www.turismoroma.it Trattorias of

Tips on savouring the city’s tastes and smells Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.23 Pagina 1

Trattorias of Rome

Tips on sampling the city’s flavours and aromas Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.24 Pagina 2

Preface down during your exploration of the capital's most typical quarters: Testaccio, Trastevere, the historical city centre and the Ghetto. o travel is to be curious. Curious to dis- cover the different dimensions of a It won't be hard to be seduced by the homey Tplace. Curious to understand what it is spirit of Roman : abbacchio scottadito, that makes a place and its people unique. rigatoni co' la pajata, , car- ciofi alla giudìa... Simple dishes which are non- Here then are a few suggestions as to how to etheless delicacies, adding a unique flavour to capture the true soul of Rome in a journey your unforgettable time in the Eternal City. through its traditions of and wine, yielding to the pleasures of its local dishes. Gorgeous 2 food which has assimilated the flavours of 3 different traditions over the of the Comune di Roma centuries, at the same time conserving its Department of Tourism most authentic essence. A culinary universe which is best appreciated in those places enli- vened by a typically Roman milieu.

It is in this spirit that the Department of Tourism has come up with a special itinerary for the traveller, containing handy suggestions for finding one's way around the vast number of eating places on offer.

This is a shortlist of restaurants worth tracking Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.24 Pagina 4

ome's gastronomic history has ancient respected and han- roots and the character of the is ded down (and Rauthentic and wholesome, as we also sometimes enri- know from Classical Latin literature in the ched and perso- works of Cicero and Juvenal, Ovid and Virgil, nalized), with sim- down to 's most famous culinary ple, tasty traditio- work, "De Re Coquinaria" by Marcus Gavius nal recipes on Apicius. The different regional traditions have offer. made an important contribution to Roman cookery, which has thus become a delicious Embarking upon our "gastronomic itinerary" as gastronomic compendium, bearing evident tra- if we were leafing through a hypothetical ces of the surrounding campagna ciociara, menu, the first thing we will note is that above all, and also of neighbouring regions Roman cooking is somewhat short of antipa- 4 such as Umbria, Tuscany and . sti (starters). There are a few, simple reci- 5 Indeed, it may be defined by the simplicity of pes, mainly based, an important its dishes, fruit of a peasant tradition, which is feature of which are the fritti (deep fried). by no means a poor one, and has defended These are filetti di baccalà (salt-cod), fiori di itself splendidly from the pressure of zucca (squash flowers stuffed with fads and tourism, maintaining the and anchovies) and supplì (mozzarella-stuffed honesty of a country cuisine over balls), which are often eaten as "street the course of time. This has food". Of all the Roman fritti, don't miss the been possible thanks also carciofo alla giudia (Jewish-style , to the survival of places so called because the recipe was born in the like the old osterie Ghetto of Rome). The artichoke is carefully (taverns), where the selected (the rounder Roman type is best) and customs of the past are scrupulously pared, leaving only the softer lea- Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.25 Pagina 6

ves and a little of the stem. It is then seasoned pointed. Gricia, with salt and pepper prior to being fried in boi- on the other ling oil (in two distinct stages). Try it at hand, is a con- Giggetto al Portico d’Ottavia - Via del diment similar Portico d’Ottavia, 21, +39.066861105 - where to the amatri- it is a real must! ciana but with no tomatoes and with Moving on to the primi (first dishes), the undi- instead of hot pepper. This goes very well both sputed queen is the amatriciana which, as its with a long like spaghettoni (slightly thic- name suggests, originates from Amatrice, a ker ) and a short one like rigatoni or small town in the province of Rieti. The ingre- mezzemaniche. Try it at Dar Cordaro - dients of the are tomato, Piazzale Portuense, 4, +39.065836751 - the (unsmoked jowl bacon), pecorino cheese, oil historic Roman trattoria next to the Arch of 6 and a pinch of peperoncino (dried chili pep- Porta Portese, or at Dar Moschino - Piazza 7 per), and it is usually eaten with , a B. Brin, 5, +39.065139473 - a well-known form of long pasta with a hole down the midd- spot in the Garbatella quarter. The le, but it is also equally good with spaghetti or was imported into , and then to Rome, by rigatoni (ridged tube-shaped pasta). It should the carbonari (charcoal burners), who in the be sampled in two of the historic trattorie in the early 20th century would take to the forests of Testaccio quarter, Felice - Via Mastro Giorgio, Umbria to make charcoal. The ingredients - 29, +39.065744194 - and Checchino dal egg, guanciale, black pepper and extra-virgin 1887 - Via di Monte oil - are combined to produce a rich, Testaccio, 80, creamy sauce - and not a mass of pasta and +39.065743816 fried egg, as often tends to be the case! If you'- - where you cer- re looking for the perfect carbonara, check out tainly won't be disap- Da Danilo - Via Petrarca, 13, +39.0677200111 Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.25 Pagina 8

