trail - turismo roma...outstanding soups made from vegetables and/or pulses. stracciatella and...

trailFOOD

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Any touristarriving in Rome forthe first time findshimself in a complex,chaotic city that is stillwrapped up in its morethan two-thousand yearold history. As he sets outto explore, he willdiscover not only manyof the Eternal City’sbeautiful sites –monuments, churches,world-famousarchaeological areas andmore besides – he is alsobound to come acrosssome of the manyspeciality foods enjoyedfor centuries by visiting

“pilgrims”,the

travellers, whoonce arrived in

Rome in their thousandsin search of ancientrelics or simply toconfirm their faith.Rome, not only the cityof great emperors andpopes, but also of theworking-class peopledescribed by Belli (writer& poet: 1791-1863),Goethe’s city of the souland of course theprotagonist in manyFellini films, is now avast metropolis that haslearned to live with allits contradictions and itsheritage. But, anyone

FOOD OF TH E WORK ING C L ASSES Mea t , o f fa l and sna i l s 2-5Po l en ta , s oup s and pa s t a 6-7Where i n Rome?Pantheon, Garbatella, San Lorenzo, OstienseTestaccio, Trastevere, Borgo, Monti 2-8

ROMAN-JEWISH FOODArtichokes, fried food, soup, fish, lamb & chicken 9-12Where i n Rome?Ghetto 12

BREAD & P I Z ZA 13-14Where i n Rome?Pantheon, Campo dei Fiori, Testaccio, Trastevere, San Lorenzo & Prati 14

TRAD IT IONAL D ESS ERTS& CAKES 15-18Where i n Rome?Portico d’Ottavia (Ghetto), Pantheon (& sur -rounding area), San Giovanni, Prati, Pinciano, Trastevere &Testaccio 18

MARKETS Campo de’ Fiori & Testaccio 19

WINE FROM TH E CASTE L L I ROMAN I D I STR I CT 20

C LAMS FROM OST IA 20

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wanting to get to thecity’s “real” soul needonly sample sometypical Roman dishesto realise that theyreflect its history -genuine and simple,made of a few basicingredients, oftenthose that are cheap toobtain. If you ventureinto the lanes andbackstreets around thePantheon, you’reassured an uniqueexperience of aromas,colours, flavours andcolours, a veritablejourney through a rusticcuisine full of intenseflavours; the food of the“real Romans” who havealways lived in these oldcity streets and squares,the food that has alwaysanimated the city’smany inns and eateries,and the type of food thatnever graced the tables of Rome’s powerfularistocracy. It was madeof humble ingredients,often those destined for

thebin and

certainlynot worthy of of

princes and cardinals.Our “food trails” windtheir way throughworking-classneighbourhoods wherethis traditional foodcontinues to thrive.Districts like Trastevereand Testaccio that arefairly central, but alsothose slightly further outlike Garbatella, SanLorenzo and Ostiensewhere trattoriasabound. In the evening,they are the districtsmost popular with locals

thanks to the historicinns and hostelries thatrarely give in to thefashion of re-inventingtraditional dishes andthat envelop guests inan atmosphere in whicharomas emanating fromthe kitchen merge withthe images evoked of apast in which charcoalburners, artisans andthe like spent their livesfighting to survive -within spitting distanceof some of Rome’s finerdwellings and palaces. This then is Rome – a potpourri of refined nobilityand unsophisticatedhardworking peopleused to making do andsomehow remainingtrue to themselveswhilst surrounded bythe power thatresonated in the citydeemed to be the capitalof the world forcenturies. Lucky for us,their culinary traditionshave passed from onegeneration to the next.

It’snot by chancethat the place of honour,amongst genuine,traditional Romandishes, goes to what isknown as “the fifthquarter” (of a butcheredanimal) or in otherwords, the offal(frattaglie) – the innardsand least expensiveparts of beef and lamb /mutton – that wouldnever be selected byanyone even slightly welloff and were thereforeusually just thrownaway. We’re talkingabout tripe, kidneys,heart, livers, spleen,sweetbreads, spinalcord, brains, tongue,lights (lungs) and tail.Coratella (pluck) – theliver heart and tongueof a cow cooked uptogether is also popular.

which is finished off inthe oven with asprinkling of gratedpecorino cheese andsome chopped mint.

