eating rome : living the good life in the eternal city

elizabethminchilli

EATINGROMElivingthegoodlifeintheeternalcity

St.Martin’sGriffin NewYork

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ForSophieandEmma,myRomandaughters

acknowledgments

Itishardtothankanentirecity,butIwouldliketosaymillegrazietothemenand women who own and work in the restaurants, bars, markets, gelaterie,bakeries,andotherplacesthatfeedmyfamilyinRomeonadailybasisandwhohavetaughtmesomuch.While I love the world of social media, and havemany virtual friends out

there who inspire and encourage me daily, I also have close friends here inRomewhohavebeenmypartnersincrimeasItryoutnewrestaurants,testnewcocktails, and generally use them as guinea pigs for recipes. Thank you, JaneWietsma Gudgeon and Gillian Longworth McGuire. I know you’ve oftensacrificedyourslimfiguresformybenefit,andIthankyou.Anextra-specialthankstoauthor,chef,radiohostextraordinaire,and“sister”

EvanKleiman,whomIhavebeencooking,eating,andtravelingwithforalmosttwodecades.Youhavetaughtmemorethanyouknow.Withoutmyblog,thisbookwouldnothavehappened.Andwithoutmyloyal

readers, the blog would not exist. Somega thanks to all of you for being sosupportivefromtheverybeginning.WhileitmaybemylifehereinRomethatI’mwriting about, it is your comments, suggestions, and kindwords that notonlykeepitgoing,butkeepitgrowing.Onereadergetsanextra-specialmention:myeditoratSt.Martin’s,Michael

Flamini.Thankyou,Michael,notonlyforbeinga loyalfanbutforhavingthefantasticideaofturningmyblogintothisbook.Youarethebest!WorkingwithSt.Martin’shasbeenadream.RarelyhaveIfeltsolovedand

appreciatedwhileworkingonaproject.Thankyoutoeveryone,especiallyOlgaGrlicforthebeautifulcoverdesign.VickiLamewrangledmydisparatemixofchapters,lists,photographs,andbitsandpieces,andshemanagedtologtheminandpassthemalongtothepowersthatbe.ThebeautifulinteriordesignisthankstoJamesSinclairandRalphFowler.AdditionalthankstoAdrianaCoada,EmilyWalters, Kathryn Hough, Karlyn Hixson, Laura Clark, and the rest of theSt.Martin’sPressteam.Thankyoutomyagent,ElizabethKaplan,whosebalanceofsaneadviceand

boundlessenthusiasmisjustwhatIneed.

Asever,my familygets thebiggest thanksof all. First and foremost tomyparents,JosephHelmanandBarbaraWood.HowonearthyouhadthecouragetopickupyourthreechildrenandmovehalfwayacrosstheworldtoRome,I’llnever understand.But I am very glad you did. Thanks tomy “other” parents,UrsulaHelmanandRogerWood,fortheirloveandsupport.Andtomysisters,RobinHelmanWhitneyandJodiHelmanMulter:I’mgladyouwerepartofthisdelicious adventure from the very beginning. Althoughmost people complainabout their mothers-in-law, mine has not only been an inspiration, but hasgenerouslypassedalongherknowledge, fromherkitchen tomine.Thankyou,Rosa.Finally to Domenico, Sophie, and Emma. You are the main subject of my

blog, my book, andmy life. I’m not sure you signed up for this, but I hopeyou’reenjoyingitasmuchasIam.Millebaci.

{ chapter1 }

thecitythatfeedsme

WhenIwastwelveyearsold,IdecidedIwantedtogoawaytocamp.I’mnotquite sure where this desire came from, since I was far from sporty. I wasdefinitelytheonewhowaspickedlastforsoccerandtheentireideaofdodgeballstill givesmenightmares.So it couldn’t havebeen the lureofwater-skiingorcanoeing thatmademe think I’d like to spend twomonths by a cold lake inWisconsin.IthinkImusthavebeenmoreattractedtotheideaofs’moresbythecampfire and perfecting the baked beans I had learned how tomake at aGirlScoutcookout.OnceIgottocampIsoonrealizedmymistake.Afterfailingtoeverstandup

onmywaterskisanddownrightrefusingtogoforanyfrigid6:00a.m.wake-upswims, I tried to stay in thecrafthouse,workingonmyceramicandweavingskillswhilecountingthedaysuntilIcouldfinallyreturnhomeandgetbacktothelifeIknewandlovedinSt.Louis.WhileIwasawayatcampmyparentsdecidedtogoontheirversionofcamp

as well. A three-week trip to Europe for the first time took them to Venice,Florence,andRome.Itwas1972andItalymusthaveappearedtobealmostlikeadifferentplanetfromsuburbanSt.Louis.Thelanguage,thefood,thelifewaslikenothingtheyhadeverseen.RatherthantakehomesimplesouvenirsoftheirtimeinItaly,theytookhomeaplan,whichtheysharedwithmeonmyfirstdaybackathomefromcamp.AsIwashappilyunpackingmytrunk,mymothercameintotellmethatI’d

soonbepackingitagain.“We’removingtoItaly,”shesaid.Myfatherhadsoldhisbusiness,anartgallery,toournext-doorneighbor,andthehousewhereIhadgrown up was already rented to another family. They were arriving onSeptember1.Andwewereleaving.How they had the courage to pick up three young children andmove to a

countrywheretheydidn’tspeakthelanguageandknewnooneisbeyondme.Iamprettysuremygrandparentsthoughttheywereinsane.IknowIdid.

Iwasaghast.Myschool,myfriends,myBarbies!EverythingthatIknew,andthat I had desperately missed over the twomonths spent at camp, was beingrippedawayfromme.ButasIdriedmytearsandpackedmyBarbies(therewasat least that small comfort) I got ready for what was to be one of the mostimportanteventsinmylife.While therewere theusualhiccupsofmovingtoanynewcity—missingthe

school bus on the first day; making new friends—I soon shed the fears andmisgivingsthatanytwelve-year-oldwouldhave,andtradedtheminforahead-over-heels, lifelong love affairwith this ancient city.Althoughwe only spenttwoyearslivinginRome,theywereimpressionableones.ManyofthestrongestmemoriesIhavefrommychildhooddatefromthistime,and—notsurprisingly—mostofthemhavetodowithfood.Thediscoveryofpizzabianca,hotfromthecornerbakery; the sharp smellofpilesofartichokes in theopenmarket; aconefilledwithmelongelatothatwaslikebitingintothesweetest,juiciestpieceoffruitI’deverhad.Foodhasbeenoneofthemostimportantthingsinmylifefor as long as I can remember. And my relationship with eating, cooking,shopping,andfeedingmyfamilyisintricatelytiedtotherhythmsandtraditionsofthisancientcity.IcamebacktoRome—andtoEuropeandItaly—asoftenasIcouldoverthe

followingyears,notonlyforvacationsduringthesummerswithmyfamilybutalso for several semesters abroad in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy whilestudyingFrench,German,Spanish,andItalian.Eventually, Imoved here onmy own. In graduate school I chosemy topic

well: Sixteenth-century garden architecture would essentially guarantee that Iwouldspendat least twoyears in Italy. I applied forand receivedagrant thatallowed me to read my way through Medici documents in the archives inFlorence.Mymorningswere spent sorting through ancient shopping lists andarchitectural sketches in a back roomat theUffizi.Afternoonswere spent notonly writing but also shopping, cooking, and wandering through thecobblestonedstreetsofFlorenceandthesurroundingTuscancountryside.After two perfect years, my time in Florence ran out. I had finished my

researchandnowhadtofacethefacts(a)Ihadtoactuallywritethedissertation,(b)IhadtomovebacktotheUnitedStates,and(c)ifeverythingwentaccordingtoplan Iwouldhopefully get a job teaching art history at someuniversity farfromwhereIreallywantedtobe:Italy.SoIwasalreadyrethinkingmycommitmenttoacademiawhentheinevitable

happened.ImetandfellinlovewiththeItalianmanofmydreams:Domenico.I

left Florence and settled down permanently in the city I had always trulyconsideredhomeinmyheart:Rome.Inveryquick succession, I foundmyselfwith an Italianhusband, an Italian

dog,anItalianhome,anItalianbaby,andabrand-newjobinItaly.Afriendhadrecently launched an art newspaper in New York and asked me to begincontributing features for the magazine section. I figured that since I was justsittingaroundbeingpregnant,whynot?Afterfourofmyfeaturesappearedonthecover,acheckarrivedinthemail.

Myshockwasconsiderable.Aftereightyearsofgraduateschool,Ididn’trealizethatyoucouldwriteaboutartandactuallygetpaidtodoso.Icoulddothisforaliving!I soon expandedmy coverage to include interior design and architecture as

wellas travel, food,gardens,and justaboutanyother lifestyle topic thatcamemy way, for publications such asArchitectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Food &Wine,Town&Country, andThe Financial Times. At the same time, I beganwritingbig, fancycoffee-tablebooks aboutbeautiful things likeTuscanvillas,Umbriancastles,andhandmadeceramics.Itwaswhen it came time topublicizemy last book, ItalianRustic, thatmy

publishersuggestedthetrifectaofFacebook,Twitter,andblogging.AfteralifespentwritingawayinthesolitudeofmyownlittlegarretinRome,Ifoundthewideworldofsocialmediaexcitingandinspiring.AlthoughIhadbeenwritingallofmylife,Ihadneverhaddirectcontactwithmyaudience.AtthebeginningIhadahardtimewrappingmyheadaroundwhatIwantedto

sayonmyblog.Coming fromaprofessionalworldofdetailedassignments, itwasdifficulttoknowexactlyhowtoframeit.So,ratherthanmakeanydecision,IjustdecidedtorecordwhatIwasupto,daybyday.Asitturnsout,mostofwhatIdo,everysingleday,hasalottodowithfood,

andsinceIamlivinginRome,thecityprovidedaframework.SowhileIneverplannedtowriteafoodblogfromthisancientcity,thatisexactlywhatitturnedouttobe.Myblog,ElizabethMinchilliinRome,letsmesharewhatIlovebest—eating, traveling,cooking,andallsortsofothergoodstuff.MyEatItalyapps,EatRome,EatFlorence,andEatVenice,areguidestomyfavoriterestaurants,coffeebars,markets,andgelaterieinthosecities.Eating Rome is my homage to the city that feeds me—literally and

figuratively.Itisapersonal,quirky,and(Ihope)funlookatthecitythroughmyown food-focusedvision.This ishowIexperienceRome,daybyday,bitebybite.

{ chapter2 }

asweetstarttoeveryromanday

BreakfastisstillsomethingIhaveissueswithinItaly.WhileIembraceallothermealtimeswithopenarms,and traditional Italian recipes fillnotonlymyblogbutmy life, Italian breakfast hasmade almost no appearance. Andwhen youthinkaboutit,I’mnotalone.WhiletherearecookbooksoutforeverythingfromItalianmarket cooking to Italian baking, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anythinggivingculinaryadviceaboutItalianbreakfasts.That is for a very good reason. Italian breakfasts are nonevents. Whoever

decided thatbreakfast is themost importantmealof thedaywascertainlynotspeakinginItalian.IfyouaskmostItalianswhattheyhaveforbreakfastmanywillrespond,“Non

mangioniente”(“Idon’teatanything”).Aquickespresso—eitherathomeoratabar—willdo themuntil lunch.And thosewhodoactually eat something? Ifthey happen by a coffee bar then a cornetto (that would be Italian for“croissant”)isstandard.Athome?It’scakeorcookietime.EventhoughDomenicohasbecomecompletelyAmericanizedovertheyears,

whenitcomestobreakfastheispureItalian.There’snothinghelikesbetterthanahandfulofcookieshecandipintohiscaffèlattewhilehereadsthepaper.Yes,Italians eat cookies for breakfast. While in the States you have entiresupermarket aisles dedicated to cereal, in Italy you can walk down breakfastcookielane.Whilethesepackagedbiscuitsarearelativelymoderndevelopment,havinga

sliceofcakeinthemorningissomethingthatismorerusticandtraditional.Infact,whenDomenicoandI firststarteddating inFlorence, IamprettysureheendedupmarryingmebecauseIservedhimacornflourbreakfastcake,amorpolenta,forbreakfast.IthinkIboughtitbecausetherecipehadthewordamorinit,andIthoughtitwouldmakehim“amor”meallthemore.Itdid.

ForaboutthelasttenyearstherehasbeenanewtrendinRomanrestaurantstoserve brunch.When I first starting reading about this new phenomenon Iwasthrilled.Finally,Ithought,wecangoouttoarestaurantandgeteggs,pancakes,and,hopebeyondhope,evenbagels.Ishouldhaveknownbetter.WhenItaliansco-optAmericanfoodphrasesthey

often get them slightlywrong. In this case, in Rome,when someone (and bysomeone Imeana trendy restaurant) saysbrunch,what they reallymean is anall-you-can-eat Sunday buffet at a fixed price that starts at noon and goes onuntil about 3:00 p.m. But at least inmy informal survey of themost popularbrunches around, no identifiable breakfast foods make any appearancewhatsoever.Inourownhome,I’vetriedovertheyearstodedicateSundaystopreparinga

traditionalAmericanbreakfast.AndifSophieisabigfanofanythingtodowithpork, Emma has the sweet tooth in our family, and truly American Sundaybreakfastsareoneofherfavoritemeals.Pancakes,ofcourse,areeasysinceflourandeggsareprettyuniversalingredients.Maplesyrup?Notsomuch,socherrypreservesusuallyplaythatrole.Baconandeggssimilarlybecomepancettaandeggs,whichisallrightwithme.AndthentherearetimeswhenIjustgiveinanddecidethatasweetandfluffy

treat is OK for breakfast. That’s when I head out to my local coffee bar forbreakfast.Thiswasdefinitely something that tooksomegettingused to. I’maslow riser, and lingering over a mug of coffee and eventually moving on tobreakfastwhilereadingthenewsismyideaofanacceptablestarttotheday.TheRoman ritual of stopping by the local bar takes a whole other level of earlymorningsocialskills.EveryRomanhasafavoritecoffeebar.Thisisaveryimportantpointtomake

andinvolvesseveraldecidingfactors.Firstandforemostislocation.Italiansarecreatures of habit, and so the bar where you stop for your first coffee of themorning has to be on your morning route, not only for convenience but alsofromasocialpointofview.Onyourwaytowork,youmaydecidetostopatthebarbelowyourhome,or

onenearertoyouroffice.Itcoulddependonthequalityofthecoffee,butmorelikely it has something to dowith your desire to chat with people from yourneighborhood, or people from work. Or maybe you meet other parents for aquickcoffeeafterdroppingthekidsoffatschool.Thepointis,sincethetimingis the same every day, you don’t really have to make plans to meet up withpeople,itjustnaturallyhappens.

And then there is the interactionwith theownersof thebar. I find it prettyamazing howmuch I know about the personal life of the guy who has beenpullingmyespressoforthelastfifteenyears.Once you’ve ordered your coffee (and see chapter 6 for that) it’s time to

decidewhat to eat.And this iswhere choosingyourbreakfast locale correctlybecomesessential.Notallcornettiarecreatedequal.Andcertainlynotallbarsbaketheirown.The Holy Grail in terms of breakfast bars is to find one that is also a

pasticceria, or “pastry shop.”There are somebars thatmake excellent coffee,andthentherearepastryshopsthatbakefreshpastries—includingcornetti—onthe premises, every day. Most bars, while serving cornetti, buy them from abakery.Arecenttrendforsomebarsistobuyfrozen,unbakedcornetti,andbakethemon thepremises. It’snot abadalternative.And somebarsdo indeedgetsuperbcornettibroughtindaily.Butmuchbettertogotoaplacethatdoesthissortofthingprofessionally—

makesbothpastriesandcoffee.Youwouldthinkthat thiskindofcombinationwouldbeeasytofind,butinsteadit’sadyingbreedthatsurvives,forthemostpart,intheareasofRomethatareheavilyresidential,andinneighborhoodsthatI,andprobablyyou,wouldn’tnecessarilygoto.Theyare the typesofplacesIalwayshearpeopletalkabout,butsomehownevermakeitto.OneIhadheardaboutforagesisthePasticceriaSicilianaSvizzera.I’dalways

been fascinated by the name. Friends talk about it, in loving terms, as one ofthoseRomanclassics.WhenIask,“Whatdoyoumean?SwitzerlandandSicily?What’sthatabout?”theyjustkindofgivemeablankstare.Like,duh,ofcoursethereisapastryshopinRomethatcombinestraditionsfromsouthernItalywiththosenorthoftheAlps.Ithasalwaysremainedabitofamysterytomeduepartlytoitslocation.It’s

alongtheViaGregorioVII,inaweirdpiazzathat’snotreallyapiazza,PioXI.I’dseenitmanytimes,aswewereheadingtowardtheAurelia,onourwayoutof town.But ifyouknowRome,andyou’veeverdrivenonViaGregorioVII,thenyouwillunderstandwhyIcouldn’tsimplypullover.GregorioVIIisoneofthemost frustrating streets inRome: stoplightswhere you don’t expect them,seeminglynowheretoturnoff,andabsolutelynoway(thatIcansee)ofmakinga U-turn once you’ve driven past a delicious-looking pastry shop. In otherwords,atypicalRomanstreet.But recently I had to take our car in for its annual checkup, which is

something my daughter usually does and why I never realized the garage is

locatedinPiazzaPioXI!OnceIgotthecarallsettledinforitsovernightvisit,Itook my life in my hands, crossed the “piazza,” dodging drivers who wereobviously as confused as I always felt, and eventually got through the frontdoorsofthepasticceria.Ifinallyunderstoodwhatallthefusswasabout:CasesgroaningwithSicilian

goodies.Baroquecassate,withcrownsofcandiedfruit.Miniversionsofcassate,cannoli,andotheralmond-basedpastries.WhatwasSwiss?Iguessitmusthavebeenthemoreornatecakes,piledhighwithwhippedcream,chocolate,nuts,andberries.They certainlydidn’t look Italian tome, and since I don’t quite knowwhatSwisscakeslooklike,theyconvincedme.ItturnsoutIwasright.Accordingtotheirwebsite,inthenineteenthcenturya

fewfamousSwisspastrymakersmovedtosouthernItaly—toPalermo,Naples,and Catania. The result was a marriage between the Arab-influenced SiciliantraditionandthemorerefinedSwiss.AndsothesouthernItalianrepertoirewasenrichedbyaboutahundredrecipesusingthingslikewhippedcream,chocolate,andpastrycream.Inotherwords:fancycakes.Since it was 9:00 a.m., I thought it best to skip the whipped cream and

chocolate and, instead,went straight for themorning pastry section,which allthe obviously regular locals were doing already. Although the doughnuts andbrioche looked tempting, I fell for the cream-and raisin-studded Danish. Anddon’tthinkI’mjustcallingitaDanishbecauseI’mAmerican.TheyactuallycallthemDanese.Sothere.AnotherpastryshopthatIdon’tgettoasoftenasIshouldisNatalizi.Again,

thistreasureislocatedinaneighborhood—ontheborderofParioli—thatusuallylacksanyreasontogo to.Butonmyyearlyvisit tomyaccountantImake theeffort to get there by breakfast time, before they run out of cream-filledmaritozzi,egg-glazedyeastbuns.Iactuallyhadn’tbeentoNataliziinafewyearsandwasabitscareditmight

not be there anymore. Thankfully, nothing had changed at all. It is one ofRome’soldestpastryshopsanditskitchensbelowtheshoptakecareofcateringsome of Rome’s fanciest parties in private villas. The glass display case stillstretched along one side of the small store, filled with old-fashioned éclairs,cream-filledpuffpastries,andmypersonalfavorite:asugar-encrusted,whippedcream–filledchouxpastry.Ipaidthecashier,pickedupmypastry,andwiggledmyself a space standing at the curved bar between neighborhood regulars.Anespresso certainly woke me up on that rainy morning, and the sweet treatdefinitely gave me strength for my visit to the accountant. (I’m shallow that

way.)

myfavoriteplacesforasweetbreakfastinrome

NataliziViaPo124,39-06-8535-0736 An old-fashioned pastry shop and coffee bar, located near the Parioli

neighborhood.