- a genuine trattoria in the Esquiline quarter, or pasta dishes like the famous riga- Il Quinto Quarto - Via della Farnesina, 13, toni con la pajata (unweaned +39.063338768 - a modern osteria whose calf's intestine), a true delicacy name refers to an important characteristic of which is becoming increasingly , the quinto quarto (the fifth hard to find. The pajata is quarter, ie, internal organs etc). And let us not gently browned in extra- forget , which goes well with virgin and chop- various types of pasta (tonnarelli, spaghetti, ped and then a mezzemaniche and rigatoni) and is not as dash of is added. easy to prepare as it sounds. Good quality Finally, the tomato is added and it is all left to cacio (as pecorino cheese is known in Rome) simmer for about two hours. The resulting and fragrant pepper are the chief ingredients sauce is a concentration of taste which ser- of this recipe, which categorically excludes ves to flavour the rigatoni, which should be 8 the introduction of any kind of fat (oil, butter cooked al dente. The dish must be sampled 9 or cream) in order to obtain its desired at Checchino dal 1887 - Via di Monte creamy texture. Two reliable addresses for Testaccio, 80, +39.065743816 - a trattoria trying this are: Da Gino - Vicolo Rosini, 4, which has made a trademark of offal. Let us +39.066873434 - located just a few steps end this overview of first dishes with minestra away from the palaces of government, and broccoli e arzilla, the main ingredients of Pommidoro - Piazza dei Sanniti, 44, which are Roman cauliflower and skate, for +39.064452692 - in the heart of the San which arzilla is the local name, cooked in a Lorenzo quarter. In Rome, offal is used not thick, tasty broth. A very good version of this is only to make served at Da Oio a casa mia - Via Galvani, 43, delicious +39.065782680 - another good place to eat in main dishes, Testaccio. but also tasty Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.25 Pagina 10

As for the main dishes (secondi), special men- , a small tion is deserved by those based on the "fifth , , a quarter", ie, the offal: entrails and internal few sultanas, organs left over after the animal has been pine kernels and quartered and the costlier pieces have been a grating of removed. This would include , kidney, extra-dark chocola- heart, liver, spleen, sweetbreads, brain, ton- te. The second is a dish of beef tripe, which is gue and oxtail. Coratella is prepared from the cut into strips and boiled, and then fried with sheep's organs, a mixture of the liver, heart onion, and carrot in extra-virgin olive oil. and lungs. Three very popular local dishes are: Tinned or peeled tomatoes are then added, coda alla vaccinara (a delicious version is along with a sprinkling of mentuccia (pennyro- prepared at Checchino dal 1887 - Via di yal) and a generous grating of pecorino at the Monte Testaccio, 80, +39.065743816), trippa end. The third, finally, is the mixture of the 10 alla romana (this is done well both at Alfredo sheep's heart, liver and lungs, which is 11 e Ada - Via dei Banchi Nuovi, 14, cooked with cut into segments, oil, +39.066878842 - and at l’Osteria del onion, garlic, a dash of white wine once the Velodromo Vecchio - Via Genzano, 139, meat is browned, salt and pepper. On the sub- +39.067886793) and coratella con i carciofi ject of lamb (known locally as abbacchio), ano- (which should be tried at the trattoria Lilli - Via ther typical Roman dish is abbacchio al forno Tor di Nona, 23, +39.066861916). The first of con le patate, where the potatoes are roasted these is a recipe in the same pan as the meat and are therefo- of oxtail, which re particularly tasty. We recommend this at Da must be properly Ettore - Corso Trieste, 129, +39.068554323 - trimmed and was- a typical local trattoria. Still on the subject of hed, and is then meat dishes, let us not forget the famous sal- seasoned with tomato, timbocca alla romana, a simple but delicious Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.26 Pagina 12

