TRADITIONAL ROMAN CUISINE

 

"Pecorino Romano"

TRADITIONAL  ROMAN CUISINE

The "fifth quarter" cuisine originates from the Testaccio area, where the municipal abattoir was located, and has given rise to simple but at the some time genuine dishes made from offal, such as "coda alla vaccinara"(Roman oxtail stew). The Jewish style cuisine, richer and tastier, is characterized by appetizing fried dishes: "carciofi alla giudia", Jewish style artichokes; zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella cheese and anchovies; fried cod fish, and cakes, such as the renewed ricotta cheese tart.

The country cuisine of the Castelli Romani hills is characterized by "abbacchio" (lamb) and pasta dishes, such as amatriciana style pasta. Soon I will write the recipe 

ROMAN CUISINE

ROMAN GASTRONOMIC TRADITIONS


The Roman gastronomic tradition is deeply rooted in the local culture and there is much historical evidences that can be traced down through the centuries confirming the long-standing tradition of gastronomy in the region and which help in the recovery of lost products and recipes from the past.

Roman cuisine has always been characterized by its variety of tasty dishes creatively prepared from many ingredients. Many dishes are characterized by their popular origin and on the other hand by the integration of traditions from other cultures present in Rome and its surroundings over the centuries.
Three different cultural influences have left their mark on what can be considered the traditional Roma cuisine:
* The so-colled "fifth quarter" cuisine;
* The traditional Jewish style cuisine from the Roman Ghetto;
* The traditional cuisine of the Castelli Romani (Roman Castles) and Roman neighborhoods

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

A UNIVERSAL HERITAGE


The mediterranean diet has officially been candidate as a UNESCO intangible heritage. The proposal was presented formally by Italy, Spain, Greece and Morocco, the four countries which contributed most in defining the historical and cultural characteristic of this diet, including the organoleptic of the products which render this diet unique and inimitable.
Many international institutions have identified the mediterranean diet as an extremely healthy dietary model, both sustainable and of the highest quality, and various scientists worldwide recognize its healthy properties and its capacity to fight a great number of disease. Italy, which is the country with the greatest number of World Heritage Certificates, soon may add the tastiest certificate of all to its long list.

TYPICAL ROMAN DISHES RECIPE

RECIPE: "VIGNAROLA"


Vignarola is one of the typical Roman seasonal delicious dishes, this time of the year is the right one to make "vignarola". The vegetables needed like: Roman artichokes, named "mammole", fava bean, fresh onions, fresh peas, grow between March and April.

Ingredients: fava beans, Roman artichokes, fresh onions, fresh peas, bacon, olive oil, salt, pepper

Execution: peel the fava beans and the peas, remove the hard outers leaves of the artichokes and cut the hard parts, cut them in four slices and live them for ten minutes in water and lemon juice.
Put five spoons full of olive oil in a pan cut little peaces of bacon and fry a bit, add the fava, chokes and the peas, cover the pan and put the flame very low.
Clean and cut the fresh onions in big pieces, once the rest of the vegetables are half cooked add the onions, the salt if you like, and some pepper. I don't add salt, for me the salt of the bacon is enough.

Paring wine: a wine can be combined with vignarola is the Sauvignon. Enjoy it and please let me know if you liked it

ROMAN MARKETS

Farmer's Market at the Circus Maximus


This week end market is housed in an old building located in Via di San Teodoro, facing the Palatine Hill, very close to the Circus Maximus, the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin housing the famous mouth of truth, and the Church of San Giorgio al Velabro, the Velabro is the historical peaceful area lapping the Capitoline Hill. The local products sold include preserves, meats, cheeses, flowers, and all kinds of fruit and vegetables coming directly from the Roman countryside. There is also a little restaurant serving pastas and pizza that you can eat outside in the ancient courtyard:

WINE TASTING

The visual examination, the olfactory analysis and the taste analysis are the three ways to do the wine tasting.