VanniViaColdiLana10,39-06-3254-9012This isaRomaninstitution,andserveseverythingfrombreakfast todinner.

Thepastriesareallmadeonthepremises,andthere’snothingbetterthanoneoftheircream-filledcornettiandacappuccino.

PasticceriaSicilianaSvizzeraPiazzaPioXI10,39-06-637-4974AplacethatiswellknownbymostRomans,butlocatedinaveryresidential

neighborhoodupbehindtheVatican.Agreatplacetostoponyourwayoutoftown,ontheAurelia,tothebeach.

PanellaViaMerulana54,39-06-487-2435Panellahas longbeenknownasoneof thebestbakeries in town, and they

haverecentlyexpandedtoincludeacoffeebaraswell.

DagninoViaEmanueleOrlando75,39-06-481-8660 Sicilian specialties in a strange 1970s shopping arcade not far fromPiazza

Repubblica.

LottiViaSardegna13/21,39-06-482-1902 It’s not easy to find something cozy and comfortable near superfancy Via

Veneto.Thisplacemakesalltheirownpastries,andhasbothoutdoorandindoortableswhereyoucanenjoybreakfast.

recipes

ciambella

Makesone10-inchcake

This is about as simple and straightforward a breakfast cake as you can get.Ciambellasortoftranslatesas“donut,”butitreferstotheshape—roundwithaholeinthemiddle—andnotthepastry.It’sbasicallyapoundcake,butmadeinatube pan. It’s perfect in themorning since it’s not too, too sweet, and a slicedunkedinabigcupofcaffèlatteisjustright.

Butterandbreadcrumbs,forthebakingpan3largeeggs1½cups(340grams)sugar1teaspoonpurevanillaextract2½cups(275grams)all-purposeflour2teaspoonsbakingpowder1teaspoonsalt1½cups(350milliliters)heavycream

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 10-inch tube pan, and coat withbreadcrumbsInasmallbowl,beattheeggsandsugaruntillightyellowandfluffy.Addthe

vanillaandmixtoincorporate.Inaseparatelargebowl,mixthebakingpowderandsaltintoflour.Addtheflourandcreamtotheegg-sugarmixture,alternatingthedrywiththe

wet,untilincorporated.Donotovermix.Pourthebatterintothepreparedpan.Bakefor40minutes,orwhenaknifeinsertedintothecakecomesoutclean.Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the pan, gently

tappingonit,untilthecakeslipsout.Letcoolonarackandserve.

amorpolentaServes8

This ismy favorite Italian breakfast cake. It’s actuallymade in a special pan(knownasarehrückenpan)thatiscurvedandridged.Theridgesmakeiteasytodivide the cake into portions.But don’tworry if you can’t find one (they areevenhard to find inItaly);youcanmake it ina loafpanand itwillbe justasdelicious.

8tablespoons(1stick/110grams)unsaltedbutter,atroomtemperature,plussomeforthepan2largeeggs½cup(115grams)granulatedsugar2teaspoonspurevanillaextract¾cup(130grams)finelygroundcornflour(IuseMulinoMarino’spolenta:halffineandhalfGrusera)1cup(110grams)all-purposeflour2teaspoonsbakingpowder1cup(170grams)groundalmondsPowderedsugar,fordusting

Preheattheovento350°F(180°C).Butterthebakingpan.Inalargebowl,beatthesoftenedbutter,eggs,andgranulatedsugaruntilwell

combined.Addthevanilla.Addthetwoflours,bakingpowder,andalmondsandmixtoincorporate.Pour

thebatterintothepreparedpan.Bakefor40minutes.Removefromtheovenandletcoolinthepan.Whencool,removethecakefromthepanbyinvertingitontoaplate,anddust

withthepowderedsugar.

pisciottaServes6

I’m always amazed that there are still recipes from Marcella Hazan’s TheClassicItalianCookbook thatIhaven’tcookedyet.I thoughtthatoverthelasttwentyyearsorsoImusthavecooked,baked,orfriedjustabouteveryrecipeinherbooks.Butno, I’malwaysdiscoveringsomethingnew.Pisciotta.Oliveoilcake. Perfect. Except for that name. Pisciotta? Really? I’m not sure whereMarcellagotthisnamefrom,butsheclaimeditwasanoldrecipefromVerona.Idid write to her (we were friends on Facebook!) and she wrote back: “Ciao,Elizabeth, I should have askedNori Dalla Rosa, but I didn’t. Sometimes oneoverlooks the most obvious questions. My son teaches in a villa near thetrattoria,andifIremember,andheremembers,I’llaskhimtoinquire,shouldhedrop in for lunch. Or you could phone them. I am glad you are using thecookbook.Saluti.Marcella”

IfyouarefromRome,thewordpisciottasoundsmorelikesomethingyou’ddointoafountain,ifyougetmymeaning.Sophiedecideditreferredtothelongyellowstreamofoliveoilasyoupouritintothebowl.Whatever.

The one ingredient thatMarcella’s recipe called for that I didn’t have waslemonzest,whichIthinkwouldhavebeenperfect.InsteadIaddedheftydosesofgroundcinnamonandginger,whichwerespicyandkindoffestive.But back to the name of the cake. Pisciotta. Marcella sadly passed away

beforeshecouldgetbacktomewiththeanswer.Butthemysteryandthecake—likesomanyofherrecipes—liveon.(AdaptedfromMarcellaHazan’sEssentialsofClassicItalianCooking.)

¾cupfruityextra-virginoliveoil,plusmoreforthepan2largeeggs½cup(115grams)sugar⅓cup(80milliliters)wholemilk⅓cup(80milliliters)dryMarsalawine1½cups(165grams)all-purposeflour1tablespoonbakingpowder½teaspoonsalt1tablespoongroundcinnamon2teaspoonsgroundginger

Preheattheovento350°F(180°C).Greasea2¼-quarttubepanwithabitoftheoliveoil.Inalargebowl,beattheeggsandsugaruntillightandfluffy.Addthemilk,

Marsala, and the ¾ cup of olive oil and mix well. In a separate bowl, mixtogetherthedryingredients.Addthedryingredientstotheeggmixtureandstirtocombine.Pourthebatter

intothepreparedpan.Bakeinthemiddleoftheovenforabout45minutes.Removefromtheoven

andletcoolforabout10minutes.Whencool, loosenthecakefromthepanwithaknife, invert itontoaplate,

thenflipitoversotherisensidefacesup.

{ chapter3 }

shoppinginthemarketsofrome

IfthereisonequintessentialimagethatpeoplehaveoffoodandItalyithasgottobe theopen-airmarket.The imageprobably includes farmershawking theirapples and oranges, fishmongers slapping around sea bass and squid, andbutchershackingoffhugebistecchetowrapupinaroughpieceofbrownpapertotakehomeforthefamilymeal.Unfortunately,thesedays,youaremorelikelytoenjoythisimageataFellini

revivalthanindowntownRome.Forbetteror(usually)forworse,theopen-airmarket that was themainstay of shopping for hundreds of years has changeddrasticallyandrapidlyinthelastthreedecades.When I firstmoved toRome in 1972 the open-airmarketswere still going

strong. In fact, one ofmymost vividmemories of that period iswalking intoCampode’FioriandbeinghitbyanintensesmellthatIcouldnotidentify.I’dgrownup inSt.Louis, andwhile I had always enjoyed trips toSchnucks andBettendorf’s to do the weekly shopping with my mother, I certainly don’tassociate any specific aroma with that time. Boxed cereal, pints of cottagecheese,andevenshinypilesofapplesjustaren’tthataromatic.ButthewallofperfumethathitmeasViadeiGiubbonariopenedupontothe

packedsquarewasintense.Sincethebutcherstandswereontheleftsideofthesquare, itwas thesmellof rawmeat thatcamefirst.Upuntil then,ourgroundhamburgerhadcomeneatlyshrink-wrappedinlittleStyrofoamtrays,soIdon’tthink I realized raw meat even had a smell. Slightly sweet, and not alwaysentirely appetizing, it was, I think, the first time I truly realized that meatactuallycomesfromanimals.Andtotheright,thecornernearthewaterfountainwasgivenovertothefish

vendors. Selling out early in the morning, the fish on display—spigole (seabass),orate (bream),and triglie (redmullet)—weresoldwhole,completewithheadsandtails.Theprocessofguttingthefish,whichwouldbedoneonlyoncetheyhadbeensold,produceditsowndistinctive,acridsmell.

But the one overwhelming olfactory experience for me was only fullyexplaineddecadeslaterwhenImovedbacktoRomeasayoungwife.TherewasoneslightlybitterbutfreshandgreensmellthatIwouldrecognizeinaninstantas the“Campode’Fiori” smell.But ifyouhadaskedme thenwhatexactly itwas,Icouldnothavetoldyou.SomehowIthoughtitwasjustagenericmarketsmell.Butbackathome,thirtyyearslater,unpackingmyproduceandgettingready

to cook lunch formy family, I finally realized that the unique smell that hadsurvived inmyProustian foodmemorywas thatofperhaps themost iconicofRoman vegetables: the artichoke. And yes, I know you are probably thinkingthatartichokesdon’thaveasmell.Andifyouarebuyingyoursinasupermarketin Des Moines or Chicago, then they don’t. But if you are lucky enough towanderovertooneofthemassivepilesofgreenandpurpleglobesthatfillthemarkets in Rome during the late spring and early summer, then you’ll beenvelopedintheessenceofspring.

themarkettoday

Campode’FioriisamarketinRomethatalotofpeoplelove.Itisalsoamarketthat a lot of people love to hate. The open-air market in Campo de’ Fiori isundeniablyoneofRome’smostfamouspiazze.Muchofthishastodowithitslocation. It isprettymuchtheonlyopen-airmarket left in thecenterofRome.Each of Rome’s rione, or “neighborhoods,” used to have an open-airmarket.Andwhen I firstmovedback toRome in theearly1990s, I’ddomuchofmyshoppinginmarketsthatwerestepsawayfromtheTreviFountain,theSpanishSteps,andtheViminale.Sadly, things change.Due to transformed shopping habits, rising real estate

prices, and shifting family customs, most of these markets have died a slowdeathoverthelasttwodecades.One of the reasons is the explosion of lower-priced supermarkets that

descendedonthecity.Theyareobviouslycheaper,andoftenmoreconvenient.Another reason is the changing shopping habits.Wives and nonne no longershopdaily for themainmealpreparedforhusbandsandsonswhocomehomefromworkforlunch.Mostwomenworkthesedays,andsofamiliestendtodotheir shopping on weekends, at the less expensive supermarkets. And finally,risingrealestatepricesandtaxeshavemadesellingapplesandorangesfromacartnotsomuchofacareercalling.Like the othermarkets in Rome, Campo de’ Fiori was dying its own slow

death.By the early ’90s themarketwas a far cry from the one I rememberedfromthetimeIlivedhereasachildinthe1970s.Themodernversionwasnotthe crowded, chaotic, and colorful mash-up of fruits, vegetables, meats, fish,cheeses,andflowersthatIloved.WhenImovedbacktoRomein1990,insteadof massive piles of artichokes and melons, there were stretches of emptycobblestonedpavingwherestandsusedtocrowdoneanotherout.Eachyear,asIpushedmydaughter’sstrolleraroundthesquare,therewouldbefewerandfewerstands,andmoreandmoreemptyspace.Themeatvendorswerethefirsttogo,then the fishvendors,until finally therewere just ahandfulofproduce standsholdingguard.Finally,thetidebegantoturn.OnedayIshowedupandthesmallspicestand

atoneendofthepiazzahadexpandedtotakeoverfourspaces.Notonlywasthevendorsellingspices,hewasnowofferingolives,driedfruitandnuts,andbagsofsun-driedtomatoesandporcini.

Other new arrivals targeted what turned out to be the biggest groups ofvisitorstothemarketthesedays:tourists.StandssellingT-shirts,sunhats,andsouvenirsbegan to fillupother spaces.At the same time, theestablished fruitandvegetablestands,whichoffersomeofthebest(andmostexpensive)produceinthecity,begantogetintothegame.Notcontentwithmerelysellinghigh-endproduce to thewealthy residents ofRome’scentro storico, they also began toturnsomeoftheirfruitintofruitsaladorfreshjuices,whichweregrabbedupbytourists.Similarlythehousewaresstandstartedsellingbrightlycoloredceramicsandcutepastacuttersnexttothemorepracticalforksandcanopeners.Themost recent additions to themarket are stands that appear tobe selling

“food”butarereallyselling“foodlike”souvenirs.Yes,I’mtalkingaboutbagsofmulticolored, anatomically shaped pasta and pink limoncello in violin-shapedbottles.(Whatisthatstuffanyway?)IadmititwouldbeeasytodismissthemarketthesedaysasapurelyDisney-

like touristattraction.Yes, therearesomestands thatare thereonly tomakeaprofit by selling strange “foodlike” products and souvenirs to tourists.But thesevenoreightstandsthatstillsellproduceareamongthebestinRome.DuringarecentvisitIsawplumpstrawberriesfromTerracina;beautifulflower-bedeckedzucchiniromanesco;pencil-thinwildasparagus;andwhatwereprobablysomeoftheonlywildovolimushroomsonsaleinRomethatday.Thesewereallbeingsold by the same families who have been standing behind their fruits andvegetablesforgenerations.No, it’s not a farmers’market, andno, it’s not necessarily local and almost

never organic. But in the agewhen openmarkets are a dying breed, I’m justhappytoseeamarketstillthere.Andifsomeoftheickystuffforsalecanhelpsubsidize the trulyexcellentproducesideof things, then I think that isagoodthing.Sadly,notallmarketscanbefarmers’markets.Therehasbeenanopen-airmarketinCampode’Fioriforhundredsofyears.

And I’m pretty sure that centuries ago, there were stands that were sellingschlockstuff,too.Thingschange,forbetterandforworse.And,attheendoftheday,ifthechangesthathavegoneonandcontinuetogooninCampode’Fiorimean that themarketstillexists, thenI’mall forchange.Achangedmarket isbetterthannomarketatall.

shoppinglesson

Perhaps my affection for Campo de’ Fiori comes from the fact that I trulylearnedhowtoshophere.Onethingthatittookmeyearstomasterwasmarketetiquette. I’m not talking about my continued grammatical struggle to learnwhen to use the formal Lei versus the informal tu. I’m talking about how toactually get the fruits and vegetables from their place on the stands into myshopping bag. Pick it up and pay for it, you say?Oh, nothing is that easy inRomeFirstofallIhadtochoosewhichstandtogoto.Andwhileyoumaythinkthat

Iwouldjustgotoonestandthathastheripesttomatoesandthenanotherthathasthefirmestasparagus,you’dbewrong.BecauseIlearnedlongagothatonceyoupickavendor,youhavetosticktoher,forbetterorworse.Yes,kindoflikeamarriage—orahairdresser.IfyouareonlyinRomevisiting,andshoppingatthemarketforoneday,then

thisdoesn’tmattersomuch.Butifyouplanongoingback,evenifit’sonlyforaone-weekvacationinRome,thenyou’dbetterpickyourvendorandsticktoher.Becausethat ishowyouaregoingtoendupwiththebeautifullyandperfectlyripepeachthatshehashiddenaway,andnottheonewiththebigbruise.Ilearnedthisthehardway.I’dbeendoingmyshoppingatCampode’Fiori,

and had been frequenting mostly one stand, since it seemed to have the bestproduceandprices.Atfirsttheownerwashertypicallybrusqueself,notbeingespeciallynice,butnotbeingrudeeither.Justrough.Youknow,Roman.ButIdid notice that even if her demeanor didn’tmuch improve, every time Iwentback I would come away with better and better produce. At first I wouldinevitably findat leastone iffypieceofsomethingat thebottomofmybag:aslightlybruisedapple,anoverripepear,oratotallygreenplumthatwouldneverripen.Butslowly,Irealizedthatthiswasn’thappeninganymore.Ratherthanfillmybagswiththeproduceondisplayinthefrontcrates,myladywouldheadtothe back, to slip in the premium produce. The stuff she keeps hidden andreserves for her regular customers. While I kind of understood what washappening, andwasveryglad tobeconsidereda regular, Ididn’t fully realizethattherewerecertainrulesIhadtoplayalongwith.OnedayImadethemistakeofcomingtothemarketwithanactualshopping

list(Iwasmakingsomethingslightlycomplicatedforadinnerparty).Sincemyfruttivendolo didn’t have the asparagus that the soup required, I thought, “no

problem,”I’lljustheadtwostandsdownandpickuptwobeautifulbunchesI’dseenearlier.Itwasn’t a problemat all until I returnedhome froma shopping trip to the

markettwodayslaterandfound,onceagain,acompletelybug-riddentomatoatthebottomofmybag.Anot sogentle reminder frommysignora that (a) shesawme cheating on her, and (b) I’d better not do it again if I expected to betreatedinthemannertowhichIhadsoblissfullyaccustomedmyself.Atthispointyoumaybethinking,Whydon’tyoujustchooseyourownfruit

andvegetables?Thatwayyoucouldjustgetwhatyou’dlike.Well,Ihaveonethingtosaytoyou:nontoccare!Thatmeans“don’t touch,”orrather“DON’TTOUCH,”sincethatphraseisalmostalwaysscreamedinawaythatshamesyouintoneverfondlinganyoneelse’speachesinpubliceveragain.Howdoyou figureout if the fruit is ripe?The simple answer is youdon’t.

Youmust put yourself blindly in the hands of the vendor. Show loyalty, andshe’llgiveyouthegoodstuff.Crossher?Well,thatbruisedbananacanalwaysgointoafruitsalad.Another thing I love about the markets in Rome is the convenience. I’m

obviously not talking about walking to the market during its limited openinghours and making my way home lugging bags. I’m talking about buyingvegetablespreppedandreadytocook.In the States, part of the debate about trying to get people to eat more

vegetableshastodowiththefactthatvegetablesaretime-consumingtoprepare.Thatwhenfacedwithsomethinglikeanartichoke,asparagus,orevenaheadoflettuce, many Americans can’t be bothered to clean, trim, and cook. Theprocessed alternative is to buy a bag of prewashed lettuce, “mini” carrots, orfrozen spinach. But these “vegetables,” which have been prepped in hugefactories, long after they have been picked, have about as much flavor andnutritionalvalueasashoe insert. It’snowonder thatsomanypeoplesay theydon’tlikevegetables.ThisiswhyI’msohappy/luckytoliveinItaly.Yes,I’maslazyasthenext

person.Comemealtime,it’snotasifIalwayshavethetime/energy/patiencetoshell3kilosofpeas,trimadozenartichokes,or—Iadmitit—evenpeelacarrot.Thegreat thing is that Idon’thave to.Vegetablevendors in Italyareonly toohappytodothedirtyworkforyou.Gotoanyopen-airmarket,orevenalocalvegetablestore,andyou’ll seebasketsof trimmedandwashedgreens,bagsofcipolline (onions) or shelled fava beans, all prepared daily by the vendorsthemselves.