recipe (the name translates "jumps in the Mastro Giorgio, 29, mouth"). Thin slices of veal are covered with a +39.065744194 - and at slice of crudo and a sage-leaf, then the Trattoria Quirino - rolled up, secured with a toothpick and cooked Vicolo della Scala, 3, in oil and butter, with the addition of a dash of +39.0658301885. Pollo white wine at the end. A most refined version alla romana is particu- of this may be tasted at the trattoria Da Emilio larly tasty: first the chic- - Via Alessandria, 189, +39.068558977. ken is fried gently in butter, Another beef recipe is polpette alla romana, cubes of prosciutto, garlic and chopped marjo- meatballs, which used to be made out of the ram, to which a dash of white wine is later leftovers of the previous day's boiled beef. The added, and then it is cooked in tomatoes minced beef is mixed with prosciutto crudo, and/or bell peppers. A mouthwatering version breadcrumbs bathed in milk and squeezed is served at Il Quinto Quarto - Via della 12 dry, garlic, parsley, parmesan and eggs, to Farnesina, 13, +39.063338768 - near Ponte 13 bind the ingredients. The meatballs are then Milvio. As for fish, baccalà (salt cod) plays dipped in egg and dusted with dry - the principal role. As an antipasto we saw it fil- crumbs and fried, after which they are added leted and fried in a crisp, dry , but as a to a tomato sauce started off from a base of main course it is prepared as a with chopped carrot, tomatoes, pine kernels, sultanas, onion and celery and extra-virgin olive oil. You'll be mopping it up off onion, lightly your plate at Enzo - Via dei Vascellari, 29, fried. These +39.065818355 - a good place to go in are worth Trastevere. tasting at the trattoria There are some unmissable side dishes (con- Felice - Via torni) to go with the main courses: let us not Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.26 Pagina 14

forget puntarelle, which is the archetypal osterie are ciam- Roman vegetable. These are the sprouts of a belline, which variety of common chicory known as Catalonia are to be dipped or asparagus chicory. Their preparation is in a sweet wine, rather time-consuming and complicated, but romanella, typical of the Castelli Romani area, luckily they are to be found ready prepared on and di e visciole (ricotta and the stalls of all local markets. They are soaked sour-cherry jam tart), another recipe origina- in cold water to make the points curl, and then ting in the Jewish quarter of the Ghetto, of seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, anchovy which there is also an even more tempting ver- fillets, garlic, salt and pepper. They are done sion with chocolate. Ciambelline are dry perfectly at the trattoria Gino - Vicolo Rosini, 4, biscuits made with flour, oil, sugar, baking +39.066873434 - which is actually run by powder and wine, shaped in the form of a ring "Cavalier" Gino. and baked in the oven. 14 15 Now we are at the end of the and it has Here ends our virtual tour of the most repre- to be said that Roman cuisine does not have a sentative dishes of Roman cooking, its handful great deal to offer in the way of traditional of suggestions of reliable places to eat repre- sweets and pastries. In addition to the famous senting just a fraction of what is on offer in this maritozzo (sweet bun) with cream and the large city. Food is a vehicle of a people's cul- Roman pangiallo ture, and we are convinced that if you frequent (cake eaten locally the historic trattorie of Rome you will enter into at Christmas), to be contact with a world which could never other- found in many of the wise be explored, a world of human warmth city's pastry shops, and stories which no tourist guide, however the most common well prepared, could ever tell with the same items on the tables of immediacy. Trattorie - en:Trattorie - en 02/03/2010 10.27 Pagina 16

Department of Tourism

Published by La Pecora Nera Editore www.lapecoranera.net

English translation by Annabel J. Potter

Photos © Gabriele Morano [email protected]