WHERE IN ROME? Althoughthese dishes appear onmenus all over Rome,from the centre to thefurthest suburbs, theirtrue “home” is, andalways has beenTestaccio, today one ofthe city’s trendiestdistricts. Its workingclass origins arepractically unchanged,and people stillremember how, yearsago, butchers working inthe slaughter housewere paid in mixture ofcash and meat -specifically the fifthquarter. Snails are last, but by nomeans least in this shortlist of speciality dishes.An essential part ofFrench haute cuisine,here in Rome they arevery much a home-

cooked dish, but no lesstasty for that!Snails “Roman style”,also known locally as“San Giovanni” (St.John’s) style, were andare traditionally cookedin Roman eateries on thenight between the 23rd

and 24th of June – inhonour of the saint –and served up during asort of street party, stillheld today in the squarein front of the Basilica. The ancient festa heldon 24 June was, instead,dedicated to theGoddess Ceres, hoping toinvoke fortune andwealth and to chaseaway hostile divinities.When it was laterdedicated to St. John, itmaintained itspropitiatory function,and the “horns” of thesnails represented thedevil – evil. In the 19thcentury, it also became afesta dedicated to peaceand the various stalls setup in the area – serving

Thecombination of theselowly ingredients resultin extraordinary dishesthat are flavoursome yetdelicate, and thatdespite their humblebeginnings, caress thepalate. Rigatoni (pastatubes) with “pajata”(small intestine of anunweened calf) orkidneys, pluck withartichokes or onions,Roman-style tripe(tomato based), oxtailand other stews, notforgetting saltimbocca(“leap-in-the mouth” -because it’s so tasty -veal escalope cooked

with a slice of hamand sage) are

just some ofthe delightsof a plethora

of working-class dishes. Two age-old localdishes still found inRoman eateries both

use cheap cuts of beef:the spleen, gentlystewed with sage, garlic,vinegar, anchovies andpepper, and kidneyscooked with tomatoes,onion, parsley, whitewine and pepper.Although it rarelyappears on menus, andis not offal-based,“garofolato” is a roasteye round of beef(girello), stuffed with bitsof lard, cloves (chiodo digarofano in Italian,hence the name) andsliced garlic, pan cookedslowly for a couple ofhours with some celeryand tomatoes. This samesauce is also used,poured over tripe cooked“Trastevere style”,


times. As far back as the1st century BC, writersCicero and Horace couldnot get enough of“Laganum”, thin sheetsof pasta made of flourand water, and stilltoday you will findoutstanding soups madefrom vegetables and/orpulses. Stracciatella andbrodetto di Pasqua areboth enriched by beatenegg, (the latter with aneven richer broth).Cappelletti (stuffed hat-shaped pasta) in brothare served at home onspecial occasions, and inmost popular eateries asan option to all the otherpasta dishes known allover the world, althoughfew, elsewhere, can trulyreproduce them. Whatlies behind the successof Roman cuisine is theuse of local ingredientsand flavourings whichinclude wonderfulvegetables like broccoli,chicory, artichokes,tomatoes and broadbeans, an amazing array

of simple but tasty dairyproducts and tender,flavoursome meat,mostly all from theRoman countrysidewhich, with its rich,fertile soil has alwaysmanaged to supply thecity with all that itneeds. Guanciale (cured porkcheek) pancetta, (bacon),vegetables and pulsesgive us dishes that havebecome legendary like“pasta and fagioli” (&beans) with porkfat/skin (cotiche), pastawith broccoli, spaghettialla carbonara(originally made bycharcoal makes becausethe few basicingredients egg andbacon, were easy to taketo work), bucatiniall’amatriciana(traditional sauce fromAmatrice in the hillsbehind Rieti, made withguanciale, tomatoes,lard, chilli peppers andpecorino cheese – noonions or garlic!), or la

snails ofcourse -becameknown asthe stalls ofpeace orconcord.ANONYMOUS 18TH CENTURY RECIPE:Feed your snails with mintfor at least one whole day,before soaking them inplenty of slightly salty water.Next, rinse well underrunning water until no morescum remains. Take the snailsout of their shells and boilthem for a few minutes inwater to which you haveadded 2 or 3 spoonfuls ofvinegar. Prepare a tomatosauce with some choppedgarlic, anchovies, chillipepper and a bunch of mint. Pour it over the snails andcontinue cooking for at leastan hour.