Myfavoritesarethemixes.Eachmarketstandorvegetablestorehasitsownspinonminestroneandsalad,whichchangewiththeseason.Pumpkinissoldinlarge wedges, so you can buy just what you need. Beans are freshly shelled,greenbeanstrimmedandbaggedandreadyforsteaming.Evenwildchicoryisneatly trimmedof itsdirtyroots,soallyouhavetodoisgive itarinsebeforecooking.Watching the vendors clean the vegetables is also a nifty and free culinary

lesson.Stopbyanymorning,andyou’llseeoldermenandwomensittingnexttopilesofproduce,trimmingawaywithplastic-handled,dull-lookingknives.Someweargloves,butmosthavehandsweatheredandscarredbydecadesofnippingandcutting.Besidesteachingyouhowtocleanavegetable,thevendorsarealwayshappy

to provide a recipe. In fact, some of my favorite recipes have come fromconversations startedoverpilesofbeans, cabbage, and squash.Over theyearsI’velearnedthatifIdon’trecognizeavegetable,Ineedn’tworryabouthowtoprepare it.A simple “Come se fa?” (“Howdoyoudo it?”) usually results notonlyinthefruttivendologivingmeherfavoriterecipe,but,ninetimesoutoften,the other women waiting patiently for their turn will also chime in. Before Iknowit,I’mthefocusofalivelydiscussiononthemeritsofwhethertoroastorbraise,garlicversusonion,orthedilemmaofdecidingtomakeasouporpasta.Tryhavingthatexperienceinasupermarket.

wheninrome…

Don’ttouchbeforeyoubuy.Letthefruitandvegetablevendorfillyourbasket.Betruetoyourvendor.Loyaltytoyourchosenstandwillalwaysgetyouthebestproduce.Ifyoudon’tknow,ask.Vendorsoftenhavethebestrecipes.Watchandlearn.Mostvendorswillletyouwatchwhiletheyprepthevegetablesforsale.Don’tbargain.It’sjustnotdone.

favoritemarketsinrome

Farmers’MarketatCircoMassimoViadiSanTeodoro74Saturday,9:00a.m.to5:00p.m.andSunday,9:00a.m.to2:00p.m. This is a true farmers’ market, with only local produce grown in Lazio.

Lately,thisiswhereIdomostofmyweeklyshopping.

Campode’FioriMarketPiazzaCampode’FioriMondaythroughSaturday,7:00a.m.to2:00p.m.ThisisoneofthefewremainingoutdoormarketsinthecenterofRome.Yes,

it’sfullofjunk,butitalsohassomeofthebestproduceinthecity.

TestaccioViaGalvani57MondaythroughSaturday,7:00a.m.to2:00p.m.OneofthebestmarketsinRome,ithasrecentlymovedtoamodernbuilding,

butisstillhometosomeofthebestvendorsintown.Everythingfrommeatandfish to fruit, vegetables, and even wine. Located near the old slaughterhouse,Testaccioalsosellsawidearrayofoffalandevenhorsemeat,incaseyouareinthemarketforthis.

NuovoMercatoEsquilinoViaPrincipeAmadeo184Monday,Wednesday,Thursday,Saturday,5:00a.m.to3:00p.m.;TuesdayandFriday,5:00a.m.to5:00p.m.ThisisRome’sethnicmarket,andislively,colorful,andfullofhard-to-find

thingslikemangoes,yams,andlemongrass.Ithasoneofthebestfishmarketsintown.

TrionfaleMarketVialaGoletta1MondaythroughSaturday,7:00a.m.to2:00p.m.;TuesdayandFriday,openuntil7:00p.m.TheTrionfalemarket isnotonlyRome’sbiggest, it’soneof thebiggest in

Italy. With more than 270 vendors, you can find just about everything here.LocatedinaheavilyresidentialneighborhoodneartheVatican, it isoneofthemostauthenticinRome.

recipes

minestrone

Serves4to6

Ican’trememberthelasttimeImademinestronefromscratch.AndbyscratchImeanbuyeachvegetableseparatelyandchop itup. Ido,however,buybagsfullofprechoppedfreshminestronemixatthemarketalmosteveryweek.Moreorless,thisistherecipeIfollow.

¼cup(60milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil1onion,chopped1teaspoonsalt4garliccloves,finelychopped2pounds(1kilo)mixedfreshvegetables,whichshouldincludethefollowing:

•carrots•cabbage•zucchini•celery•bellpeppers•tomatoes•potatoes

(Butreally,youcanaddgreenbeans,pumpkin,leeks,cauliflower,broccoli,kale.Theyareallgood.)

Heattheoliveoilinalargesouppotovermediumheat.Addtheonionandsaltandcookuntilsoftened,about10minutesAddthegarlictotheonionandcookforabout8minutes,oruntilsoftenedbut

notbrowned.Add the chopped vegetables and stirwell. If using bulky greens like Swiss

chard,puta lidon thepotand let themwilt forabout5minutes, thenadd theremainingvegetables.Removethelid,addenoughwatertocoverbyoneinch,andcookslowlyfor

about 1 hour.When the soup has finished cooking, blend with an immersionblenderforacoupleofsecondsjusttothickenupthebrothabit;youstillwant

thesouptobechunky.Tasteandcorrectforsalt.Ofcourseyoucanplayaroundwiththeingredients.Andfeelfreetothrowin

anoldpieceofParmesanrind,whichwilladdextraflavor.

vignarola

Serves4

Romansstilleatveryseasonally.Theyarewaryofstrawberriesexceptforafewshort weeks a year, and gobble up as much puntarelle (chicory) as they canduringitsbriefseason,onlytwomonthsinwinter.When it comes to seasonal vegetables, nothing beats the holy trinity of

artichokes,favabeans,andpeas.Theyeachhavetheirownspecific time:Firstthehugepurple romanescoartichokesstartshowingup.Then thebrightgreen,bursting-at-the-seams fava pods. And finally, just before the favas leave thestage, peasmake their entrance.The result is oneofRome’smost loved—butmaybeleastknown—dishes:vignarola.IhaveneverseenthisdishonamenuoutsideofRome,muchlessoutsideof

Italy. Maybe that is because its success has as much to do with the freshestingredients as with any culinary skill. The artichokes that grow in Lazio areunique.Andthedishismadewithveryfresh,veryyoungfavabeansthatrequirenodoubleshelling.Hardtofindinmostplaces.ButIalsothinkthatoneofthereasonsthatvignarolaisnotonanymenusis

due to the fact that it is so damn labor-intensive. While easy to cook, thevegetablesthemselvestakeforevertoprep.Shellingenoughfavasandpeasforamealforfourcantakeyouahalfhour.Thentherearetheartichokes,whichmustbe shorn of their tough outer leaves, trimmed around the root, dechoked, andsliced,allthewhilekeepingthem(andyourhands)inanacidulatedbathsothattheydon’t turnbrown.But, ifyouare luckyenoughto live inRome, thenyoucanpickuptidylittlepackagesoffreshshelledpeasandfavabeansandtrimmedartichokesinthemarketsaroundtown.

¼cup(60milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil3scallions(whitepartsonly)6artichokes,toughouterleavesandchokeremoved,cleanedandsliced2cupsshelledfavabeansSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper3cups(¾liter)water,ormoreasneeded1½cupsshelledpeas2cupsfinelychoppedromainelettuce

Heattheoilinalargepot,addthescallions,andgentlysoftenwithoutbrowning.Addtheartichokesandstirabit,thenstirinthefavabeans.Seasonwithsaltandpepper,andaddabout3cupsofwater.Coverandsimmerforabout40minutes,addingmorewater if necessary;youwant it tobe somewherebetweena soupandastew.Addthepeasandlettuceandcookforanother8to10minutes.Tasteandcorrectforsalt.Depending on how I’m feeling, I sometimes add chopped guanciale or

pancettaatthebeginningwiththescallions.Anotheroptionistoaddfreshmintorparsleyattheveryend.IfI’mfeelingparticularlydaring,Iaddsomegratedlemonzest,whichiscompletelyuntraditional.

{ chapter4 }

pleasedonoteatwithintenfeetofanymonument

Today’sRomanfoodlessoninvolveseatinginthestreet.Don’tdoit.Actually,it’s pretty much a lesson you can take with you all over Italy. If you areAmericanthenthismaycomeasabitofashock.Peopledonotbuysandwiches,bagsofchips,cansofsoda,andcupsofcoffeeandeatordrinktheminpublic.Infact,eatinginpublicisassureawaytoshout,“Hey,I’mAmerican”aswearingflip-flopsandshortstovisittheVatican.Infact,therewasarecentlawpassedinRomeaimedspecificallyattourists.

No eating anything within ten feet of any historic monument. Since Rome isbasicallyonebighistoricmonument,thatprettymuchmeantnoeatinganything,anywhere, anytime outdoors. While the law was a bit draconian (and almostimpossible to enforce), the general understanding was that it was aimed atuncouthforeignerswhowould(at least in theory)beeatingwholechickensontheSpanishStepsandleavinggreasybonesbehind.Of course, nothing of the sort ever happened, and if the city of Romewas

leery of garbage piling up it could of course have resolved the situationwith,say,afewgarbagecansand/orstreetcleanersratherthanbringinginthearmedguard.But anyway, the fact that the city thought that eating in the streetwasactually a criminal act gives you some sort of idea just how seriously Italianstakethiseating-in-the-streetthing.Basically, it’s justconsideredbadform.Andthinkabout it.Doyouactually

liketosee(andsmell)someonechowingdownonaGreeksaladorapastramisandwichontheseatacrossfromyouonthesubway?No,youdon’t.It’sjustnotbella figura, as theRomans say.Especially inpublic,youmustputyourmostelegantlyshodfootforward.But as with everything Italian, every rule has its huge gaping exceptions

(which iswhyyouneed this book to help navigate the sometimes treacherous

foodlandscape).So,torepeat,neverevereatinthestreet.Unless,ofcourse,itiseithergelatoorpizzabianca.Gelatois,ofcourse,theunderstandableexception.Acone,orsmallpapercup,

ismadeforwalkingaroundwith.Infact,headoutintoRomeforalate-afternoonstrollonaSunday,around5:00p.m.,andyou’dsweartherewasactuallyafinefornothavinganicecreamconeinyourhand.Pizzabiancaisabitmoredifficulttounderstand.Pizzabiancaisjustwhatit

sounds like: “white pizza.” In other words, this is pizza dough, baked, withnothingmorethanoliveoilonit.Itisnotthepizzayouorderinarestaurant.Norisitpizzaaltaglio,or“pizzabytheslice.”(Seechapter23.)The recipe for pizza bianca is one of those simple ones that depend

completelyonthequalityoftheingredients:flour,water,andyeast.Andthebestpizza bianca ismadewith a yeast starter that has been going for decades andgives each one its unique flavor. Then there is the olive oil, which has to begood,too,andtherisingtime.ThebestpizzabiancainRomeislefttoriseovernight.Thefornaio,“baker,”

comesinabout7:00inthemorningandbeginshisdaylongjobofstretchingthe30-inchballofdoughoverthelengthofa5-footboard.Usingdelicatehands,he(yes,thebakersarealwaysmale)triestoretainmostoftheoriginalairbubblesthathaveformedovernight.Hethengentlybrushesonacoatingofoliveoil,andslipsthedoughintheoven.Hethenrepeatsthisprocessevery10to20minutesalldaylong.Why?Becausepizzabiancahasashelflifeofabout45minutes.Youwantit

sohotyoucanbarelyholditwhenyoubuyit,becauseinaboutanhouritwillloseitssoft,chewyyetcrunchy,oily,saltytextureandbecomesomethingcold,hard,andtough.Whichexplainswhy,ifyoustandoutsideofabakeryinRome—likeIlForno

Campode’FioriorRoscioli—youwillseeallmannerofpeoplecomingoutoftheshopwithasquareofpizzabianca,wrappedwithapieceofpapertoprotecttheir hands, as they—yes—eat it in the streetwhilewalking away.Women inchicdressesandhighheels,meninthree-piecesuits,garbagecollectorsontheirbreak, mothers pushing prams. While any and all of them would look withdisdainata foreignerdoing thesamethingwithasandwichorbottleofCoke,pizzabiancaisacompletelydifferentstory.

Why?Becauseyouhavetoeatitwhenitishot.Thatiswhenitisbest,andifyouwaituntilyoutakeithome,itwillcompletelyloseanyofitsappeal.LikeanygoodRomanmother,IhandedpizzabiancatoEmmaandSophiein

theirstrollersasoneoftheirfirstsnacks.Or,shouldIsay,itwasoneofthefirstsnacksother people gave tomy children.Walk into almost anybakerywith achild in a stroller and before anyone else iswaited on, the person behind thecounterwillcomearoundandhandoverastripofpizza justbigenough tobeheldinachubbyfist.

The first time this happened I was a bit worried.Was one-year-old Sophieready for pizza? Was it too salty? Too greasy? Were her little teeth poorlyequippedtohandlethechewytreat?Ishouldhaveknownbetter.Sophie,likeallgoodlittleRomanchildren,chompeddownonherprizeandhasn’tletgosince.Thereis,ofcourse,oneothermajorwaythatRomanseatinthestreets:seated

atrestaurants.Andinfact,therearefewthingsmoremagicalthansittingintheshadeonawarmspringday,orenjoyingthecoolingbreezesonahotsummernight, while enjoying a plate of pasta and a bottle of wine. Yet once again,arcaneItalianlawspairedwithrisingrealestatepricesandtheincreasingtideoftouristsmean thatoutdoor tablesandgoodfood isacombination that isoddlyhardtofindthesedaysinRome.When I first lived inRome in the1970s, I remember two typesofoutdoor-

dining experiences. While there were fancy restaurants, like Piperno andPierluigi, that had very formal setups outside their restaurants, complete withstarchedwhitetableclothsandcrisplydressedwaiters,therewerealsoplentyofmorecasualoptions.I distinctly remember rickety wooden tables being crammed onto narrow

sidewalks, to allow trattoria diners to take advantage of eating al frescowhenever weather permitted. These impromptu setups felt a bit like a crossbetween a picnic and a restaurant, and the precariousness, combinedwith justbeingoutside,alwaysmadethefoodtastebetter.These days the “occupation of public space” is a tightly controlled

commodity. A combination of increased taxes and trying to cut down on theencroachment of pubs and bars onto every square inch of every piazzameansthatsomeofthebest—andsimplest—placescan’taffordtohavetablesoutsideanymore.OneofthethingsIwishRomewouldtakemoreadvantageofistheenormous

amount of gorgeous open and green space. Rome has got to be one of thegreenestcitiesIknow,withcountlessbeautifulparksandtheTiberrunningrightthrough its heart. But unlike Paris, which sets up great ways to enjoy theriverside and the jardins with bars and restaurants, Rome’s amenities usuallyleaveabittobedesired.Whiletherecould—andshould—beoutdooreateriesintheparksyearlong,atleastinthesummerthingschangeforthebetter.One of my favorite places to go for dinner in the summer is the Festa

dell’Unita.ItusedtobetheannualCommunistfestival,butistodayrunbytheLeft-leaningpartydujour.It’shardtokeepupwithyearlypoliticalchanges,butwe ignore all that and just go for the food. There are usually about fifteen

restaurantssetup,somebig,somesmall.Pricesare low,and thevarietyhuge:Middle Eastern, paella, Calabrian, fish, grilled meats, Roman Jewish plus ahandful of pastry and ice cream places. We usually stop by the Cuban(Communist!)boothforasurprisinglygoodpiñacolada.Myfavoriteisalwaysthe stand run by the organic cooperative that delivers my CSA produce,Agricultura Nuova. It always has a huge and very elaborate grill going, sosausages featureprominently.Until recently the fairwasheldnot too far fromtheColosseum.Latelyit’sbeenlocatedabitfartherafield,nearSanPaoloFuorileMure.Anothersummereventtakesplaceneartheriverandtakesoverthebanksof

TiberIsland.Althoughtheevent’smainattractionisanoutdoorcinemafestival,the restaurantsandbars that spreadoutalong the riveroffer someof themostdramatic and breeze-filled settings in which to dine and drink in Rome. Theconcessionschangeeachyear,butthedreamylocation—alongthebanksoftheroaringTiber—remainsromanticallyunchanged.My favorite Roman outdoor eating experiences though are the small

neighborhood festivals that used to be common and are now, unfortunately, adying breed. Rome is divided into neighborhoods, or rioni, and each onetypically had its own festival. Historically, the one in Testaccio had thereputation of being particularly raucous. Evidently part of celebrations in theeighteenthcenturyincludedlaunchingacartfullofpigsdownthesteepinclineof the Testaccio hill. As the cart picked up speed, drunken (and evidentlyhungry) revelerswould trail after it, until it—and they—finally crashed at thebottom. Thewinners came out of the Bacchanalianmelee with a pig as theirprize.Don’tworry,thingshavetoneddownabit.Thefestivalsaremuchlikethesagrethattakeplaceinsmallvillagesallover

Italy. The starting point is a saint’s name day and, after a briefMass and thewalkingofastatueofapatronsaintthroughthestreets,thefestivalbegins.Themost famous of the festivals in recent years is the Festa de’ Noantri inTrastevere. The name of the festival, noantri, is Roman slang and translatesroughlyas“usothers,”referringtothepeoplelivingontheothersideoftheriver(Trastevere means “other side of the Tiber”) as somehow a breed apart fromRomans.The festa beginswith the parade of theBeatraVergine delCarmelothroughthestreetsonJuly15.TheweeklongfestivalusedtobeaRomanpartyinvolvingtheentireneighborhood,butseemstohavequieteddownwiththelackofinterestfromlocalshopkeepers.Instead, theOttobrataMonticiana,which takesplace in theneighborhoodof

Monti,isanewerfestival.Foundedabouttwenty-fiveyearsagotoinstillasense

of neighborhood pride in Rome’s oldest rione, the Ottobrata is currentlyenjoying a tremendous popularity. Twenty-five years ago it was founded andsupported purely by local familieswho had grown up and lived here all theirlives.Today,with the gentrification of the neighborhood, business owners arejoininginthefun,andhaveturnedit intoathree-night-longblockparty.LocalfamiliessetupintheparishkitchenwheretheyturnoutsuchRomanspecialtiesas tripe, amatriciana, and grilled sausages. You can take your plates full ofsteaming goodness and try to nab one of the few rickety picnic tables set upalongViaBaccina.Or else play fast and loosewith the laws and sit yourselfdown on the steps of the sixteenth-century fountain in the square. It’s OK.You’llprobablybesittingnexttothelocalpolice,whohavelongsincestoppedenforcingthe“don’teatinthestreet”law.Imean,really!

eatingpizzabiancainromeIt’sa toss-upwhohas thebestpizzabianca inRome.Certainly thereare localbakeries that are making excellent examples, but these two centrally locatedbakeries get a lot of attention. This is partly due to their excellent pizza, andpartly due to their location. I would advise you to make your own informeddecision,byvisitingeachoneatleastfivetimes.

RoscioliViadeiChiavari34Consideredoneofthebestbakeriesintown,theyareknownasmuchfortheir

crustyloavesasfortheirexcellentpizzabianca.

IlFornoCampode’FioriCampode’Fiori22Atthisbakery,famousforpizzabianca,youcanwatchitbeingmadeattheir

storefrontwindowalldaylong.

PanificioBonciViaTrionfale34

andPizzariumViadellaMeloria43Perhapsthebestpizzabiancaintown,itismadebyGabrieleBonci,whohas

beenreferredtoastheMichelangeloofpizza.Histechniquehastransformedthewaypeoplethinkaboutthishumblestreetfood.(Seehere.)

myfavoriteoutdoorrestaurantsSometimesfoodjusttastesbetterwhenyou’resittingoutside.TherearecertaintimesoftheyearwhenI’llheadtoarestaurantasmuchforthechancetoenjoymy meal al fresco as for the food. The following places are some of myfavorites:

PierluigiPiazzaRicci,39-06-6861-302 I admit that I love this place asmuch for the setting as for the food. The

tranquil sixteenth-centurypiazza isalmost likeamovieset it’s soperfect.Thefood,whichismostlyfish, isalsoprettygreat.While therestaurantusedtobeformal, but simple, it’s recently gonemoreupscale.The food is still excellent(evenbetter),butyoudefinitelypaytheprice.Anaddedbonusis theexcellentcocktailservice.

GiggettoViaPorticod’Ottavia21a,39-06-686-1105Don’tlooktoGiggettoforfancyorcreative.Dorunhereforall theRoman

classics—amatriciana, carbonara, and gricia are all excellent. I’ve been goinghere since I was twelve, and it’s still one of my favorites. And the outdoorsetting,beneaththeRomanPorticod’Ottavia,isdreamy.