The visual examination.
Limpidity in a wine corresponds to absence of suspended particles, even if in some cases ( aged wines, non-filtrated wines or wines bottled on yeast) a limited presence can be acceptable. According to the degree of limpidity, a wine may be defined: veiled. quite limpid, limpid, crystal clear, brilliant.

Veiled is a wine with a strong opalescence and strong cloudiness, due to the presence of numerous suspended particles. Generally this occurs in wines in which undesired fermentation occurred, such as malolactic fermentation as we'll as other process. This is always an unacceptable situation.

Quite limpid is a wine with some suspended particles, which do not necessarily compromise its quality. Causes may vary from a long aging in bottle for some reds, bottling with yeast and consequent  double fermentation, often in white aromatic wines, bottling without filtration of reds rich in extract and coloring matter, In these cases the bottle must be handled with particular care while pouring the wine. In all other cases the presence of some particles should arouse some doubt.

Limpid is a wine free from any suspended particles, which consequently does not have any sediment. You can easily verify limpidity by tilting the glass of wine above an inscription and checking if the outlines of the letters are perfectly sharp.

Crystal clear is a wine totally free from suspended particles, having a peculiar intense brightness. The term may be applied to most white and rosé wines on the market, but also to some highly transparent red.

Brilliant is a wine with a wonderful brightness, which vividly reflects the rays of light.This is favored by the presence of carbon dioxide bubbles which refracts rays of light, it is more frequent semi-sparkling and sparkling wines. But this is not the only case. In spite of absence of bubbles, some excellent white wines, passito wines and liqueur wines, present a spectacular brightness.
  

ARTICHOKES ALLA ROMANA

ROMAN STYLE ARTICHOKES

Recipe: remove the hard outer leaves using the some procedure  of the Jewish style recipe below, soak them into water and lemon juice for ten minutes, than combine parsley, mint, roman mint if you can find it, garlic and anchovy paste and put it into the artichokes cavity, put the chokes upside-down in a deep pan that keeps them close together (no room to fall off) add 2 fingers of olive oil , cover, as soon as the oil start to fry, put the flame very low and let them cook for 20-30 minutes.
The olive oil of the artichokes can be used as a condiment for pasta.
Let me know if you liked it

the artichoke in the picture is not the the Roman style one but the Jewish style.

ROMAN ARTICHOKES

ARTICHOKES JEWISH STYLE


One of the typical dishes of the Roman cuisine are artichokes. There are two ways to cook it, or Roman style or Jewish style "alla Giudia". In many typical Roman restaurants is possible to find good artichokes, of course in the Ghetto too, the quarter were the Roman-Jewish Kosher cuisine was born and where the history of the dish can be found. Artichokes "alla Giudia" are served hot and crispy! only the typical Roman ones can be used, the one named "mammola"

This is the recipe to make this simple tasty dish:
Remove the hard outer leaves of the artichokes and cut the stem down. Next, remove all the hard parts by cutting the artichokes in spiral movement from bottom to tip.
Soak them in a basin of water and lemon juice or about 10 minutes. Season the inside with salt and pepper, then dip the artichokes into very hot oil. Cook for about 1 minute and serve hot. Enjoy your meal!!  

COOKING CLASSES

One of the most pleasant and funny things to do when you travel...

is a cooking class!
In the picture you can see me learning how to make sushi. Every time I learned how to prepare food I always enjoyed it very much, I love art and creativity, and food is both, is also a good way to get to know more about the people of the country you are visiting.  If you take a cooking lesson, no matter if you have never cooked in your life, try you will enjoy so much, you will learn more about the country and its inhabitants way of life. I am sure that in Italy is easier to get to know about people attitudes more quickly if you take a cooking class. Food for us is a big thing.
Italy is divided in 24 regions and in each one there are different food traditions, for example in northern Italy rise is appreciated more than pasta, and they make it better, butter in many recipes is used more than olive oil, in southern Italy many dishes are more spicy, and olive oil is the king of the recipes. If you can, try the typical food of the region in the place, is completely different, the "crostini with liver paté" are delicious only in Tuscany and Umbria. In Milan you can get the best "ossobuco and risotto". In Rome the best "matriciana" and artichokes, and not only. In Naples the best pizza!! etc. You will learn also how sophisticated Italians are with food, for example when we buy a cake, we pick a certain good confectioner's shop for each type of cake, not all of them are as good in the some store. For example in Rome you will find the best "millefoglie" by Cavalletti, the best "Sacher" by  La dolce Roma , etc.
       