Whenitcomes

to frugalbut still

mouth-watering food,

the traditional foodof Rome’s working classoften featured in theworks of artists, poetsand writers, particularlyduring the 19th century,who aimed to depict thereality of where theywere living. It’s how weknow that soup andpasta dishes aboundedand, just like everythingelse in Rome – haddistant origins. Polenta-like dishesmade of spelt flour, aswell as broad beans,barley and “pultes” (akind of porridge) werethe soups of ancient


“gricia”, an olderversion ofl’amatricianawithout tomatoes.There's also fettuccinealla romana (meatsauce enriched withonions, chicken liversand breast, mushrooms& tomatoes) or allapapalina (madeespecially for Pope PiusXII – like a carbonara butwith added cured hamand onions), notforgetting ravioli stuffedwith ricotta either – allusually served with asprinkling of pecorinoromano – Romansheep’s cheese. Penne (pasta)all’arrabbiata (angry) isyet another favourite

dish,although this time thetomato sauce is reallyhot and fiery (hence thename) thanks to theaddition of lots and lotsof chilli pepper!The list of spaghettidishes is as long as yourarm, but to pick out afew: alla carrettiera(cart-driver: tomatoes,tuna belly, mushrooms,garlic & chilli pepper),alla puttanesca(prostitute – tomatoes,olive, capers & garlic),alla checca (short forFrancesca- chopped rawtomatoes, mozzarella

and caciotta cheese),alla bersagliera (soldierswho march on the run,therefore quick to make:tomatoes, garlic, oil,chilli peppers, salamiand provolone cheese).We could go on foreverbut we’re too hungry!

WHERE IN ROME?Roman food is a partythat just keeps on going,day after day all over thecity, but, tucking into tosome “gricia” or“carbonara” inTrastevere, or Borgo – inthe shadow of St. Peter’sdome – or in Monti, thecity’s oldest district, is ina league all of its own.

Of the whole gamut ofRoman food however, itis Roman-Jewish foodthat gets the laurels.One of the earliestfusion cuisines, itcombines and muddlesup the features, culturesand food of these twogreat peoples. Given that the Jews

arrived in Rome wayback in the 2nd centuryBC, that fusion wasinevitable, especially as –to stay in theme – basicJewish food, liketraditional Roman fare,is also features good,simple ingredientswhich, properlycombined, prove thateven the poorestingredients can betransformed intosomething delicious.In a very equitableexchange, traditionalJewish cuisine broughtits influence to bear ontypical Roman disheswhilst local foodproducts inspired new“Jewish style” recipestoo. The meeting of theetwo cuisines form thebasis of the city’s culinarytradition; in fact it is hardto tell where the onebegins and the otherends. If in Rome in theright season, for example,not to try the bestartichokes in the worldwould be a real sin!


made of broccoli and“arzilla”, the local namefor a delicate white fish,and a chick pea soup with“pennerelli” is anothermust; it dates back toancient Roman times andthe “pennerelli” (littlepens) are actually smallpieces of meat off cuts; anymeat, except of course porkwhich is forbidden underJewish dietary laws.The next stop in our foodtrail continues involvesdishes starring lamb –which only Romans callabbacchio – that remindus that the earliestRomans were describedas a pastoral people withties to

gods of the woods andthose that protected theirprecious flocks of sheep.Varro, ancient Romanauthor of the 2nd centuryBC described how new-born lambs were tied to apost – ad baculum (henceabbacchio)- for the firstfour months of their livesto ensure they did nothurt themselves runningaround. One well-knowndish is fried, breadedlamb chops, cutlets “ascottadito” meaningburned fingers, which iswhat happened to theshepherds when they

used

Artichokesare undoubtedly the“princes” of Romancuisine and one of thebest ways to try them is“alla giudia” (Jewishstyle), briefly soaked inlemon water then saltedand deep fried in oliveoil. Absolutely delicious!So too is a “tortino dialici” in which a pastrybase is layered withanchovies and endives -a typical Romanvegetable – baked andthen eaten warm or cold.Next? “Gnocchi allaRomana”,made with

semolina,dipped in melted

butter and thenbaked in the oven.

Another tart – madeof sardines andartichokes, and atimballe of ricotta arealso popular. We mustnot forget fillets ofbaccalà (salt-cod) orcourgette flowers either–stuffed with mozzarellaand anchovies, fried in alight batter – or Rome’s“suppli al telefono” –fried rice balls stuffedwith mozzarella thatstretches out just like atelephone wire. Both areearly forms of streetfood still much lovedtoday. There are plenty ofsoups to try too, themost famous of which is


their fingers to eat. It had,after all been cooked on agriddle or over very hotcharcoal! Oven bakedlamb with potatoes orpan baked with olives orlemon are othertraditional dishes to try.Whilst lamb istraditionally associatedwith Easter, chicken(pollo) is also part of thisgreat feasting tradition,especially when fried(fritto) or cooked withpeppers (con pepperoni) in the dish typically eatenon Ferragosto (15 August)

WHERE IN ROME?Head for the districtknown as the “Ghetto”,the area Jews wereforced to live, insegregation, from 1550-1870, and still the heartof Rome’s Jewishcommunity. It was herein fact, on 16 October1943 that women,children and the elderlywere rounded up,

deported and gobbledup by the Nazi machine.Today, these narrowstreets in the shadows ofRome’s largestsynagogue, theimposing Portico ofOttavio and the Theatreof Marcellus, are thesetting for a morepeaceful life, and hometo a great manytrattorias offering awide range of dishesrepresenting the best ofRoman-Jewish cuisine.What better way toprove that free men canand indeed didovercome those thatrepresent man’sinhumanity to man?