FlavioVelavevodettoViadiMonteTestaccio97,39-06-574-4194InthewintermonthsIusuallyheadtoPerilliformyclassicRomanTestaccio

fix of amatriciana and carbonara. But once theweather turnswarm enough, Ilove Flavio’s rooftop terrace.Make sure you ask for the upper terrace,whichlooksovermostlygreenfieldsacrossthestreet.

outdoorfestivalsinrome

FestadelCinemaIsolaTiberinaThisoutdoor festival is setupon thebanksof theTiber Islandandusually

runs fromJune1 toAugust31.The restaurantschangeyearly. I’d recommendgettingthereearlyenoughtostopbyoneofthebarsforanaperitivo,thendinneratoneofthehalfdozenrestaurants.

Festadell’UnitaJustGooglethenameofthispoliticalfestival,Festadell’Unita,tofindoutthe

currentlocation.MostrecentlyitwasinParcoShusterinfrontoftheBasilicadiSan Paolo. The yearly festival takes place over the entire month of July andoffers abig selectionof funoutdoorplaces to eatdinner. It’s abit chaotic, soarriveontheearlyside.

OttobrataMonticiana,RioneMontiThisneighborhoodfestivalusuallytakesplacethesecondorthirdweekendof

October.Eachyearisdifferent,butthereisusuallyarusticrestaurantsetuponViaBaccina,whereyoucanenjoyplasticplates full of amatriciana, tripe, andstewedbeans.Lastyear’sfestivalalsoincludedeventsonViaUrbana.

wheninrome…rulesforeatingoutsideThereareonlytwosociallyacceptedthingstoeatwhilewalking:gelatoandpizzabianca.Don’thaveapicniconthestepsofachurchorfountain,oryoumaygetarrested.Ifyoufeellikehavingapicnic,stockupandheadforoneofRome’smanypublicparks.Ifyou’reseatedatarestaurantoutsidemakesureyoukeepaneyeonyourhandbag.Justsaying.

recipes

fagioliconlecotiche{beanswithporkrind}

Serves6

Ifyou’veeverbeentoastreetfestivalinRome,therearetwoitemsthataresureto be on themenu: sausages and beans. The sausageswill usually be grilled,while the beans are cooked long and slowwith the addition of big pieces ofcotiche,or“pigskin.”AttheOttobrataMonticianatheyservebothofthese.Allof the dishes are cooked by women who live in the neighborhood, and whospenddayspreparingthefood.I’mprettysurethatoneofthereasonsthebeanstastedsogoodwasthatthesekindsofdishesalwaysimproveinflavoriftheyaremadethedaybefore.

1pound(500grams)driedcannellinibeansSalt¼pound(250grams)porkrind2celerystalks1wholepeeledonion1garlicclove¼cupextra-virginoliveoil1smallonion,chopped3stalkscelery,chopped2garliccloves,chopped4cups(500grams)cannedtomatopuree

Soak thebeansovernight.On thefollowingday,cook theminabundantsaltedwateruntiltenderandcookedthrough.Prepare thepork rind:Parboil the rind forabout8minutes inboilingwater.

Drainandcutitintothinstrips.Ifyoudon’twantittoofatty,youcantrimoffsomeof the fat.Place thestrips intoapotandcoverwithcoldwater.Add thecelerystalks,wholeonion,andgarliccloveandbringtoasimmer.Letcookfor1to1½hoursuntiltheporkisverytender.Draintheporkrind,reservingsomeofthecookingliquid.Heattheoliveoilinalargepot,addthechoppedonion,celery,andgarlic,and

cookuntil softened, about10minutes.Add the tomatopureeandcookbrisklyuntilthesaucethickens.Addthedrainedporkrindandlet itcookforanother10minutesorso.Add

thecookedbeansandabitofthebeanorporkrindcookingliquidifitseemstoodry.Cookforanother20to30minutes.Thisdishisevenbetterifyouserveitonthefollowingday.

umberto’sfunghiporcini

Serves6

Umbertolivesjustdownthestreetfromme.Heisanex-professionalboxerandnowhasasmallsecondhandjunkstore.Iknowhemustbedoingsomethingelsein there, but the fronthasmore tchotchkes thanyou’ve ever seen inyour life.OnedayheknockedonmydoorandwantedtoknowifI’dbemovingmycaranytimesoon,sincehewashavingadinnerpartythatnight.Yup,hesetsupatablerightinthestreet.Ourneighborhood,Monti,isreally

likeasmallvillageandlifegoesonasmuchinthestreetasbehindcloseddoors.A life that includes eating, despite the recent law passed by the intenselymoronic current government that bans eating outside on or near anythinghistoric.EvidentlyUmbertodidn’tgetthatmemo.So after I movedmy car, I decided to visit Umberto and see what he was

cookingforhisdinner/actof insubordinationinprogress.Umbertohadbeentothe market that morning, and picked up a kilo of funghi porcini and somesausages,whichhewascookinginhismakeshiftkitchen.Hisotherguestswerebringingfruit,sidedishes,andevenanIndonesianstir-fry.Later that night as I headed home from a dinner party at my neighbor’s, I

stoppedbytosayhello.Thesausagesandmushroomswere longgone,but thewinewasstillflowing,andwouldbeforafewmorehoursyet.Umbertoandhisguestswere happily parked for the rest of the evening.When I asked them iftheywereworriedaboutthenewlawandgettingafine,theyalljustlaughed.Itoldyouthey’dalllivedherealongtime.Theyknew.Lawscomeandgo,andlifeprettymuchjustgoesonasitalwayshas.

2pounds(1kilo)freshporcinimushrooms4tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoilSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper3garliccloves,chopped1cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Trimandcleanthemushrooms,usingasmallbrushtowipeawaythegrit.(Youshould never use water to clean mushrooms, since this will result in mushymushroomswhencooked.)Cutthemushroomsintolargechunks.

Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold all themushrooms in onelayer.Addthemushroomsandcookonmedium-highheat,tryingnottostir,forat least the first7minutesorso.Then,using thehandleof thepan, just jigglethemaroundabit,seasoningthemwiththesaltandpepper.Whentheyarewellbrowned, after about 12 minutes or so, add the chopped garlic and stir tocombine.Cookfor2minutesmore,thensprinklewiththeparsleyandserve.

{ chapter5 }

notone-stopshopping

Istillrememberclearlythefirst timeIcamedowntoRome,fromFlorence, tostay with Domenico. His apartment, where we still live, was in the Montineighborhood. Although I had been there in the past to visit Michelangelo’sMosesandasixteenth-centurychurchdesignedbyGiacomodellaPorta,Ididn’treallyknowthearealikeIdidotherpartsofRomearoundCampode’FioriandtheJewishGhetto.That first day, when Domenico went off to work, I told him I’d do the

shopping for dinner. Not really knowingwhere any shopswere, I figured I’dstartwhere itmademost sense: in themainPiazza dellaMadonna deiMonti.And,infact,notonlyweretheretwovegetablestorestochoosefrom,therewasalsoaflowerstand,anewspaperstand,andadustybutdelicious-lookingpastryshop. Just up the main street of Via dei Serpenti, I discovered two differentalimentari,twobreadbakeries,andafishstore.OffofnearbyalleysIhadthreebutchershopstochoosefrom.That day I came home with two pork chops cut to order, some broccolo

romano,andpotatoes,andasaspecialtreattwosourcherryturnoversthatwerestillwarmfromtheoven.Overthenextfewmonths,asmytripsdowntoRomefrom Florence became more and more frequent, I not only fell in love withDomenico,whom Iwould soonmarry, but also began a relationshipwith theownersoftheneighborhoodshops.WhilemymarriagewithDomenicoisstillgoingstrong,littledidIknowthat

intermsofmydailyshoppingroutineIwasfallinginlovewithawayoflifethatwassadlyonitslastlegs.Theprevalenceofsmallfamily-ownedspecialtyshopsall over Rome—and Italy, for that matter—used to be the norm. Eachneighborhood had its share of butchers and bakers and—at least when I firstmovedhere—therewerestillseveralcandlestickmakers.AlthoughIdidn’trealizeitatthetime,IhadmovedintoanareaofRomethat

was still inhabited by the same people who had grown up here. The

gentrification and increasing levels of tourism, which led to astronomicalincreases in real estate prices, hadn’t quite hitMonti yet.Obviously, sincewewerelivingthere,weourselvesrepresentedchange.ButwhenSophieandEmmafirststartedkindergartenat the localschool,we,as“outsiders,”werestillverymuchintheminority.TheparentsofSophie’sclassmateswerethesamepeopleIhadbeenseeingeveryday.Theyownedthebakeryand thebar, theshoestoreandthepastryshop.Theirparentshadownedtheseplacesbeforethemand,forthemostpart,atleastinthebeginning,theyweren’tcomplaining.Butslowlythingsbegantochange.Oneofthefirstcasualtieswasthecorner

pastryshop.Oncethemotherwhohadrunitdied,thesondecidedtomovetoanarea of Rome where the rents were less expensive. Similar fates befell thebakery,twoofthebutchers,andoneofthealimentari.Oneofthefewsurvivorsoftheoldguardisthebutcherlocatedatthecorner

ofViaPanispernaandViadelBoschetto.Itisbarelybigenoughforonemeat-packedcounter,andthereisnorealsignoutside,justredtapeusedtospelloutthewordmacelleria.Infact,alotofpeoplewhogotheredon’tevenknowthatthenameoftheownerisPieroStecchiotti.Whyhehasperseveredwhereothershave failed has a bit to dowith survival of the fittest—or the highest quality.Because rather than try to compete with cheaper and more convenientsupermarkets, Stecchiotti has steadfastly stuck to his original principles ofquality.Withnocompromises,hismeatisamongthebestinRome.Itisalsothemostexpensive.Andtoday,thatishowsmallstoresinRomestillmanagetogetby.Yes,there

are a lot fewer of them, but the ones that do survive often do so by offeringsomething unique and of extraordinary quality. At the same time a youngergeneration is beginning to open new specialty shops that focus on those samequalities.

newspecialitystores

AromaticusViaUrbana134,39-06-488-1355IfIcoulddreamupthekindofshopIwouldwantsomeonetoopeninMonti,

I’d imagineaplacewhere I couldbuy freshherbplants—fromwildcress andmint to Sicilian oregano and French tarragon, and peppers from all over theworld,lemongrass,andlittlepotsofmustardsprouts.I’dalsoliketobeabletositdowntoeat:nothingheavy,justenoughforalunchorteatime.Andiftherecouldbeasectiondevotedtospicesandgardensuppliesthatwouldbenice,too.ThataboutsumsupAromaticus,thenewestarrivalonViaUrbana.

EmporiodelleSpezieViaLucadellaRobbia20,39-327-861-2655Thispocket-sizedstoreistuckedintoasidestreetinTestaccio.Crystal-clear

jars line theshelves, filledwithmore than150spices fromallover theworld.WhiletheownercertainlyhasItalianthingslikehotpeppersandsaffron,she’salsouponpeppersfromSarawak,saltsfromHawaii,andanyotherIndianspiceIcouldeverdreamofneeding.

D.O.L.ViaPanaroli35,39-06-243-00765Thisshopspecializesinhard-to-find,traditionallymadecheeses,curedmeats,

olives,andother regionalspecialties.Actingalmostasanoutlet for thesefoodartisans,cuttingoutanymiddlemanandmarkup,theshopfeaturesthekindsoffoods that usually don’t make it much beyond their villages, much less intoRome. The result of this exhaustive sourcing and minimal markup is, I cansafely say, some of the most absurdly delicious food in Rome at almostridiculouslylowprices.LocatedinaneighborhoodfarfromthecenterofRome,itiswellworththetrip.

BeppeeisuoiFormaggiViaSantaMariadelPianto9A/11,39-06-6819-2210BeppeeisuoiFormaggi(“BeppeandHisCheeses”)isthenewestarrivalon

thecheesesceneinRome,andawelcomeaddition,sincegreatcheesesareoddlydifficulttofindinthiscity.CheesesareveryregionalinItaly,andsomeofthevery best come from Piedmonte. As does Beppe himself. Beppe (Giuseppe)Giovale is a cheese producer, whose shop features what may be the mostdeliciousselectionofcheesesfromPiedmonteinRome.Thelargecounterrunsthelengthofthestoreandisfilledwithgoat,sheep,andcow’smilkcheeses.Thebackwallisabeautiful“cave”piledhighwithentirewheels.

traditionalspecialityshops

MoriondoeGariglioViaPièdiMarmo21–22,39-06-699-0856 Rome’s most famous chocolate shop, it is also its most beautiful. Walls

coveredinredsatinandfoil-coveredbonbonsglitteringontheshelvesmaketheplace feel like a jewel box. Moriondo e Gariglio has been hand-craftingchocolates since 1870 and continues to do so with passion. Their filledchocolates arewhatmost people come for—small confections filledwithonlythefreshestingredients;theyhaveashelflifeofonlyafewdays,soitisbesttoeat them yourself, rather than bring them back as gifts!My favorites includecaffè, hazelnut, and pistachio, but what brings me back every fall are themagnificent candied chestnuts—huge and glisteningwith sugary sweetness. IfyouhappenbybeforeEaster,youwillseetheelaboratelydecoratedEastereggs.These are made to order, and they are happy to include a surprise of yourchoosingontheinside.Andinwinter,haveaseatatoneoftwotablesandsettleinforacupofhotchocolate—puremoltenheaven.

NorcineriaViolaPiazzaCampode’Fiori43,39-06-688-06114 Even if the market at Campo de’ Fiori has grown smaller and a bit more

touristyoverthelastdecade,NorcineriaViolaisoneoftheseriousfoodvendorsthatstillholds itsplace inoneof thebuildings that line thesquare.NorcineriaViolahasbeengoingatitformorethanacentury.Theysellonething,andonething only: cured pork. But if you think that narrows the range of what’s onoffer, think again. Any size, shape, or variety of cured pork they’ve got:prosciutti,salami,guanciale,andpancettaforsure.Andalsoabouttwentykindsof salame from all over Italy: dozens of types of prosciutti; big fat slabs ofglistening lard; jelly-ladenpigs’ feet.They evenhavepastrami fromupnorth.OK,that’sbeefmasqueradingascuredpork,buttherestoftheshopisporkandporkonly—averitableshrinetopork.

VolpettiViaMarmorata47,39-06-574-2352 Ifyoucareaboutfoodandare inRome(andifyou’rereading this, that’sa

given), then making a pilgrimage to Volpetti, the temple of gastronomia inRome, isamust.TheVolpettibrothers,EmilioandClaudio,havemadeanartout of sourcing the best cheeses, curedmeats, and other delicacies throughoutItalyandbringingthemtotheirshop,wheretheynotonlysellthem,buteducatetheirclientswithjoyandenthusiasm.It’sdifficulttoenterintotheshopwithouthavingsomeoneimmediatelyoffer

youatasteofwhateverhasjustarrived.ItmaybeanagedhamfromTrentinooragoat’smilkcaprinofromPiedmonte.Whateveritis,chancesareyou’llendupbuyingsomeand takinghomenotonly somethinggood toeat,butalsoanewtasteexperience.NowadaysVolpettiworksdirectlywithcertainproducers,procuringhard-to-

findcheeses,madetoorderandagedintheirowncheesecellar.Themozzarella,which is delivered straight from Campania, is possibly the best in Rome. Beforewarned: Before you get caught up in a buying frenzy, remember qualitydoesn’tcomecheaply,oryou’llhavestickershockwhenyoucheckout.

LaTradizioneViaCipro8,39-06-397-20349 Somepeople callLaTradizione the “Temple ofCheese.” I’mnot going to

arguewiththem.I’vetriedtocountthenumberofcheesestheycarry,butalwaysgiveup after about fifty.And it’s not thenumbers that count anyway, it’s thequality.Thereis,barnone,nobettercheesestoreinRome.MistersFantucciandBellihavebeenrunningthingshereforaboutthirtyyears,andtheselectionandqualityonlygrow.Theynotonlycarry thebiggestselectionofItaliancheeses,butincludeaheftynumberofforeigncheeses,too.

{ chapter6 }

howtoordercoffeelikearoman

OneofthemostdifficultthingsIhadtogetusedtowhenImovedfulltimetoItalyasagraduatestudentwas thewholecoffee thing. Imoved toFlorence toworkonmydissertationon sixteenth-century Italiangardens.Thismeant that,betweenundergraduateandgraduatework,Ihadbeenstudyingforabouteightyears,andmuchofthoseeightyearshadbeenspentdrinkingcoffee.WhetherIwasinalecturehall,inalibrary,orjuststudyingathometherewas

almostalwaysalargecupofcaffeinenearathand.Partofthiswasallaboutthestimulant,ofcourse.Anotherlectureaboutseventeenth-centuryDutchtriptychs?Fill’erup.ButonceIgottoItaly,Irealizedthatthehotcupofcoffeealmostconstantly

withinreachwasonlymarginallyabouthelpingmestayawake.ThedifferencesincoffeeculturebetweenItalyandtheStatesweremywake-upcall(sorry,punsortofintended)fordeep-seatedculturaldifferenceswhenitcametofood.Thethingis,IknewItaly.Iwasnonovicegettinganewpassportforherfirst

trip abroad. I’d been coming here for about twenty years, for god’s sake.ButwhenI realized that Icouldn’tstopbyacoffeeshoponmyway to the libraryandgetalargecoffeetogotoseemethroughthemorning,Ifeltasifsomeonehadtakenawaysomethingessentialtomysoul.Iwouldfindmyselfsittinginthelibrary,workingmywaythroughareporton

asixteenth-centuryMedicishoppinglist,andmyhandwouldreachout,blindlysearchingforthecoffeethatwasn’tthere.Itwaslikefeelingamissinglimb.Itwaspainful.That’swhen I realized thatwhen it came to eating anddrinking, Iwas still

prettymuchAmerican inmy lack of discipline.What I soon learnedwas thatwhen it came to food in Italy, there were a lot of rules regarding what youconsumed,andwhereandwhen.Getting back to coffee. In America coffee is prettymuch an all-day affair.

Yes, it’s something to startyourdaywith.Butafter that?All rules flyout thewindow. Even before Starbucks came along, you could always get a cup ofcoffeeatthelocaldiner,deli,orDunkin’Donuts.Togo.In Italy I learned the words “coffee” and “to go” don’t even exist on a

conceptuallevel.LikemuchelseabouteatinganddrinkinginItaly,coffeehasalotof“rules.”

Andthosecoffeerules?Well,theychangefromtowntotown,regiontoregion—evenfamilytofamily.Sodon’tthinkyouareevergoingtomasterallofthem.Youareboundtofail,justdon’ttakeitpersonally.Forinstance,inmymother-in-law’seyes,I’vebeenbreakingthenumberone

ruleofcoffeeconsumptionforthelasttwenty-twoyears.Domenico’sfamilyisfromBari,inthesouthofItaly.Weusuallyvisitatleastfiveorsixtimesayear,andstayinthehousewheremyhusbandgrewup.Ifyoudothemath,thatmeansI’vewokenup andhadbreakfastwithmymother-in-lawat least five hundredtimes,plusanotherfewhundredwhenshe’svisitedus.Sevenhundredbreakfasts?AsIpourmilkintomycoffeetotakemyfirstsip

of the morning, just as the rim of the coffee cup touches my lip, she says,“What?!You’renothavingablackespressofirst?”Becauseinherworld,inherfamily,thatwasthewayyoustartedyourday.Onesmall,strong,boilinghotcupof coffee—black, with no sugar. Any other way? Well, it’s just not done.(UnlessyouaretheAmericandaughter-in-law,Iguess.)Othercoffeerulesarepurelyregional.InSicilyit’snotonlycommon,butalso

totallynormaltohaveafluffybriochestuffedwithgranitadicaffèforbreakfast.Yup.Asweet roll filledwith frozencoffeeandwhippedcream. InRome, trueRomans drink their coffee out of a small glass, not a ceramic cup. Why?Something about the temperature (it either cools off faster or slower; not surewhich). But my husband, who is not from Rome, wouldn’t be caught deaddrinkinghiscoffeeoutofaglass.Why?It’stooRoman.Gofigure.

coffeerules

Whilesomecoffee-drinkingrulesseemtobepurelypersonal,likemymother-in-law’s,othersfallalongbroaderguidelines.HereareafewtohelpyounotappearlikeatotalfoolshouldyouwanttoordercoffeeinItaly:

1.Neverdrinkcoffeewithmilkafternoon:I’mprettysurethisonemightevenbelaw.Never,everorderacappuccinoafteranymeal,lunchordinner.Anditdoessortofmakesense,uptoacertainpoint.Imean,whywouldanyonewantaglassofmilkafterabigmeal?You’realreadyfull(intheory)andmilkwouldjustmakethingshardertodigest.Also,ifthecoffeeissupposedtowakeyouup,thenthecopiousamountsofhotdairywouldjusthavetheoppositeeffect.ButthenIthink,hey,whataboutthathugecannoliyoujustordered?Acupandahalfofricottacheese?Tellmehowthat’snotinterferingwithyourdigestion?

