meaning it was likely a very dry variety. Ancient Romans did wine differently than today, so choose something like a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Garum, or liquamen, is a fermented fish sauce, similar to what you might find at an Asian market. Laser came from some type of now-extinct wild fennel, so a close living relative, asafoetida, is a good swap.

To upgrade your deviled eggs, first prep them as usual. For the sauce, you'll need about half a cup of wine, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of asafoetida, and black pepper to taste. Heat the oil in a pan with the pepper and spice until it becomes aromatic. Then, mix the wine and other ingredients into the pan, and gradually reduce it. Once it thickens, pour that sauce over your halved eggs for a luxurious final product.

If you're looking to further Romanize deviled eggs, there are plenty of other upgrades you can incorporate. Savory minced garlic or onions, staples of that era, can be added to the filling. Top with thyme, pine nuts, or mint for an extra herby pop, as these were heavily used in Rome. Add an ancient version of honey mustard to the filling for a classic touch. No matter how this wine sauce was made or included, we can be sure that it was a major crowd pleaser, just like deviled eggs still are today.