Whether in ancient,medieval or RenaissanceRome, bread has alwaysbeen an importantelement in the city’sfoodscape, omnipresenton the tables of rich andpoor alike; no Romanwould ever consider

sittingdown to eat unless therewas some bread on thetable! There can’t beanyone who has neverheard of bruschetta – aslice of toasted(bruscato) bread that inits simplest form isrubbed with a piece ofgarlic, drizzled with oiland sprinkled with apinch of salt, but is oftenenriched by the additionof any number of otheringredients such astomatoes, peppers,cheese or even onions.Truly a peasant dish,bruschetta was

originallya way ofusing up

stale bed,but it has become

something we like tosnack on at any time

or as an hors d’oeuvre.Pizza bianca – whitepizza – is another Romanspeciality, either thinand crunchy, or thickerand “dressed” with oiland sea salt. It iswonderful with somefreshly sliced mortadellaor – in the summer –filled with figs and – forreal foodies – cured ham.Some historic bakersalso prepare a simplepizza rossa – red pizza –with a thin crust cookedon a baking sheet,drizzled with oil andcovered in tomatoes.Nothing could besimpler – and best eatenambling along the


streetsaround Campo diMarzio.

WHERE IN ROME?Wherever you go in thecity, “historic” wood-burning, modern electricor gas ovens send outwafts of irresistiblearomas that tempt youinto eating a quick andfragrant snack, althoughthe areas around thePantheon and theCampo dei Fiori areprobably the mostinviting as they turn outfreshly baked bread androlls all day long. In the

evenings, however, it ispizza that reigns

supreme: Margherita –with tomato,mozzarella andbasil/oregano,Capriciosa –mozzarella, ham,mushrooms,

artichokes andtomato, con Funghi –

with mushrooms, orProsciutto – ham, oractually, anything elsewe might fancy! FromTestaccio to Trastevere,San Lorenzo to Pignetoand Ostiense to Prati –you are truly spoilt forchoice! A poem about bread,written by Aldo Fabrizi inRoman dialect in 1970,entitled “Nonno Pane”(Grandpa bread) extolsthe versatility of bread,saying that besidesbruschetta andpanzanella (bread soup)bread goes well withpractically everyingredient under thesun, but it is particularly

good if you are hungry!

If, after all that, youare still feelingpeckish, try some ofthe typical Romandesserts or cakes soldin most of the city’spastry shopsalongside otherfamous Italianspecialities likeMontblanc (puréedchestnuts, cocoa & rum)and profiteroles. Romandesserts are as simpleand genuine as its maincourses, prepared athome when there issomething special tocelebrate, or onimportant religiousholidays. ‘Maritozzi’ are perfectfor those with a sweettooth; soft rolls filledwith whipped creamand served for breakfastthroughout the capitaland beyond. The basicdough is often enrichedwith pine nuts, candiedorange peel and

sultanas; the rolls areglazed with a simplesyrup as soon as they areout of the oven and onlyfilled moments beforeeating. Their namereflects the tradition ofyoung men presentingyoung women withthese sweet rolls duringthe so-called weddingseason, proving theywere good potentialhusbands –“mariti”. Today, the choux bunsfried and filled withcream – known as“bignè di San Giuseppe”are available most of theyear, but traditionally


theywere onlyprepared in March, themonth dedicated to St.Joseph. Castagnole “allaRomana” are traditionalcarnival treats – friedchoux pastry made withrum, sprinkled withicing sugar andcinnamon.Carnival was one of themain festas in 18th

century Rome,celebrated just beforeLent, although its originsderive from the ancientRoman religious feast ofSaturnalia whichfeatured all sorts ofpublic entertainment,orgiastic rites, sacrifices,

dances and the wearingof masks. Celebrationsended with the Festadei moccoletti,during whicheveryone carried a“moccolo” – a candle– blown out only