2.Neverorderyourcoffeeatthecounterandthencarryitonyourowntoatable:Italiancoffeebarshaveaverystrictprotocolwhenservingcoffee.Onceyouwalkin,youfirstgotothepersonbehindthecashregister.Thispersonwillprobablybeeitheronthephoneortalkingtosomeoneelse.Thelastthingtheyseeminterestedinistakingyourmoney.Ifyoudoconvincethemtoletyouorder,theyshouldgiveyouasmallreceipt,ascontrino,foryourefforts.Holdontighttothistinyscrapofpaper.It’stheonlyproofyouhavethatyou’vepaidforthecoffeeyouhaveyettoevenorder.Makeyourwayovertothebar,andthentrytogetthebarista’sattention.Ifyouarenotaregular(andifyouarereadingthis,youareobviouslyfarfrombeingaregular)thismightprovehardtodo.Thebaristaisprobablyhavingaconversationwiththeladyatthecashregister.Onceyou’veordered,yourcoffeeshouldcomeprettyquickly(theseguysarefast).Now,whateveryoudo,don’tpickupyourcupandsaucerandheadtoatabletositdown!Thistime,thereisactuallyalawagainstthis.Thepriceyoupaidatthecashregisterwasforacoffeemeanttobeconsumedwhilestandingup,atthecounter.Whydidn’tthecashieraskyouifyouwantedtositatatable?Becauseifyouhadwantedtositatatable,youwouldhavejustgoneandsatatatable.Andthenthewaiterwouldhavetakenyourorderthere.Andyouwouldhavepaidextrafortheservice.Soundconfusing?Don’tworry,you’renottheonlyonetomakethis

mistake.Infact,ifyou’rebored,andwanttoamuseyourselfattheexpenseofothers,walkintoanycoffeebarincentralRomeandseethissceneplayedoutaboutonceeveryfiveminutes.

3.Don’tdrinktoomuchcoffee:MostItaliansdomostthingsinmoderation,includingdrinkingcoffee.Quanticaffèhaibevuto?(“Howmanycoffeeshaveyouhad?”)Thisisacommonquestiontobeasked.Myhusbandasksmethisallthetime.AndIswear,whenI’matabar,gettingcoffee,Ihearthisconversationoverandover.AsfarasIcantell,anythingbeyondtheresponsesolouno(“onlyone”)iscausefortruealarm.“Staiattento”(“becareful”)theysay.Ofwhat,I’mnotquitesure.Havingthisconversationoverandoveragain?Everyday?

4.Thereisnotakeout:Youmaybethinkingyoucanavoidthewholetableversusbarthingbyaskingforacoffeetogo,right?Wrong.Firstofall,barsarenotsetupfortakeoutcoffee.Everysooftenyou’llseeashopkeeperstoppingbytopickupanorderforhercolleaguesbackinthestore.Thebaristawillcarefullyfillupseveraltiny,flimsyplasticcupswithaboutahalfinchofcoffee.He’llthentakeaboutfiveminutestocarefullycutsomelittlesquaresofaluminumfoiltotopeachcup.Thenanotherfiveminutestotwistthefoilaroundtheedges,bywhichtimethecoffeeisgoodandcold,and,well,eachoftheshopkeeperscouldhaveeasilyrunbackandforthtothebarinthetimeittookhimtopreparethecups.AndthatlargelatteyouwerethinkingyoucouldtakeoutandenjoyonthestepsofthePantheon?Forgetaboutit.Romerecentlypassedalawthatsaysnoeatingordrinkingonornearpublicmonuments,whichprettymuchincludeseverysquareinchofthecity.

orderingcoffee

Iftheserulesseemdraconianandrandom,theyare.Buttheyshouldn’tgetinthewayofyouenjoyingsomeofthebestcoffeeintheworld.Onceyou’vedecidedifyou’dliketostandatthecounterorsitdownatatable,herearesomeofthewaysyoucanordercoffeeinRome:

Caffè. Thisiswhatmostpeopleorder,andisotherwiseknownasanespresso.ThisiswhatmostRomansheadtotheirfavoritebartodrink.Usuallyservedinaheatedceramiccup,thecoffeeisusuallydrunkstandingupatthebar.ToappearveryRoman,orderyoursinvetro,“inaglass.”

CaffèMacchiato. Stained coffee. Stained with milk, that is. A short shot ofespressowithjustatinydropofmilk.Ifyouwanttogetparticular(andRomansarealwayssoabout theircoffee), thenspecify ifyou’d like itmacchiatocaldo(hot) ormacchiato freddo (cold). Or, you can be like my husband’s partnerCorrado.Heordershistiepido.Yes.Tepid.Yuck.

Caffè Doppio. I’m pretty sure this double shot of espresso was invented forcrazyAmericans,whohavenoregardforbeingcarefulofhowmuchcoffeetheydrink.Iorderthisallthetime.Iespeciallyliketoorderitinfrontofmyhusband,whoissureIwillkeeloveranddiefromtoomuchcoffee.

Cappuccino. Ashotofespressotoppedwithfoamed,hotmilk.Again,thereareendless variations. For instance, a cappuccino senza schiuma is a cappuccinowithoutfoam.Notsosurewhatthepointofthatis,butit’sverypopular.

LatteMacchiato. Abigglassofwarmmilk,withjustadashofcoffeetostainit,andtotakethewarmmilktasteaway.Ilovelattemacchiato,sinceitreallyispure comfort food disguised as a coffee drink. InRomemost people considerthis a drink for children, or for someonewho’s not feeling well. Or, inmostcases,forAmericanswhoprefertheircoffeedrinksmoremilkynomatterwhattimeofdayitis.

Marocchino. Thispoliticallyincorrectlynameddrinkislightbrown.JustlikeaMoroccan!It’sashotofespresso,atoppingofhot,foamedmilk,andageneroussprinkling of cocoa. Since this is always served in a small glass, the milk-

lightenedcoffeeisonshow,hencethename.Although,I’vealsoseenitcalledMoretto,whichmeans“littleblackman.”

Monachella. Thisoneiscalled“littlenun,”whichiskindofcute.Inthiscaseit’sjustlikeamarocchino,buttheblackmaniswearingawimpleintheformofadollopofwhippedcream.

CaffèShakerato. Thisisoneofmyfavoritesummertimecoffeedrinks.Firstofall,Ilovethename.ShakeratoisjusttheItalianizedversionof“shaken.”Inthisdrinkaroom-temperatureshotofespressoispouredintoacocktailshakerwithice and a bit of sugar.After about aminute of vigorous shaking, the creamy,foamy,coldcoffeeispouredintoastemmedglass.

Granita di caffè. It’s difficult to include this treat in a discussion of coffee,since it’smore likehavingan icecream.Theamountof caffeineand sugar inthisonepackssuchawallopthat itwillkeepyougoingmuchlonger thananystraightforwardcoffeedrink.Granitadicaffèisblacksweetenedcoffeethathasbeenslowlyfrozenandbrokenupsothatlargefrozencoffeecrystalsform.Youorderitatabarandthebaristawilldigdeepintoafrozencontainersunkenintothecountertoscoopuptheicytreat.Youronlydecisionwillbewhethertohavewhippedcreamontopandbottomoronlyontop.

Affogato. Justincaseyouhappentobeinagelateriathatisalsoacoffeebar,oracoffeebar that isalsoagelateria,getoneof these.This isashotofespressointo which a spoonful of gelato has been added. My favorite combo is withzabaione,andthereisabarnearthePantheon,FioccodiNeve,thatspecializesin this. But really? Feel free tomake your ownwhenever youmanage to getcoffeeandgelatoonthetableatthesametime.Playwithyourfood.

CaffèCorretto. “Corrected”coffee.Correctedwiththeadditionofgrappa,thatis, or anyother alcoholicbeverageofyour choice. In theory this is amorningpick-me-up,usuallydrunkbyfarmersorpeopleworkinginthemarketwhoneedsomethingjustabitmorethancoffeetokick-starttheirmornings.Whynot?

CaffèAmericano. This is thecoffee thatwas invented toappease the touristswho come toRome and can’t handle the intense little cups of espresso. It’s ashotofespressothatisdrawnoutwithextrawater.Sointheend,it’skindoflikedripcoffee,andactuallynotthatbad.AndifyoureallywanttodriveyourItalianfriendscrazy,orderacaffèamericanodoppio.Theymayevencallanambulance

justincase.

fiveplacestodrinkcoffeeinrome

BestGranitadiCaffèTazzad’OroViadegliOrfani84,39-06-678-9792Tazzad’Orostillroaststheirownbeans,andtheirhouseblendisconsidered

bymanytobethebestinRome.Whentheweatherturnshot,Romanslineupforacupfullofslushy,icygranitadicaffè.

BestEspressoSant’Eustachio,PiazzadiSant’Eustachio,39-06-688-02048 Sant’Eustachio, which also roasts its own beans, has something of a cult

following.Howdotheymaketheirespressotastesogood?It’samystery,sinceeach shot is pulled behind the privacy of ametal partition.My favorite: caffèdoppioconpanna,adoubledoseofespressotoppedwithwhippedcream.

BestCaffèAffogatoFioccodiNeve,ViadelPantheon51,39-06-678-6025Head to the back counter of this anonymous-looking gelateria to enjoy the

house specialty: caffè affogato con zabaione, a piping hot, intense shot ofespressotoppedbyasmallscoopofzabaionegelato.

OldestCaffèinTownCaffèGreco,ViaCondotti86,39-066-791-700 It’shardnot to loveCaffèGreco.Thehistoriccoffeehouse is theoldest in

Rome,andhavingachancetosipyourcoffeeexactlywhereByronandGoethedidisatrip.Apriceytrip,butworthit.

Prettiest(andBest)CappuccinoErBaretto,ViadelBoschetto132,39-06-686-4816 If you like your cappuccino pretty, then the cozy, warm, and friendly Er

Baretto is the place. An artist when it comes to decorating the richly foamedcappuccini, the owner prides himself in providinghighqualitywith an almostkitschyattentiontoflourish.

recipes

caffèshakerato

Serves1

OncetherealRomanheathitsinthesummer,thelastthingIwantishotcoffee.Don’tgetmewrong.Istillneedmycaffeinemorethanever.Butthehotpart—andeventhemilkpart—isjusttoomuchwhenthethermometernears100°F.My go-to treat is of course a granita di caffè. But it is a treat; more of a

dessertthanapost-mealpick-me-up.Somydailypost-lunchhitbecomesacaffèshakerato. I’m not sure when this drink started turning up in Italian bars. Isuspect itmigrated fromGreece,whereNescafé isadded to iceandwaterandthenshakentocreatealusciousandsweetversionoficedcoffee.The Italian shakerato is amuchmoreminimal and intense affair.A freshly

pulledespresso,pouredinacocktailshakerwithabitofsugar.Abundantice,athirty-secondhardshake.andthenpouredeversoelegantlyintoastemmedglass—perfect!Ashakeratoisalwaysservedinastemmedglass.Achampagneflutewilldo,

but I also love touse amartini glass.All very elegant, very cool, andenoughcaffeinetogetmethroughthefewhourslefttoasultryRomanworkday.

1demitassecupfreshlybrewedespresso½to1teaspoonsugarIce

It’sbesttoshake1cupatatime,sothingsdon’tgettoowatereddownfromtheicemeltinginthewarmcoffee.Brewtheespresso,usingyourfavoritehomemethod,andmeasureout1small

cup(about¼cup).While still hot, add the sugar and stir to dissolve.Keep stirring so that the

coffeecoolsoffabit.Notethatthesugaractuallyplaysaroleherenotonlyinsweeteningthedrink,butalsoincreatingacreamyfoam.Pour intoashakerandaddLOTSof ice.Closeandshakevigorously for30

seconds.

Strain intoachilled,stemmedglass. I likeamartiniglass,buta fluteworkswell,too.

icedcoffeewithalmondmilk

Serves1

I’mabigloverofanythingcoffee.IloveithotandIloveitcold.Andassoonassummerbegins, I startmakingdailypilgrimages toTazzad’Oro forgranitadicaffèorFioccodiNeveforcaffèaffogatoconzabaione.Usually,however, I am limitedby the fact that Ihave to leave thehouse to

graboneofthesetreats.ButrecentlyIrealizedsomethingverydangerous.Aftera quick trip to the supermarket down the road, I was ablemake an addictivecaffeinatedtreatinthecomfortofmyhomewaytooeasily.Latte di Mandorla is a southern Italian drink that traditionally is made by

choppingupfreshalmonds, letting themsit inwaterandsugarovernight, thensqueezingthejuicesthroughapieceofmuslinuntilyougetanambrosial,milkywhitealmonddrink.Butnowadays thingshave,ofcourse,gottenmucheasier.LattediMandorla,or“almondmilk,”comespremadeinamilkcarton,availableat your local store. My favorite choice is the extremely unhealthy, overlysugaredvariety.Soduringthesehotdaysofsummer,my11:00a.m.coffeebreakconsistsof

icedalmondcoffee.It’swhatmysisterRobinreferstoasanoveltycoffeedrink.Andyes,it’sabit“Starbuckish.”Butthat’sOKwithme.

½cupfreshlybrewedespresso½cupsweetenedalmondmilk(notthehealthyno-sugarkind)Ice

Ilikemyicedcoffeestrong,soIbrewapotofespresso.Iletitcooloffforabout15minutes,andthenaddthecoldmilk.Fill the glasswith asmuch ice aswill fit.And to get the full, almostmilk

shake–likeeffect,youreallyneedtouseastraw.Trustme.

{ chapter7 }

theleaningtowerofartichokes

I’velovedartichokesforaslongasIcanremember.Inthe’60s,growingupintheMidwest,everytimewehadartichokesitwasaprettybigdeal.Mymotherwouldbuyoneforeachofus,carefullytrimawaythespikyendsoftheleaves,andthenplungethemintoabigpotofboilingwater.In themeantime,shewouldunwrapastickor twoofbutterandmelt it ina

small pot on the stovetop. If it was just an ordinary artichoke night, she’dsqueezelemonjuiceright into thepot. Ifshewasfeelingabitmoreindulgent,out would come the eggs, and she would whip up her blender hollandaisefollowingthemuch-stainedpagesofJoyofCooking.My sisters and I were passionate about the entire artichoke experience.

Watchingmymother prepare themwas only half of it. Once they got to thetable, the true ritual began: carefully taking off each petal, dipping it in thebuttery sauce, and then scraping it offwithour teeth.Althoughweweren’t asfancy as my grandmother (who had a special set of artichoke dishes with aridgedstandinthemiddleandabuilt-inbowlforthebutter),mymotherdidgiveeachofusourownlittlesaucerfordipping.Oncewehadworkedourwaythroughtheleaves,wetookupourspoonsand

learnedhowtoscoopawaythefurrychoketorevealthemeatyheart.Aftertheywerecut intochunks,weusuallyjustdumpedthemintoourbowlsofbutter tomakesuretheywerefullycoated,andthen,iftherehappenedtobeanylemonysauceleftinourbowls,weusedthealreadyscrapedleavestosoakupeverylastbit.Whichmakesmewonder:Wasittheactualtasteofartichokeswelovedsomuch? Or was it the chance to indulge in our own private bowl of lemonybutter?Because,totellyouthetruth,Ican’treallyremembertheactualtasteoftheartichokesthemselves.And,frankly,Ican’timaginethattheyhadmuchtastesince they were shipped in from California in what must have been hugerefrigeratedtrucks.When we moved to Italy not only did my parents attempt to learn the

language, they also took cooking lessons.Whilemy sisters and I went off toschoolmyparents learned toconjugateverbs(badly)andwhipupragù (muchmore successfully). I distinctly remember being hugely impressed not only byfettuccine Bolognese and bollito misto but also by simple plates of localvegetables like agretti (a grasslike green) and arugula salad (way before thismadeitsAmericandebut).Ialsorememberthedisasters:Thenightmymotherdecided tomake pizza andwe all ended up going out for pizza. (I guess shehadn’t learned the word for yeast in Italian.) And then there was the wholecarciofiincident.Mymother decided to try her hand at one of the all-time best dishes ever

invented: carciofi alla giudea, or Jewish artichokes, a specialty of theRomanJewishcommunity.Theymusthaveseemedlikeano-brainerformyparentstoattemptmakingthem.Notonlydidweall loveartichokes,butwewereJewishandactually living in theRomanJewishGhetto!Theywouldpracticallymakethemselves.AlthoughIwasonlytwelveatthetime,Idoremembertheeveninginvolved

hotboilingoil, thesmellofburningvegetables,and, if I’mnotmistaken, tearsandfrustration.Anothernightweendedupgoingoutforpizza.It wasn’t until we made it to Piperno, one of the oldest restaurants in the

JewishGhetto,afewweekslaterthatIunderstoodwhatmyparentsweretryingso hard to recreate. As we sat down at our table in the small piazza, Iimmediatelystartedsurveyingwhatotherpeoplewereeating.Bigbrowncrispyflowers,it lookedliketome.Soonenoughourownplatescameandmyfatherexplainedthatthesewereactuallyartichokes.TheylookednothinglikeanythingIknew,andwhile Istarted towonderwhere thebutterwas,mydadexplainedthatyoujusteatthewholething.Iguesswemusthavelookedalittledubious,sincehewenton,“They’relikepotatochips,butartichokes.”AsmysistersandIbegantodigin,wesoonrealizedthatasmuchasweloved

thewholelemonbutterthing,deep-friedwasinfinitelybetter.

allaboutartichokes

AfreshRomanartichokeisawonderfulthing.Thefirstonestohitthestands—thecimaroli—arebigandfat.Theyaretheonesthatgrowfromthemainstalkofthe artichoke plant, in early spring, pointing straight up. Not only are theyincrediblyfragrantandlargebutalsoamazinglytender,andhavepracticallynochokeortoughinnerleaves.In Italy no one would think of boiling or steaming a whole artichoke and

doing the teeth-scraping thing. Why? Because most of the artichokes are sotenderthatagoodportionoftheleafcanactuallybeeaten.Buttopreparethemdoestakeabitofwork,andcanbequitefiddly.Beforeyoubegin, fill abigbowlwithcoldwater.Squeezeahalf lemon in,

andkeeptheotherhalfhandy.Artichokesoxidizequickly,soyouhavetoruballcutsurfaceswithalemontopreventthis.Onceyouarefinished,youwillplacethe cleaned artichokes in thewateruntil you are ready to season them.You’llalso notice that your fingers will probably turn brown, too. Either wear thingloves (which I hate) or else keep rinsing and rubbing lemon on your hands,especiallythefingertips.Breakoff the tough,outer leavesof theartichokeuntilyougetdown to the

leavesthataretender.You’llknowyou’regettingtothetenderpartbythecolor.Theyareusuallyyellowonthebottomthirdandpalevioletatthetop.Whenyoubreakofftheleaves,doyourbesttoleaveonasmuchoftherootoftheleafaspossible.