RED WINE SYNONYMOUS OF HEAVEN

Red Wines

Cold weather, a fireplace with the ipnotic fire, nice people to talk with watching the snow falling, your favorite music. A perfect atmosphere for a good glass of red wine, accompanied with some seasoned cheese, like: parmesan or  pecorino and salami, bread made with dark weat and some rosted chestnuts.
A red sipping wine that I love is the "Montiano" made 100% from merlot grapes (puro) produced by Falesco.
When you taste a  wine first of all you will have the visual examination, the limpidity, the consistency and the color. The colors of red wines are:
*Ruby red
*Garnet
*Orange red
After the visual examination you will pass to the olfactory analysis and finally the taste, by the visual and the olfactory analysis you can already tell if a wine is good!

ROMAN STYLE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

When in Rome............

If you visit Rome on Christmas time some of the must are:

* A taste of Panettone, Pandoro and Torrone, the top three of
   the Christmas cakes and suites.

* Visit the most beautiful nativity inside the Roman Churches:
    S. Maria del Popolo for example.

* Visit the the Christmas market in Piazza Navona.

*  Have the Christmas Eve seafood dinner in one of the top
    seafood restaurants like: La Rosetta or Assunta Madre.

*  Take a walk around the city centre and buy the
     "Caldarroste" a paper-cone of hot chestnuts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Italy's Traditional Christmas Cakes

One of the most traditional Christmas Cake is the "Panettone", from Milan crossed Italy and all over the world, the best is the one that you can find only in some artisan bakeries like "Romeo" in Rome, the original version is with candied fruit and dried raisins, other versions are with dark or white chocolate. The "Pandoro" originally from Verona, is the big competitor of the Panettone, more butter, and fruit free. The "Torrone" the classic version is white with nuts, the modern version is the white covered with chocolate or all chocolate and nuts. "Ricciarelli" from Siena, made with almond paste and chocolate, "Struffoli" from Naples, made with tiny balls of sweet dought, deep-fried and covered with honey and little colored sprinkles of sugar. The "Panpepato" from abruzzi, a cake made with spices and covered with chocolate, the "Buccellato" from Sicily a sweet dought filled with nuts, almonds, pistachios, dried figs and spices, sounds very Arab, as you probably know Sicily has some Arabic influences. For Christmas Eve and the 25th lunch we eat a bit of every one... Bye - bye  diet till Jannuary 7th. we go back to the diet after Epiphany.  

EATALY

The Temple of Gourmet Italian Food

Food in Italy is a religion. When the first McDonald  fast food opened in Rome by the Spanish Steps in 1986 the Romans protested. From  the other hand the Slow Food movement started in 1989, theyr filosofy is to preserve traditional and regional Italian cuisine, and 15 years later in Turin opened the first large store dedicated to top quality typical local food named Eataly, now has nine branches in Italy, nine in Japan and one in Manhattan. From past June Eataly is also in Rome, located in the spaces of the ex Ostiense Air Terminal, converted into the temple of gourmet food.
Something of the typical food you can find: a bakery that only uses natural stone-ground flour and natural yeast, piadine (Italian tortilla-sanwich), artisan beer, the best Italian olive oil from Sicily, and more.
If you go to Eataly, in the nearby district named Testaccio there are some interesting places to visit, one is the Montemartini Museum, where you can admire ancient Roman sculptures located inside an old power plant, the plant's machinery provides such a stunning contrast to the art! another modern Art Museum, named MACRO is located inside an old ex slaughterhouse, and in the some area you can have dinner in one of the typical restaurants with typical Roman cuisine: Checchino, elegant with a great wine list, Felice, very nice ambient, Bucatino more simple, less expensive compared to the other two, but good food too!