when all was over. Itmarked the beginningof Lent, the period forpenitence and fasting.Sour cherry (visciole)tarts are another Romantradition, no doubtbecause the Romancountryside is teemingwith trees bearing thesedark red, slightly acidiccherries that also makeamazing jam. Ricottamade fromsheep’s milk is anotheressential ingredient inRoman cakes anddesserts. In one of thesimplest, but seriouslyelegant desserts, ricottais served as is, enhancedonly with some sugar,chocolate shavings, a totof liqueur and asprinkling of orange

zest, but there is a longlist of tempting dessertsin which it stars: friedor flavoured withpractically anything,made into a sort ofcustard-like dish(budino) and“bocconotti” –biscuits filledwith aricottacream, aswell asricotta andsour cherrytarts – thebest of whichcan be found atthe Portico d’Ottavia. One Christmas must is“pangiallo” (yellowbread) full of lime zest,candied orange, pinenuts and almonds, whilst another, called“panepepato” (pepperybread) is made of honey,walnuts, almonds pinenuts – and cinnamon toprovide the pepperyzing. Both “robust”enough to munch on the

move,perhapsduring awalk

along thebanks of the

Tiber. The bestEaster cake of all

is “pizza ricresciuta”a.k.a. “pizza dolce”, aleavened cake flavouredwith cinnamon andaniseed seeds, usuallyfollowed by“mostaccioli”which inRome, means hardbiscuits containing friedand candied fruit andhoney, or better still, atasty ice-cream – vanilla,mint, chocolate, creamor strawberry. Or, what


aboutsome “Grattachecca”? It’s a typical late 19th

century Roman creationthat became a popularstreet food, served inkiosks dotted all over thecity, althoough thosethat became especiallyfamous for it were alongthe banks of the Tiber.The name,“grattachecca” reflectsthe way it is made: ahuge block of ice –known as a “checca” isgrated (grattato) with aspecial tool and fruitjuice or syrup is pouredover the shavings. Snowor ice mixed with fruit

actually firstappearedduring

banquetshosted byRomanemperors as a

sophisticateddistraction and later

reappeared during theRenaissance when,thanks to Catherine de’Medici and the Frenchcourt, “eating coldthings” became all therage.

WHERE IN ROME?Portico d’Ottavia,Pantheon, San Giovanni,Prati, Pinciano,Trastevere & Testaccio. Let’s end thisgastronomic line up byvisiting some markets.There are a few streets inevery district that cometo life every morningwhen the stalls are setup, but the best place togo to enjoy a strollamongst an array ofvegetables, meats, cold

cuts and cheese isundoubtedly Campo de’Fiori, one of the city’soldest markets. It’s aplace in which the imageof Rome and all thelegends that the cinema,art and poetry havespread throughout theworld can still be found.In the shadow cast bythe statue of GiordanoBruno, a 16th centuryphilosopher andexponent of freethought, you will find anexplosion of colours andaromas. Those sellingthe vegetables andwines they haveproduced themselvesstand proudly by theirstalls that are stackedwith broccoli, salad cropsand artichokes,pumpkins in amultitude of shapes andsizes, bunches of chillipeppers, bunches of redand white grapes andpomegranates. Stallsselling spices can alsostill to be found, as can

those specialising infresh, tasty and fragrantmixed salad leaves,whilst fishermen set outtheir catch and loudlyinvite people to buy. The market in Testacciois also deservedlypopular. Up until a fewyears ago it was set upin the district’s mainsquare, but now has anew home in a coveredstructure next to the oldslaughterhouse. It sellseverything andanything. A few of thestalls, mentionedenthusiastically inprestigious foreignnewspapers, arecertainly worth findingif you want to try a rollfilled with tripe orvarious fried itemsserved in a paper cone.Foodies will be inparadise.As to the indisputableking of Romangastronomy, our localwine is served in everytraditional trattoria and


historic eatery(fraschetta) in thecapital. Red, white, rosé,sparkling and“tantalizing”, it used tobe transported from thesurrounding countrysideand the Castelli districton traditional winecarts. A visit to theCastelli district to taste itis certainly worthwhile,perhaps accompanied by

some traditional“porchetta”- slices ofpork from a whole slow-roasted pig stuffed witharomatic herbs.To complete yourgastronomic journey,why not go to Ostia totry some spaghetti withclams (telline) – atsunset maybe, when thesea beyond Rome’sancient port turns pink.

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Trastevere

Ostia

TestaccioGarbatella

Centro storico

San Lorenzo

San Giovanni

Pigneto

Castelliromani

trailFOOD

trail - turismo roma...outstanding soups made from vegetables and/or pulses. stracciatella and...

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