Onceyouhave takenoff the toughouter leaves,usinga smallknife, gentlytrimawaythebrightgreenpartsfromthestemend.Don’tcutofftoomuch,justthe green part. This part is quite bitter. Immediately rub the cut parts with alemonhalf.Turntheartichokeonitsside,andcutoffthetopthird(thepointyendofthe

artichoke).Make sure your knife is really sharp. Immediately rub the cut partwithlemon,andputtheartichokeinwaterintowhichyou’vesqueezedalemon.If you’re lucky, and using the first artichokes of the season, then there

shouldn’tbemuchchoke.If,however,it’slaterintheseason,thenyou’llhavetouseasharpknifetodigdowntogetasmuchofthechokeoutaspossible.Ifyouareusing theartichokes in adishwhere theywillbecutup, then simply slicetheminquarters,lengthwise,andtrimoutthechoke.Justmakesureyouputtheslicesbackintothelemonwatertokeepthembright.

monumentstoartichokes

Ifyoufollowmeonsocialmedia,thenyoualreadyknowI’vegotabitofalovethinggoingonwithartichokes.Ibuythem,Icookthem,Ieatthem,but,perhapsmost of all, I photograph them. I’ve even invented my own hash tag#carciofogram,sothatit’seasierthanevertoplaytagandlookatoneanother’sartichokes.OneofmyfavoritesubjectsaretwomonumentstotheRomanartichoke.They

arenotpermanentmonumentsmadeofmarbleorbronze,butarebuiltoutofthevery thing they celebrate. Yes, I’m talking about the Leaning Tower ofArtichokesandtheGreatWallofCarciofi.Oneof theoldest restaurants in the JewishGhetto isGiggetto, and its chefs

are justly famous for their skill at preparing carciofi alla giudea.During highseason they serve more than five hundred a day. Every morning, crates ofcarciofiaredelivered,andretiredwaiterscomeinforpart-timeworktositinthefrontoftherestaurantandpreparemountainsoftheglobesfortheirbathinthefryer.Duringthefirstcoupleofweekswhenartichokeseasonisjuststartingandthe

first cimaroli appear—they have huge heads and extra-long stalks—somehowGiggettomanagestotiethemtogetherintoaneight-foot-tallartichoketower.Forreal.EquallyimpressiveisoneofmyfavoritestandsinCampode’Fiori.Located

onthewesternsideof thepiazza, infrontof theNorcineriaViola, thestand isoneofthebiggestsellersofcarciofiinthemarket.Pilesandpilesoftheglobespass through it and, for a fewbrief days, they forma solid four-foot tall, ten-foot-widewallofpurpleandgreen.

wheninrome…howtoeatartichokes

Artichokesarebesteateninseason,whichlastsfromAprilthroughMay.SomerestaurantsstretchouttheseasonwithearlyartichokesfromthesouthofItalyandlateonesfromFrance.Friedartichokes:ThesearebesteateninrestaurantsthatmakeaLOTofthem,allintheJewishGhetto.Seebelowformyfavoritespots.Carciofiallagiudea(deep-friedartichokes)areusuallyeatenasanantipasto.Carciofiallaromana(Roman-stylebraisedartichokes)areusuallyeatenasasidedish.

recipes

carciofiallaromana

Serves4

4largeartichokes1bunchfreshflat-leafparsley3garliccloves1bunchfreshmint½teaspoonsalt¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper¼cupextra-virginoliveoil,plusmoreasneededfordrizzling

Trimtheartichokes(see“AllAboutArtichokes,”here).Usingeitheraknifeorafoodprocessor,choptheparsley,garlic,andmint.As

youchop,add½teaspoonofsaltandabouta¼teaspoonofpepper.Placeinasmall bowl and slowly add the¼ cup of olive oil and stir to amalgamate themixture.Liftanartichokeoutof thewaterandgentlyblotoff thewaterwithapaper

towel.Holdtheartichokewithonehand,andcarefullyloosentheleaves,beingcarefulnottobreakanyoff.Take a bit the herbmixture and force it in between the leaves and into the

center of the artichoke. Keep doing this, until the artichoke is well seasoned.Youwanttouseabout2tablespoonsofmixtureperartichoke.Repeatforalltheartichokes.Chooseapotinwhichtheartichokeswillfitverysnugly,andplacethem,one

against the other,with the tops up. If the stalks of the artichokes are big andthick,youcanusethose(trimmedofthetoughouterpart)tokeeptheartichokesfromtippingover.Otherwise,youcanusepiecesofpotatoaswedges.Pourinenoughwatertocomeupabout1inchfromthebottomofthepan.Be

careful not to pour the water directly onto the artichokes; you don’t want todilutetheseasoning.Sprinklewithsaltandpepper,anddrizzleabundantlywitholive oil. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a low simmer. Cook until theartichokesaredone,45minutestoanhour.Youcanchecktoseeiftheyaredonebypullingonaleaf.Itshouldcomeouteasily.Also,checkthewaterfrequently

as the artichokes cook to make sure it hasn’t boiled away, adding more ifneeded.Carciofiallaromanaarebestservedatroomtemperature.Iliketoplacethem

in a deep serving dish,with the cooking liquid at the bottom, and accompanythemwithlotsoffreshbreadtosoakitup.

pastawithartichokes,peas,andmintpesto

Serves6

Whenit’sartichokeseason,Ibuy,cook,andeatasmanyartichokesaspossible.It’s alsowhen itbecomesdifficult forme to takephotographsof anythingbutartichokes. I pass by that monument to carciofi love, the leaning tower ofGiggettoalmosteveryday.Thenthere’sthemarket,whereatleastfourdifferentvarietiesofpurpleandgreenglobesvieformyattention.

As photogenic as these beauties arewhile posing in all their pristine glory,they pretty much turn into an army-green, dull mush when cooked. I’m nottalkingaboutthecrispyfriedcarciofiallagiudea,whichhavetheirowngoldencharm, but about almost any other dish in which artichokes figure as a mainingredient.Pasta,risotto,stews…it’snoteasytocaptureaphotographnearinganythingasgorgeousastheyactuallytaste.After a recent trip to Bari, Domenico came homewith a bag of handmade

strascinati. Stascinati are a cousin of orecchiette. They are usuallymadewith

semoladigranoduro,a typeofcoarselygrounddurumwheat flourandwater(noeggs).Thesmallbitsofdoughareartfullydraggedacrossaroughwoodenboardtoformtheirshape.Whileorecchietteinvolvestheexpertuseofathumbtoformanear-shapedlittlebite,strascinatineedthreefingerstopullthestripofdoughintoa2-inchoblongform.Buttheseparticularstrascinatiwereevenmorespecial.Theyhadbeenmadewiththeadditionoffarinadigran’arso,atypeofburnedflourthatgivesthepastanotonlyahauntinglytoastedtaste,butalso,asanaddedbonus,anot-so-attractivegraycolor.OK,maybeI’mexaggeratingjustalittle.Butletmedigressabitandtellyou

howIcomeupwithmyblogposts.Idon’thaveanybigweeklongormonthlongplanregardingwhatI’mgoing tobewritingabout. Instead, Iusuallygo to thefarmers’marketonSaturdayandthen,asI’mputtingawaymyproduce,I takethetimetophotographtheingredientsbeforeIputtheminthefridge.Idothisbecause(a)thevegetablesarelookingtheirbest,and(b)thelightisgreatatthattimeofday.Then I go aboutmyweek, cooking upwhat I’ve bought. I don’t decide to

cooksomethingspecificallyfortheblog;instead,whatIcookjustturnsupthere.But this iswhere thephotographypartgets tricky.Weeatdinnerat8:00p.m.,and there is very little natural light. So I try to keep something aside tophotographthenextday,whenthelightisbetter.Thisgameplanusuallyworksoutjustfine.Except,ofcourse,whenwhatI’m

about to photograph is a big bowl of gray pasta dressed with an army-greenmixtureofartichokesandpeas.Andnoamountofmiddaysunorbright-tastingingredients—like lemon zest from Ravello and freshly picked mint from theterrace—can change that. A brilliantly glazed ceramic plate fromVietri does,however,dowonders.Despitethedullnessofthecolorsthough,thisdishreallydoesscreamspring,

andbringsoutthebestofthebeautifulartichokes.Thesauceismostlytrimmedartichokeswithagoodamountof freshlyshelledpeas.Topull itall together Iuseamintpesto,madewithalmondsandheapingquantitiesofgratedzestfromtheuntreatedlemonsDomenicobringshomefromRavello.Icouldhaveusedaprettierpastainthisdish,Iguess,andyouarewelcometo

doso.AndImeanttoaddafewbarelycooked,brightgreenpeasattheend,butIdidn’t.Sowhilethisdishdoesn’twinanyawardsforbeauty,Ithinkitdoeswinthebest-tasteawardforMissSpringtimePastaofMarch.

6largeartichokesZestand1tablespoonjuicefrom1largeuntreatedlemon

3tablespoonsand⅓cupextra-virginoliveoil,plusmoreasneeded1smallonion,chopped1¼teaspoonssalt,plusmoreasneeded½cupwater,plusmoreasneeded2cupsfreshshelledpeas1bigbunchfreshmint(about1½cupsmintleaves)2garliccloves¼cupalmonds¼to⅓cupgratedmildpecorinoorParmesancheese1pound(500grams)strascinatipasta,orpastaofyourchoiceFreshlygroundblackpepper

Trimtheartichokesbyremovingtheoutertoughleavesandthesharptips.Cutawayanybrightgreenbitsuntilyougettothesoftheart.Slicethinlyandputinabowlofwatertowhichyou’veaddedaboutatablespoonoffreshlemonjuice.Ina largesautépanovermediumheat,warmthe3 tablespoonsofoliveoil.

Addtheonionand1teaspoonofthesalt,andcookuntiltheonionhassoftenedbutnotbrowned,about8minutes.Drain the artichoke slices and add to the pan, stir, and add about½ cup of

water. Simmer until softened, but not browned, adding a bit more water ifneeded.When the artichokes are almost done, add the peas, and cook until tender.

Tasteandadjustwithmoresaltifneeded,butrememberthepestowillalsoaddflavor.Putthemint,garlic,almonds,lemonzest,andremaining¼teaspoonsaltina

smallfoodprocessorandpureeuntilsmooth.(Youmayhavetoaddabitofoliveoiltomakeitblend.)Thenaddallofthe⅓cupofoliveoiluntilthemixtureiswellchoppedandcombined.Transferthepestotoasmallbowlandaddthegratedcheese.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until

aldente.Meanwhile,checktheartichokemixtureandreheatifithasgottencold.Drainthepasta,reserving1cupofthepastacookingwater.Transferthepasta

toalargebowlandtosswiththeartichokemixture.If the pesto seems very thick, add a ladleful of the reserved pasta cooking

watertothinitoutabit,andthenaddtothepasta,tossingtomixitwell.Atthispoint,youcanalsoaddabitmoreofthereservedcookingwatertoloosenthings

upandmakeitabitcreamierifdesired.Servetoppedwithfreshlygroundblackpepper.

artichokelasagna

Serves8

Easter inItalyisprettypredictablefoodwise.LikemostgoodItalians,Ialmostalwayscooklamb.You’dthinkthatafteryearsofcookingthesamecutofmeatI’dgetadventurousintherecipedepartment.ButeventhoughItoyaroundwiththeideaofdelvingintoWolfertorBittmanforsomethingabit—Idon’tknow—MiddleEastern?Ialwaysgobacktothesameold,sameold.Antipastofor theEastermeal is also carved in stone.Domenico is fromBari and sowealwayshavesopressata,whichhismotherbringsupinhersuitcasefromPuglia.Thentherearehard-boiledeggs,whichweeatcutinchunksanddrizzlewitholiveoil.A jumble of fresh fava beans and a hunk of pecorino completes that course.Dessert? Pastiera. Is there anything else? But the first course, that’s anotherthing. At least here I feel free to change year to year. One year it might beasparagus soup, anotherpastaal forno.Moreoften thannot artichokes figure,sincethey’respringdefined.Oneofmyfavoritesislasagnaaicarciofi,whichIkeep as simple as possible—mostly artichokes, with just three layers of pastaand enough besciamella to hold it all together, and handfuls of gratedParmigiano-Reggianoandpecorino(thatgoeswithoutsaying).Iknowthatmakingandusingfreshsheetsoflasagnaisprobablyawholelot

better.ButIlovethedriedonesthatyoudon’tevenhavetocook.Ieventhinkthattheygivealightertexture,whichIlike,especiallywhenmakingadishthatisrichinbutterandmilk.Andspeakingofbesciamella,you’llnoticeIsubstitutechickenbrothforalmosthalfofthemilk.That’smyattemptatmakingitatadlessheavy.Also,Iknowsomepeoplelovetoaddonthelayerswithlasagna.ButIthink

youshouldnevereverhavemorethanthreelayersofnoodles,otherwiseitjustturnsintoasolidbrick.

Lasagna10largeartichokesJuiceof1lemon1tablespoonunsaltedbutter1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1onion,chopped1tablespoonfreshthymeleavesSalt

Freshlygroundblackpepper½cup(120milliliters)water1cup(250milliliters)drywhitewine1pound(500grams)no-boillasagnanoodles1½cupsgratedParmesancheese3tablespoonsgratedpecorinocheese

Besciamella3cups(¾liter)chickenbroth4cups(1liter)wholemilk7tablespoons(100grams)unsaltedbutter1cup(100grams)all-purposeflour

Clean the artichokes, trimming off the outer leaves and cutting out the innerchoke.Cut themintoeighthsandlet themsoakinabowlofwaterwith lemonjuiceuntilreadytouse.(See“AllAboutArtichokes,”here.)In apan large enough tohold all of the artichokes,melt thebutterwith the

oliveoil.Addtheonionandthyme,andseasonwithsaltandpepper.Cookoverlowheatuntiltheonionhassoftened.Addthedrainedanddriedartichokesandstirinthewater.Coverthepanandlettheartichokescookforabout8minutesorso,withthelidon.Liftthelidandstirthem;theyshouldbegettingprettysoft.Add thewine and let it boil away.Continue to cook the artichokes until verytender,butnotfallingapart,addingabitmorewaterifneeded.Turnoffheat.Tomake the besciamella, mix the broth andmilk and heat gently. Put the

butterinapotlargeenoughtoholdthemilkandbroth.Letmeltandthenslowlyaddtheflour,stirringallthetime;itwillgetquitethick.Onceyouhaveaddedalltheflour,keepstirring,overlowheat,foracoupleofmoreminutes.Slowlyaddthehotmilkandbroth,stirringwithawhiskorwoodenspoon;it

will lookclumpyat firstbutwilleventually thinout.Onceyouhaveaddedalltheliquid,keepstirringoverlowheatuntilthebesciamellaistheconsistencyofcrepebatter.Youwantitkindof“liquidy,”sinceyou’reusingdriednoodles.Now you’re ready to assemble the lasagna. Preheat the oven to 350°F

(180°C).Choosealargeroastingpan,about13x16inches,andbutteroroilit.Using a ladle, fill the bottom with enough of the besciamella to cover it

completely,about⅛inch.Laydriednoodlesontopofthis,sidebyside,toformthefirstlayer.Ladlesomemorebesciamellaontop,coveringthenoodles.Thenaddhalfoftheartichokes,spreadingthemoutevenly.Sprinklewith½cupofthegratedParmesan,1tablespoonofthepecorino,andsomesaltandpepper.

Repeatwithanotherlayer:noodles,besciamella,artichokes,cheese,salt,andpepper.Laya final layerofnoodleson top,covergenerouslywithbesciamella (you

shouldbealmosttothebottomofthepot),pouringsomemoreinthesidesandmakingsureyoucovereverysquare inchof thedriednoodles.Finishwith theremainingcheese.Bakeinthepreheatedovenfor25minutes,oruntilthelasagnaisbubblyand

thetopisnicelybrowned.Letrestabout10minutesbeforecuttingandserving.It’sevenbetterifyoulet

itcoolcompletely,eveninthefridge,andreheatlaterthatdayorthenext.

risottowithartichokes

Serves4to6

Oneofmyfavoriteways toeatartichokes is inrisotto. Ihave toadmit Idon’tmakerisottosooften.Partlyoutof laziness,butalsobecause foryearsSophiedecidedshedidn’t likerisotto. (She’sapastagirl,100percent—soRomanit’shardtobelieve.)ButonceSophiewentofftouniversitytherisottodoorswungwideopen.Therearecertainlyrisottosthatareprettier,butartichokerisottoisoneofmy

favorites.Thereissomethingaboutthecreaminessofthestarchyricethatblendssowellwiththesweetbutbitterflavoroftheartichokes.Thereareplentyofartichokerisottorecipesoutthere.ButIaddafewtwists

tominethatIthinkmakeitevenbetter.Ratherthanuseonions,Ioptforend-of-winterleeks.Theyaremilderthanonions,andbesidesaddingasweeteralliumtaste, they also dissolve and add to the overall creaminess. And while wildmentuccia (calamintha nepeta L.) is called for in a lot of artichoke dishes inRome,Iprefermentaromana(menthaspicataL.),whichIaddattheveryend,alongwithfreshlycutstripsoflemonpeel.Theselasttwoadditionsnotonlycontributeaspringyfreshnesstothedishbut

alsogiveitamuch-neededburstofcolor—because,comeon,risottoaicarciofiisn’tgoingtowinanybeautycontests,evenifIdoputitonabrightblueplate.Letme say right here thatwhen Imake risotto, I usually err on the side of

whatever vegetable I’m using. In other words, my ratio of vegetables to riceleansmoreonthevegetablesidethanistraditional.Andyes,youdoneedallthebutter.Believeme.

6cupsbroth(1½liters)(bestifhomemade,butifinapinch,useprepared)4tablespoons(½stick/60grams)unsaltedbutter1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil2largeleeks,washedofgritandslicedSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper6largeartichokes,cleanedandsliced(see“AllAboutArtichokes,”here)10ounces(300grams)arboriorice½cup(100milliliters)drywhitewine½cupgratedParmigiano-Reggianocheese(althoughIhaveusedgratedlocalpecorinoinstead)

⅓cupfreshmintleaves,tornGratedzestof1lemon

In a large pot, bring the broth to a slow simmer. In a separate large pot, add2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil. Heat gently, add the leeks, andseasonwith salt and pepper. Cook for about 8minutes, or until the leeks arewilted.Add the cut-up artichokes, stir, and cook until they become tender, about

10minutesorso.Iftheystarttobrown,addabitofwater.Addthericeandstirwell,lettingthericeabsorbanyliquidthatisinthepan.

Addthewineandcookuntilabsorbed.Addabout2cupsofthebroth,stir,andlet simmer.Keepaddingbroth, a ladleful at a time,until the rice is just aboutdone.Thiswilltakeanywherefrom15to20minutes,dependingontherice.Whenthericeisabout4minutesfrombeingdone(itwillbestillabitfirmto

thetooth),addtherestofthebutterandgiveagoodstir.Continuecookingforabout3moreminutes,thenaddthecheese,stir,andremovefromtheheat.Letthericesitforacoupleofminutes.Addhalfthemintandlemon,andstir

tocombine.Spoontherisottoontoindividualplatesandtopeachdishwithabitof mint and lemon zest. Serve a bowl of grated cheese on the table forsprinkling.

chickenliversandartichokes

Serves2to4

One of my favorite springtime dishes is coratella con carciofi. This seasonaldishcombinesnotonlyspringartichokesbutalso the liver, lungs,andheartofspring lamb.This is something Imakewhenever I can findcoratella,which Iadmitisn’teasy.Notallbutcherscarryit,andsinceit’sonlyavailableforafewshortmonthsayear(whenthelambsareyoung)thatmakesitevenharder.AndIimagineifit’shardformetofindcoratellahereinRome,it’salmostimpossiblewhereyouare.So I’m sharing my backup version: chicken livers with artichokes. I love

chickenliversbutcutdownmyconsumptionofthemwhenIbecamesuspiciousof where those livers were coming from. I have long since stopped buyingchicken at the supermarket, or from any butcher I don’t know verywell. Theproblem was that my organic source was always limited, and almost neverhadlivers.Allthatchangedwiththeopeningofthefarmers’markethereinRome.Not

onlydoesmyfarmerbring indelicious,homegrown,organicchickens,butshealsoalwayshaspacksofchickenlivers,which,evidently,nooneelseseemstowant.Whenfacedwiththechoiceofbuyingapackofchickenpartsfor18eurosorapackofchickenliversfor4euros,I’mgoingtochoosetheliverseverytime.Really,shealmostgivesthemtomeforfree.Ihadtheideaofcombiningthemwithartichokeslastweek,astheliversIbuy

arealmostlikecoratella,sincetheyhavetheheartsattachedaswell.Actually,ifyouwanttoknowthetruth,latelyI’vebeencombiningartichokes

withjustabouteverything.Because,well,whocanresist?