FALL TREAT

Marron glacès - Glaced chestnuts

Very elaborate recipe, a cuple of days are needed to prepare glaced chestnuts. If you prefer to buy the already made one, the best glaced chestnuts you can get in Rome are the one made by "Giuliani" I define Giuliani "the temple of glaced chestnuts". For over 60 years produces in the some artisan way and still with high quality ingredients. You can find also chocolates, suitable for all types of taste, some very exotic like: yogurt and chilly, almond stuffed date, plum walnut, and more.....

Giuliani is located in Via Paolo Emilio, 67

in the district named Prati, not so far from the Vatican City.   

FALL TREAT

Persimmon tart dessert

One of my favorite dessert is the fruit cake made with a thin puff pastry, chantilly cream and fresh fruit on top, usually we use strawberries, kiwi, pineapple. In the restaurant La Rosetta, in Rome, the pastry was served topped with persimmon slices, raspberry and prune, an unusual combination that I really appreciated, so delicious!

Persimmon are ready to be eaten only between September and December

FALL TREAT

Truffles can be white or black, the best quality is white

Truffles are one of the fall foods, very hard to find,  fine and delicious,  of course very expensive , the white truffle from Alba can cost 160 euros per kg.
I suggest to eat the truffles in a good restaurant as a great treat,  and at home you can use truffle paste, a lot less expensive. Is possible to buy an already made truffles pureed made with truffles and olive oil, that create an intensely flavorful  easy to use in many dishes.
You can add a little truffle paste to mashed potatoes, risotto or fettuccine with butter and parmesan cheese, for an incredible finishing touch. Just a little paste  will transform a simple meal into a gourmet one.

FALL TREAT

Recipe: Fettuccine with porcini mushrooms

Ingredients:

1  Garlic

2  Olive oil

3  red pepper

4  Salt

5  Porcini mushrooms

6  Fettuccine pasta

7  Parmesan cheese

Method:

1  Slice mushrooms, prepare 1 or 2 cloves of garlic

2  Warm up olive oil in a saucepan with the garlic and red 

     pepper, put in the mushrooms, let them cook until soft, add 

     salt.

3  Boil "al dente" the tagliatelle and stir into the mushrooms sauce, finish with parmesan, if you like it

FALL TREATS

Autumn is here with its warm colors and cooler days, perfect moment  for a hot meal and a good glass of wine....Seasonal food that mate perfectly with read wine are:

*Funghi porcini: the tasty mushroom grows in many areas of Italy. Are a delicacy, you will find this delight in the form of "fettuccine or risotto ai fughi porcini " or in a sauce over the steak.
*Tartufo: truffles, another specialty from the Italian woods, very hard to find, thats why are very expensive, are served sliced over risotto or pasta, or on appetizer.
*Chestnuts: you can buy chestnuts call "marroni" from the street vendors, who are part of the Roman scenery from decades, a paper cone filled with large hot chestnuts is a fall must!
*Persimmon: persimmon in italian "cachi or loti" this soft fruit grows in mediterranean climate and are ready to be eaten only between September and December. When are mature the sweet pulp inside the shiny skin turns into a juicy jelly.

ROME STREET MARKETS

Campo de' Fiori street market

one of the most popular street markets of Rome,
If you plan a visit in the "Eternal city" don't miss it! is located in the heart of Rome, in one of the most charming areas where you can also find many artisan food shops,
fresh bread and pizza, salami, prosciutto and cheese, pastry, coffee and of course one of the best gelato!