6to8artichokes2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil1mediumonionSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper½cupwater1poundchickenlivers1cupdrywhitewineAsqueezeoffreshlemonjuice

Trimtheartichokesbyremovingthetoughouterleavesandsharptips.Sliceinto½-inchwedges.(See“AllAboutArtichokes,”here.)Pour theoliveoil intoapanlargeenoughtoholdeverythingandplaceover

medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper and cook until the onion hassoftenedbutnotbrowned,about10minutes.Addtheartichokes,stir,andaddthewater.Cook,stirring,untiltheartichokes

starttobecometender,about10minutes.Inthemeantime,trimthechickenliversofanyextrafat.Youmayalsoneed

toseparatethemifthereisamembraneconnectingthetwohalves.Iftheheartisincluded,trimthisofextrafatandcutinhalf.Add the livers and heart to the artichokes and stir.Cookovermediumheat

until the livers start to brown. Add a bit more salt and the white wine andcontinuetocookuntildone.Theliversshouldloseanyshadeofpinknesswhencutinhalf.Tasteforsaltandpepperandadjustifneeded.Justbeforeserving,squeezeabitoflemonjuiceontopandmixthrough.AlthoughIconsiderthisamaindish,Ithinkthatifyouchoppedtheliversand

theartichokesabitsmaller,itwouldworkequallywellatoptoastedbreadasanantipasto.

rawartichokesalad

Serves1

Artichokesarefiddly.Beforeyougettothedeliciousnessyouhavetodealwithalotofheavyarmor,tearing,trimming,andcuttingyourwaypastthegreenandpurpleleavestothepaleyellowheart.I tendtoforget thispartof theequationwhenIamloadingupatthemarket.WhenIblithelysaytothevendor,“Givemeeight—no, twelve!—artichokes, please,” I don’t actually picturemyself sittingdown to trim them all. Sometimes, rather than deal with my artichoke-filledfridge all at once, I take things one carciofo at a time. Because during highseason,wheneachartichokeisasbigasbaby’shead,ittakesjustonehugefatglobetoturnintomylunch.FirstItrimitofitsouterleaves,thenslicetheheartpaperthin.Spreaditona

platewithacrumbleofsheep’smilkcheeseontop,thenallittakesisaswirlofoliveoiltobringittoperfection.Andthatislunch,aslongasartichokeseasonlasts.

1largeartichoke,trimmedandcutintothinslices(see“AllAboutArtichokes,”here)FreshlemonjuiceCrumblysemi-freshpecorinoorParmesancheeseExtra-virginoliveoil(or,ifyoucangetit,ColonnaGranverde),fordrizzlingSeasaltFreshlygroundblackpepper

Onceyou’vetrimmedyourartichokeasdescribedearlier,cut it intopaper-thinslicesandlayitonaplate.Quicklysqueezefreshlemonjuiceoveritandtoss,soit doesn’t oxidize and turn brown. Crumble some cheese on top, drizzle witholiveoil,andsprinklewithsaltandpepper.

{ chapter8 }

“mipiacelacicoria!”theromanpassionforvegetables

Iunderstand thatwhenkidscomehome fromcollege theyexpect to find theirfavoritecomfortfoods.Meatloafandmashedpotatoesmaybe?InItalyit’smorelikelytobenonna’spastaalforno.Butmydaughter?WanttoknowwhatSophiecraveswhenshehasbeenawayfromhomefortoolong?Cicoria.Yes,chicory.Allshedreamsaboutwhencomingbackhomeisabigplatterofbittergreens.Sophiestartedoutlikeanynormalchild,refusingtoeatvegetablesforquitea

long time. She was always partial to savory, salty, and sour and so lovedanything thatwascheesyorcuredor that shecouldsqueeze lemon juiceover.Tripeandprosciuttowerefavorites.Peasandcarrots,notsomuch.All that changed when she was about thirteen years old, and somehow

“discovered” cucumbers. I think when she realized that she could takecucumbersandturnthemintoabrinyGreeksalad,fullofolivesandfetacheese,itsortofopenedupthefloodgates.HerchicoryepiphanycameatthetakeoutcounterofRoscioli.Oneofthemost

famous bakeries in Rome, it has expanded to include a tavola calda, whereprepared food is sold cafeteria-style. Sophie would meet my husband,Domenico, therefor lunch,andsomehow“discovered”cicoria.Nowondershelikedit.Eventhoughthisisthebitterestofgreens,Rosciolisoftenedtheblowbyfirstboilingit,thensautéingitinamassivedoseofoliveoilwithliberalamountsofgarlic,redpepper,andsalt.Andthensomemoresalt.Ishouldn’thavebeensurprisedbySophie’seventualobsessionwiththemost

typicalofRomanvegetables.Even ifshe is50percentAmerican,her tastes inalmosteverythingrun100percentRoman.WhileherenthusiasmforRoma,thelocal football team, has waned over the years (at least she doesn’t wear thatorangeandmaroonfanscarfallthetime),herpassionforRomanvegetableshasonlyincreased.

And Romans do love their vegetables, eating them at almost every meal,which iswhy Iwas so puzzled by a question that I often get fromvisitors toRome:Whydon’tItalianseatvegetables?And,ifyoulookatalmostanymenuin any Italian restaurant (which is what these tourists are doing), you wouldindeedcomeawaywiththeideathatvegetablesarenotpartofthemeal.Thereisa section for antipasti (appetizers), then primi (pasta and soups), and secondi(maincourses).Buttuckedinbetweensecondianddolce(desserts)isaone-linesectionthatmosttouristsjustskipover:contorni.Contorni translatesas“surrounding”and thesedishesaremeant to surround

or frame the main dish. The only problem is that nine times out of ten thissectionisleftcompletelyblank.SoevenifyoucouldrecognizetheItalianwordsfor spinach (spinaci), zucchini (zucchini), andpeppers (pepperoni), youwouldalmostneverseethemprintedhereinblackandwhite.This is not becauseRomans don’t care about vegetables. It is because they

caretoomuch.Romanseatseasonally,andarecompletelyandutterlypassionateaboutcertainvegetables.Nowhereisthismoreevidentthanonsimplerestaurantmenus.While the primi and secondi are usually pretty stable, rounded out bydailyandseasonalspecialties,whenitcomestovegetablesandsidedishesit’sacompletelydifferent story.Manyof these trattorie shopweeklyor evendaily.And if you can be sure to always find the ingredients for bucatiniall’amatriciana and saltimbocca alla romana, artichokes, fava beans, andbroccolirabearestillstrictlytiedtotheseasons.Thatblankspaceon themenudoesn’tmean the restaurantdoesn’thaveany

side dishes. Every Roman knows to ask. It’s the waiter who will fill in theblanks, tellingyou thecontorno of the day.Andunlike in theStates,where amaincourseisservedwithasidedish,Romansconsider thesidedishtobesoimportantanelementtothemealthatitisorderedseparately.And as if that weren’t complicated enough, there is a slight distinction

betweencontorni(sidedishes)andverdure(vegetables).Forinstance,ifyouaskwhatcontorniareavailablethatevening,youmighthearaboutpotatoes,chicory,andsalad.Butsomehow,thosestuffedzucchinithatyousawonaplateheadingtothetablenexttoyouwouldnotbeincludedinthislistbecausetheyarestuffedandsoconsideredeitheranantipastooramaindish.

orderingsalad

Theremay be nothing that confuses an Italianwaitermore than anAmericanasking for a salad at the start of a meal. It’s almost as bad as ordering acappuccinoafterdinner,butnotquite.Domenico remembersbeing thoroughlyconfusedwhenhearrived inKansasasa studentandhis firstmeal startedoutwithaplatefulof lettuce.He thought thatwas it, theendof themealbefore ithadevenbegun,becauseinItaly,saladisalwaysservedafterthemaincourse.Why?I’veneverreallythoughtaboutitandtheonlyreasonIcangiveyouis

thatonceagain,at thetable,Italiansareconcernedwithdigestion.Mymother-in-lawwouldneverthinkofendingamealwithoutapieceoffruitperdigerire(tohelpdigest),andIthinktheideaofaleafysaladattheendofaheavymealmustplaythesameroleroughagewise.Traditionally,when it comes toorderinga salad inan Italian restaurantyou

canhaveverde(green)ormisto(mixed).Takemyadviceandpleasejustorderthe green salad. Insalata misto has evolved, in the Rome restaurant scene, tomeanaplateful of perfectlygoodgreens toppedby some insipidgrated carrot(which no Roman would ever eat at home) and a few out-of-season cherrytomatoes.Theonlyexception to this rulewouldbe if it is indeedsummerandarugulaandtomatoesareactuallyinseason.Thenbyallmeansorderthis.

puntarelle

Themost famous ofRoman salads is, of course, the exception to any rule. Ifyou’vehadpuntarelle,thenyouareprobablyswooningbynow(it’salovekindof thing). If you haven’t, then let me introduce you. Puntarelle is a type ofchicory.Whenyou examine aheadofpuntarelle, it looksgreen and leafy—atleastatfirstglance.Butstart topryapart theouter leavesandyou’llsoonfindthe pale green, crunchy center that sets this vegetable apart. The core of thevegetablegrowsintomultiplepointyspearsthatarealmostasparaguslikeatthetips.Thetasteisslightlybitter,withloadsofcrunch.Inthewinter,whenitcomes

into season and is dressed with a lemony garlic vinaigrette, it’s what yoursluggishbodyhasbeenaskingfor,butdidn’trealize.WhenI’vetiredofroastedrootvegetablesandeverykindofboiledgreen,puntarelle is thefreshcrunchIcrave.Puntarelleislikemanyoflife’spleasures—apaintoprep.Firstyoumustpeel

offtheouterdarkgreenleaves.Theneachspearmustbecutoffthecentralcore.Andfinally,eachtinyspearhastobecut,lengthwise,intothinstrips.Thestripsare then put intowater, to remove some of their bitterness, and also tomakethemcurlup.Luckily,aswithallfussyvegetables,inRomeyoucanbuythempreparedand

readytogoatmostmarkets.Back in theoldendays (like tenyears ago) thevendors inCampode’Fiori

woulduseasmallsharpknifetocarefullycutthespearsintostrips.Butthen,allofasudden,acleverpuntarellecutterstartedshowingup.Iassumedeachvendormadetheirown,but it turnsout itwasonehousewaresguywhospecializedinthem. (It’s the stand across from the flower vendors.) He’s even patented thething,andhasawebsite,www.puntarelle.it.Thecutterisgenius.Aseriesofstainlesssteelwiresisstretchedacrossasmall

wooden frame, crossing tomakeagrid.Thevegetablevendor then takes eachpuntarelletip,andforcesitthrough,beforethrowingitinitswaterbathtosoak.

romanvegetables:whenandhow

Ifyou’reinRome,therearecertainvegetablesyoushouldseekout.Manyhaveashortseason,sodon’tbedisappointed ifyoumiss them,since it’s justanotherreasontocomeback.

ArtichokesCarcioforomanesco:ThebigfatartichokesfromtheareaoutsideofRome,nearCerveteriandLadispoli.Thefirstartichokestoappearcomefromthetopoftheplantandarecalledcimaroliormammole.Theseareespeciallytender,andhavealmostnochoke.Thefatstalks,oncetrimmed,arealsoedible.Season:FebruarytoMay.Dishes: carciofi alla giudea (deep-fried Roman artichokes); carciofi alla

romana(Roman-stylebraisedartichokesstuffedwithwildmintandgarlic).Where:I’veneverhadagoodcarciofiallagiudeaoutsideoftheJewishGhetto

in Rome. My three sources are Giggetto, Piperno, and Sora Margherita. Iparticularly like the extra-crispy ones served at SoraMargherita. They are attheir best during the late winter and spring, when Roman artichokes are inseason, but all three of these restaurants offer them all year long, usingartichokesimportedfromSicily,Sardegna,andFrance.

PuntarelleAvarietyofchicorywhosecrispheartsarecutintocurlystripsandthendressedinananchovyandgarlicvinaigrette.Season:Latefalltowinter.Where:Almosteveryrestaurantwillbeservingpuntarelleinseason,although

youwillalmostneverseeitonthemenu.Makesureyouask.

ZucchiniRomanescoThistypeofzucchinidifferentiatesitselffromothertypesbyitsslightlycurvedform and highly ridged surface. It has a very strong flavor, and its lowwatercontentmeansthatitneverbecomesmushyandsoft,likethedarkgreensmoothvariety.Season:ThetraditionalseasonisfromMaythroughSeptember,sincethisisa

summer vegetable. These days though, many local growers use hothouses toextendtheseasonalmostallyearlong.Dishes: concia di zucchini (fried, marinated zucchini); zucchini ripieni

(stuffedzucchini);zucchinifritti(friedzucchini).Where:SoraMargherita,PiazzadelleCinqueScole30,39-06-687-4216.Althoughconciadizucchiniisasimpledish,it’shardtofindinRome.Sora

Margheritamakesitalmosteverydaywhenzucchiniareinseason.Itsversionisquitespicy,andbrownedtoacrisp.

BroccoloRomanescoThisbrightgreenvegetableisarelativeofcauliflowerbutthefloretsareformedin a geometric whirling pattern that gives it an almost outer space–likeappearance. The strong color is matched by an even stronger taste that issomewhatofamixbetweenbroccoliandcauliflower.Season:NovembertoMarch.Dishes:minestra di pasta, broccoli e arzilla (pasta and broccoli in ray fish

broth). A very old-fashioned Roman recipe that is almost impossible to findthesedays.Where:ArmandoalPantheon,SalitadeiCrescenzi31,39-06-6880-3034.WhileitisverydifficulttofindinRome,yourbestbetisatArmando,where

themenuchangesdaily.Youcancallaheadandaskifitisbeingserved.

wheninrome…eatingvegetablesinrestaurants

Maincoursesdonotautomaticallycomewithasidedish;youmustorderit.Vegetablesareusuallylistedonamenuascontorni,or“sidedishes.”Inadditiontothelistedvegetables,alwaysaskfordailyspecialsforcontorni,whichchangeseasonally.Inarestaurant,Ioftenorderaplateofvegetablesasoneofmycourses.Forinstance,afteraplateofpasta,I’lljusthaveanorderofspinachorsomeartichokesasmysecondo.

recipes

verdureripassata

Serves4

Throughout the fall andwinter and into spring, theRomanmarkets are full ofpiles of chicory, Swiss chard, and flowering broccoli. They are so ubiquitousthattheyoftendon’tevenappearonrestaurantmenus.Yetifyouask,youwillbetold:Yes,wehavechicory(orSwisschard,orbroccoletti).Thechoicethenisbetweenall’agro(simplyboiled,thendressedwitholiveoilandlemonjuice)orripassatainpadella(sautéedinthepan).

Ofcourse, ripassata is theway togo.Boiledgreensofanysortaredrained,thensautéedinapanwitholiveoil,garlic,andhotredpepperflakes.

2pounds(1kilo)chicory,Swisschard,orbroccolirabe1tablespoonkoshersalt,forboilinggreens,plusmoreasneeded3tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil3garliccloves,chopped1teaspoonhotredpepperflakes

Washthegreenswell,andremoveanytoughstems.Bringalargepotofwatertoaboilandaddthesalt.Addthegreensandcook

untildone.Forspringchicorythisshouldn’ttakelong;maybe8minutesorso.Ifyou’reunsure, takeout a piece and taste it.The stalks shouldbequite tender.Adjust forother typesofvegetables,butyoudowant themwelldone,not justwilted.Drainthegreens.In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the garlic and red pepper

flakes.Whenthegarlicstartstobecomefragrant,afterabout3minutes,addthedrainedchicory.Tossverywell,sothatthechicoryiscompletelycoatedwiththeseasonedoil.Tasteandcorrectforsalt.Servehotoratroomtemperature.

conciadizucchini

Serves4

Oneofmyfavoritewaystoeatzucchini,especiallywhentheyaresmall,tender,and firm, is alla concia. This is an old Roman Jewish recipe that combinestenderzucchiniwiththestrongtastesofvinegarandredpepper.Sincethisisasummerdish,myfeelingisthatoriginallytheheftydoseofvinegarwasawayofkeeping the dish from spoiling during the heat. And in fact, most restaurantsmakeitwithmuchmorevinegarthanIuseathome.Ifpossible,makesureyougetholdofzucchiniromanescoforthisdish,since

their low water content means that they will caramelize and brown beforeturningmushylikeregularzucchini.

2pounds(1kilo)small,tenderzucchiniromanesco4garliccloves⅓cup(230milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil¼to½teaspoonhotredpepperflakes1to2tablespoonswinevinegarSalt¼cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Slicethezucchiniintoverythinrounds.Peelandlightlycrushthegarliccloveswiththesideofyourknife.Heattheoilinalargefryingpanovermedium-highheat.Addthegarlicand

redpepperflakes,andcookuntilthegarlicbecomesgolden.Gentlyscoopitupanddiscardit,leavingthepepperbehind.Addthezucchinislices,andflipthemaroundinthepanuntiltheyturnadeep

goldenbrown.Youmayhavetodothisintwobatches,dependingonthesizeofyourpan.Youdefinitelydon’twant toovercrowd thepan, sinceyouwant thezucchinitocookasfastaspossible.Oncethezucchiniaretenderyetstillfirm,scoopthemoutanddrainthemona

papertowel.Thentossthemwththevinegarandsalt.Spreadthezucchinioutonaplatterandtopwithparsley.Thisdishisserved

roomtemperature.Ialsooftenuseitasatoppingforbruschettaorcrostini.

Note:Theamountofvinegardependsonhowstrongyourvinegar is andalso

howvinegaryyouwantthefinaldishtobe.Ierronthesideofless.

broccoloromanescoandanchovysalad

Serves4–6

TherearesomethingsthatIcan’tgetenoughof.Broccoloromanescoisoneofthem.This strange-looking, fractile bright green cruciferous vegetable is somesortofmash-upbetweencauliflowerandbroccoli.Butunlikebroccoli,itdoesn’thave that tendency to go all mushy. And unlike cauliflower … Well, isn’tcauliflowerjustaweebitboringinitssmooth,whitelookandcabbageytaste?Another thing I can never get enough of? Really good anchovies. I’m not

talkingaboutthosewimpyfiletsthatseemtofallapartatthelightesttouchandonlyreallytasteofsalt.I’mtalkingaboutbig,fat,thickanchoviesfromSicilyorSpainthathavebeenpackedintoajarfullofoliveoil.Ratherthanjusttastelikesalt,theyaretheessenceofthebrinyseawheretheycomefrom.Chewy,firm,andmeaty,theyholdtheirowninalmostanydish,andtheyalwaysmakethingsbetter.Thiswintersaladusedlemontoaddbrightnessandcouldn’tbesimpler.The

broccolo is briefly steamed, just enough to cook it through. I then make adressing of olive oil, Meyer lemon juice, grated rind, and enough choppedanchoviestosatisfyevenmyabsurdattractiontotheselittlefishies.Itosseverythingtogetherwhilethebroccoloisstillwarm,whichreallygives

theanchoviesandMeyerlemonachancetoshine.Thelongeryouletitsit,thebetter itgets.Iprefer thedishroomtemperature,whichiswhyI’mcallingitasalad.Andifyoudoputitinthefridge,makesureyouletitcomebacktoroomtemperaturebeforediggingin.

1Meyerlemon8biganchovyfillets,untreated¼cupfruityextra-virginoliveoil1mediumheadofbroccoloromanesco(seenote)SaltFreshlygroundblackpepper

Peel thelemonskinusingavegetablepeeler.Makesurenot topeelanyof thewhitepith.Chopfinelyandplaceinasmallbowl.Choptheanchovyfilletsinto¼-inch-sizedpieces.Placeinthebowlwiththe

lemonpeel.

Addtheoliveoilandthejuicefromthelemon.Stir.Letsitforatleastahalfhourbutnomorethan2hours,tolettheflavorsblend.Divide thebroccolo intobite-size florets.Try tokeep themintactsince they

aresogreatlooking.Steamforabout5minutes.Placethestill-hotbroccoloinawideshallowbowl.Pourthedressingoverand

tosscarefully.Cooltoroomtemperatureandserve.Addsaltandpeppertotaste.

Note: If you can’t find broccolo romanesco, you have my permission to usecauliflower.

{ chapter9 }

howtoeatpastalikearoman

I would love to tell you that my earliest memories of pasta involve a nonnarolling out paper-thin sheets of freshly made dough ready to assemble into abubbling tray of lasagna for a Sunday lunch. Or that I remember the entirefamilygatheredroundthekitchentable,meticulouslyassembling tiny tortelliniforaholidayfeast.EventhoughIhavemanydeliciousmemoriesoffoodwhilegrowingupinSt.

Louis (barbecue, fried chicken, and even tacos) pasta has absolutely no place.Not only was freshly made pasta off the radar, I don’t even remember driedpastainabox.No,myfirstforaysintopastawere100percenttypicalofa1960schildhoodinsuburbanSt.Louis.Yes,I’mtalkingaboutSpaghettiOs.Pastainacan.Withsauce.Readytoheat

up.Butdon’tworry, it’snotas ifweate thiseveryday.No.Itwassavedasaspecialtreat,formysistersandmetoenjoyonthenightsmyparentswentouttodinner. And as a extra-special treat? My mother would splurge and getSpaghettiOswithMeatballs.Wedidgettoenjoyoneother“authentic”pastaeverysooften:toastedravioli.

Fatmeat-filledraviolithatwerebreaded,thenfriedandservedwithamarinaradippingsauce.St.LouisactuallyhadalargeItaliancommunity,andthereweremany restaurants located in the area of town called “TheHill.” But if you’rethinkingdeep-friedraviolidoesn’tsoundveryItalian,you’reright.ItwasaSt.Louisinventionthroughandthrough.AllthisistosaythatwhenitcomestopastaIhadnopreconceptionswhenwe

arrived inItaly.But thestrange thing is thatwhenIbegan to thinkofmylife-changing childhood pasta memories concerning my family’s arrival in Italywhen I was twelve, I found I had none. I had vivid memories of things likeartichokes,pizzabianca,andveal,butpasta?Nothing.Ablank.ButwhenIsaynothing,it’snotthatwedidn’teatpasta.Wedid.Everyday.

Buttherewasnothingearth-shatteringorlife-changinginawayIcandescribe.OnedaywewereinSt.LouisopeningacanofSpaghettiOsandthenextdaywewereinRomediggingintoheapingbowlsofspaghettialpomodoro.Ithinkthishastodowiththefactthatweassimilatedsoquicklyandsodeeply

that almost immediately we were taking pasta for granted. Unlike pizza orgelato,whichwerestillreservedforspecialtreats,pastawasjustthere,showingupforatleastonemealeveryday.WehadbecomeItalian.ThestateofItaliancookingintheStateshasobviouslychangedsinceIleftSt.

Louisallthoseyearsago.AndevenifSpaghettiOsstillexist(IfollowthemonTwitter),mostpeoplearrivingasvisitorstoItalyhaveaprettygoodideaofwhatwell-made pasta tastes like. The Food Network, Mario Batali, and MarcellaHazanhavetakencareofthat.Andinfact,pastausuallyrankshighontheirlistof things“todo,”as in“WearegoingtoseetheColosseum,visit theVatican,andeatpasta.”Aseasyandstraightforwardasthismaysound,Igete-mailsandquestionsalmostdailyabouthowpeopleshoulddothis.Whereshouldtheyeatpasta?WhatisthebestpastainRome?Whatismyfavoritepasta?Andthen,ofcourse,therearethecookingquestions.You’dthinkthatwithall

the Italian cookbooks andwebsites out there all the possible questionswouldhavebeenansweredbeforetheywereevenasked.Sohere,fortherecord,aremyFAQsforpasta.

pasta:freshordried?

IwanttoadmitsomethingthatmightappeartobesomewhatcontroversialfromawriterwhopridesherselfontalkingaboutItalianfood.Idonotmakepasta.I’mnottalkingaboutcookingpastadishes,whichIdoallthetime.I’mtalking

about taking flour and eggs, mixing them together, and turning them intomiraculouslythinfettuccine,plumpravioli,ortinytortellini.Yes,I’veventuredinto gnudi, gnocchi, and other easy-to-form pastas. But the egg pasta thatinvolveseitherrollingoutasheetorpushingitthroughsomekindofmachine?Almostnever.I say almost never because I have a vague recollection of having made

fettuccineoneweekendwhilewewereoutinTodi,aboutfifteenyearsago.Thatvaguememoryof it beinghard,messy, and frustratingwas, I guess,what haskeptmypastamachineonthetopshelfofthepantryformorethanadecade.

I realize that if Ipracticedandgave itago, Icouldmaster freshpasta. I’vedone so with bread and pizza, which are equally messy and technicallychallenging endeavors involving flour andwater. I’ve come to the conclusionthatpartofmyresistancetopastamakingis thatI justdon’thaveto.AndthishaseverythingtodowithlivinginRome.IfIamcravingfreshpasta,therearestillplaceswhereIcanbuyit.Thereisa

family-runstoreinmyneighborhoodthatturnsoutbrightyellowsheetsoffreshpastadaily,readytobecutorstuffedintoalmostanyshapeIcanaskfor.

pastainrestaurants:isithandmade?

Thisisaquestionthatdrivesmecrazy.Aftersomeoneasksmeforarestaurantrecommendation, thefollow-upquestion isalmostalways“Dotheymake theirown pasta?” As if that is the deciding factor of a restaurant’s quality.Whilehandmadepasta,madefromflourandeggs,isdelicious,itisn’talwaystherightpastaforeverydish.AndinRome?Mostoftheiconicpastascallfordriedpasta.Handmade fettuccine is great when you’re talking about rich sauces like

Bologneseorameatyragufromfarthernorth.Thoserichsauces,fulloflusciousbutter and fatty meat, pair perfectly with the highly absorbent nature offettuccine, pappardelle, and tagliatelle. But when we start talking about theminimally beautiful pasta dishes of Rome, like carbonara, gricia, and cacio epepe, which have barely any addedmoisture, the pasta of choice is penne orrigatoni.

whyaren’tyoufat?

YouhavenoideahowoftenIamaskedthisquestion.That,ortheotherslightlydifferent version “Why aren’t Italians fat?” This question comes right on theheelsofthequestion“DoItalianseatpastaeveryday?”And“Howcanyoueatafirstcourseandasecondcourse?”Yes,wedoeatpastaeveryday.Andyes,evenIcanmanagetoeatapastacoursefollowedbyameatcourse.Butthepastawearealleatingcomesinaverycontrolledportion.Whenitcomestoeatingpasta,Italiansareverymeasurementconscious.Andit’saveryeasyformulatofollow:

100grams(3½ounces)orlessofpastaperperson.ItisneveraheapingportionlikeoneyouwouldexpectintheStates.

whatpastashouldweeatinrome?

These are the pasta dishes you are most likely to run into in almost anyrestaurantinRome.

CacioePepe: ThisisthesimplestofRomanpastas,withonlythreeingredients:pasta,cheese,andblackpepper.Itisalmostalwaysmadewithdriedpasta,andmuchdependsnotonlyonthequalityoftheingredients,butontheskillofthecook preparing it. The cheese, PecorinoRomano, needs to coat each piece ofpasta,withoutclumpingupatthebottomofthedish.Thesecretingredientisthepastacookingwater.

Pasta allaGricia: For some reason this one falls offmost radars. It’s like acacioepepewithguanciale.Or,ifyouprefer,carbonarawithouteggs.

Carbonara: Again,aminimalnumberofingredients:pasta,guanciale,cheese,andeggs.Carbonarahasbecomeveryfashionablelately,withchefsatMichelin-starredrestaurantsmakingdeconstructedversionsofit,andfoodbloggersgoingwildovertoptenlistsofthebestcarbonarainRome.Unfortunatelyit’sjustaseasy to get a bad dish of carbonara as a goodone.The key, as always, is thequalityoftheingredients.Theguancialeandeggsneedtobethebest,sincetheyprovidealltheflavor.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana: Thick strands of hollow pasta dressedwith a richsauce of tomatoes and guanciale. Be careful, since bucatini can be the mostdangerousofpastastoeat.Thethickstrandsoftomato-coatedpastatendtoflipbackandforthuncontrollablyastheyworktheirwaytoyourmouth,makingthefrontofyourshirtlooklikeaJacksonPollockpainting.Thisisthetimetotuckthatnapkinintoyourcollar.

wheninrome…rulesforeatingpasta

1.Nobread:Sincepastaisastarch,breadisnevereatenwiththiscourse.

2.Don’tcut!:Ifyouorderlongpasta,likespaghetti,bucatini,orfettuccine,pleasedon’tcutit.It’smeanttobetwirledonyourfork.Practicemakesperfect.

3.Easyonthecheese:Mosttrattorieservepastawithjustenoughcheesealreadyonit.Evenifalittledishofcheeseisservedontheside,don’toverdoit.Romansdon’t.

eatingpastainrome

ItisalmostimpossibletofindarestaurantinRomethatdoesn’tservepasta.Thatsaid,hereareahandfulofmyfavoriteswhereIgoforaspecificdish.

SoraMargheritaPiazzadelleCinqueScole30,39-06-687-4216Theirunique takeoncacioepepe:handmadefettuccine,PecorinoRomano,

blackpepper,andamassivedollopoffreshricotta.

PerilliViaMarmorata,39-06-575-5100MyfavoritecarbonarainRome.I’malsopartialtotheirrigatoniwithasauce

madefromcodaallavaccinara,or“oxtail.”

TrattoriaMontiViaSanVito15A,39-06-446-6573Althoughit’snottypicallyRoman,sometimesyouwantsomethingdifferent.

IgotoTrattoriaMontifortheirfamoustortolloni,ahugetypeofraviolistuffedwithricottaandabarelycookedeggyolk.

DaniloViaA.Petrarca,39-06-772-00111AlthoughalmostallRomantrattorieservegnocchionThursdays,Daniloadds

their own special twist. Rather than serving gnocchi al ragù, they dress themwithapestomadefrompistachiosandflavoredwithchunksofguanciale.

recipes

swisschardgnudi(Seethephotographhere.)

Serves4

I already admitted that when it comes to making pasta, I’m a disaster. I’mtalkingabouttraditionaleggandflourpastathatgetsrolledoutsuperthinandcutintosheetsorstripstomakelasagnaorfettuccine.ButIamkindofcrafty,andlike forming thingswithmyhands,which iswhyI likemakinggnocchi.Theycan definitely be lumped in the pasta category, are handmade, but are muchmore forgiving in terms of eventual success. And they are superimpressive,whichIlove.This is a recipe for gnudi, which you can think of as either ravioli filling

without the ravioli (and gnudi doesmean “naked”) or a potatoless version ofgnocchi. You can play around with the ingredients (my friend Evan makesamazinglybeautifulpinkonesusingbeets),andifyoudon’tgettheproportionsquiteright,theyareveryforgiving.Althoughtheylookkindoffussy,onceyougetgoingtheyshapeupprettyquickly.

2cupscookedSwisschard3garliccloves,unpeeled1½cupsdrained,freshwhole-milkricotta½cupgratedParmesancheese1teaspoonsaltFreshlygroundblackpepper1cup(100grams)all-purposeflour6tablespoons(¾stick/90grams)unsaltedbutter8freshsageleaves

Thisisthekindofrecipeyoureallywanttousefreshvegetablesfor.AlthoughIrealizethatfrozenspinachcanbeagodsend,trytouptheantehere.Anddofeelfreetoexperimentwithotherkindsofveggies.Imentionedbeetsearlier,butyoucanalsousezucchinior leafygreens.The important thing to remember is thatonceyouhavecookedthem,youwanttoletthemdrainasmuchaspossibletoget the water out. If you’re using greens, grab them and really squeeze the

moistureout.Dittofor thericotta.Thisshouldbedrainedofasmuchliquidaspossible.Rinse andwilt theSwiss chard in barely enough boilingwater to cover the

bottomofthepan.Placetheunpeeledgarlicclovesontopofthegreens,sothatthey steamaswell.When thevegetables are cooked, drain them.Pickout thegarlicclovesandpeelthem.Place the Swiss chard, peeled garlic, and ricotta in a food processor and

processuntilsmooth.TransferthemixturetoabowlandaddtheParmesancheese,salt,andpepper

andstir tocombinewell.Startadding the flour,¼cupata time,mixingwell.Youmaynotneedallofit;itwilldependonhowwetyourveggiesandricottaare.Theaimistouseaslittleflourasnecessaryandonlyenoughtoholdthingstogether.Withflouredhandsgentlyformthedoughintosmalloval-shapedgnudi.Each

oneshoulduseaboutatablespoonofthemix.Placeonflouredbakingsheet.Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Melt the butter in a small pan.Add the sage and let it sizzle for aminute.

Removefromtheheat.Cook the gnudi in the pot of salted water as you would gnocchi. You’ll

probably have to cook them in about three batches.Gently slip them into theboilingwater,thenassoonastheybobtothesurface,in3to4minutes,scoopthemupandoutwithaslottedspoon.Transferthemtoaheateddishwhileyoucooktheremaininggnudi.Toserveplacethegnudiinindividualdishesandspoonoverthesagebutter.

TopwithextragratedParmesancheese.

carbonara(Seethenextpage,inthebackground.)

Serves4to5

I know I repeat this over and over, butwith these simple recipes, ingredientsmakeall thedifference. Ifyoucanget importedpasta, thenuse it here. I loveFaella,whichcomesfromGragnano,outsideofNaples.Asforguanciale,Iknowit’shardtofind,butdotry.Ifyouhavetosubstitutethick-cutbacon,that’sOK,butnotsmoked,anddefinitelynotlean!(Youwantthatfat.)Eggsarethemainingredienthere,andyouwillbeeatingthemraw.Somakethemfarmers’marketfreshplease,ifpossible.Although I use a sharp Pecorino Romano for dishes like cacio e pepe and

amatriciana, formycarbonara Iactuallyprefer themilder tasteofParmigiano-Reggiano.Iknowit’snot100percenttraditional,butitmaymakethingseasierforyou,sincegoodPecorinoRomanoishardtofind.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil6ounces(150grams)guanciale,cutintosmallcubes1pound(500grams)rigatoni4eggyolks1eggwhite½cupgratedParmigiano-ReggianoormildPecorinoRomanocheeseFreshlygroundblackpepper

Heatapanlargeenoughtoholdallthepastaovermediumheat,andpourintheoliveoil.Addtheguancialeandcookjustuntilitstartstorenderitsfatandgetcrispat theedges;youwant it tostaychewy,andnotgetbrownandhard likebacon.Turnoffheat,anddoIhavetosayit?Donotdrainthefat?Well,I’llsayit:Donotdrain thefat.This isoneof themain ingredientsof thisdish. Ifyouwantsomethingwithnoporkfat,thisdishisn’tforyou.Puttheeggyolksandeggwhiteinalargeservingbowl,Beatjustenoughto

breakuptheyolks.Addthegratedcheeseandpepperandmixwellwithaforktocreateacreamy“sauce.”Ifindthisisthesecrettoagreatcarbonara,mixingthegratedcheesewiththeeggsbeforeyouaddthepasta.Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthepastaandcookuntilonthe

hardsideofaldente;youwillbeaddingthepastatothehotguancialeandalsolettingitsitabitwiththeegg-cheesemixture,soyoudon’twanttoovercookit.Inthemeantime,reheattheguanciale.Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the hot pasta cooking water. Add the

drainedpastatothepanwiththeguanciale,stirringandmakingsureyoucoatthepastawellwiththecontentsofthepan.Turnoffheatandtransferthepastatothebowlwiththeegg-cheesemixture.

Tosswell,addingabitofthereservedpastacookingwaterifyouthinkitistoothick.Coverthebowlwithalid,andletsitfor2minutestolettheeggssetabit.Removethelid,stironemoretime,andserve.

cacioepepewitharugula

Serves4to5

I can’t help futzingwith classics.Which iswhy, nine times out of ten, I addsomesortofgreentotheclassiccacioepepe.Hereistherecipe,whichyouarewelcome to futzwithasyousee fit,addinganyotherkindofgreenat the lastminute.Ideally you should use a hard-grating pecorino. In a pinch, you can use

Parmesan,butitwillhaveadifferenttaste—sweeterandlessstrong.Thetrickistofindacheesethatishardandwithahighfatcontentsothatitmeltswithoutclumping.

1pound(500grams)pasta(Ilikerigatoni)1½cupsgratedPecorinoRomanocheese2tablespoonsfreshlygroundblackpepper,ormoretotaste2bunchesarugula,washedandroughlychopped

Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthepastaandcookuntilaldente.Drainthepasta,reserving1cupofthepastacookingwater.Transferthepasta

toalarge,heatedbowl.Sprinkleon½cupofthecheeseandtoss,adding¼cupof the reserved pasta water. Mix well, adding the pepper and the rest of thecheeseandasmuchwater asyouneed tokeep it allmoist.Youdon’twant itwatery,butyoudowantitcreamy.Quicklymixinthegreens,distributingthemwell.Serve immediately. This pasta starts to seize up right away, so you want

everyoneseatedat the tableasyoudrain thepasta.Somerestaurants inRome,likeDaniloandFelice,evenmakeabigshowofpreparingthedish infrontofthetable.

{ chapter10 }

stockingmypantry

Ifyoureadmyblog,youmighthave the impression that Iamsuperorganized,alwayshavethreemealsonthetable,andmanagetophotographandwriteabouteveryone.You’dbeverywrong.Actually, I used to be very organized. From the time Iwas in high school,

when Iwas in charge of cooking for our family, Iwould research out all themenus,makeagrocerylist,andhaveeverythingplannedandreadyfortheweek.Thiscontinuedinuniversity,whereIcookednotonlyformyselfbutalsoformyroommates.WhileI let themdecidewhat theywouldtakewiththemfor luncheach day, dinners were my domain and TheMoosewood Cookbook was mybible.Graduateschoolwaseasier,sinceIwasonmyownandhadnoonetobossaround.Iwasthemasterplanner,andmealtimesranlikeclockwork.Andevenduringmyfirst fewyearsofmarriageandsmallchildren, Iwasa

fan of weeklong meal plans accompanied by detailed shopping lists. I wasalwaysprepared.I’mnotsosurewhenthisallstartedtofallapart.Butatsomepoint,mylazy

naturebegan toassert itself.Actually, itwasn’t that Iwas lazy, just that Iwasbusydoingotherthings(likewritingbooks)andsomymealtimeorganizationalskills fellby thewayside.Thankgodmypassion for shoppingsavedme fromcompletedisaster.WhenitcomestoItalianpantryitems,Iamashopaholic.Iadmitit.Ifithasa

cute label, then there is a good chance I will buy it. Somy pantry is alwaysprettymuch stocked to overflowing.While Imay think I have nothing in thehouse to prepare for dinner, I’m always wrong. I can invariably wranglesomethingfromthecans,bags,andboxesthatfillupmycupboard.IlovethewordforpantryinItalian:dispensa.UsuallyinItalian,wordshave

veryspecificmeaning,butdispensahasthree,allofwhichIbelieveapplytome,and particularly at that time of day when dinnertime is looming. The first

definition ofdispensa is “pantry.” I’ve been attached to thewordpantry eversinceIfellinlovewithLittleHouseonthePrairie.Therewasneverameallaidontheroughwoodentablethatdidn’t involveatriptoMa’spantry.Idreamedthat one day I, too, would have my own little house (not necessarily on theprairie) with a well-stocked pantry from which comforting, nourishing mealswouldsomehowmiraculouslybegin.ThesecondmeaningofdispensaisoneIlearnedonlyrecently,whensittingin

onItaliancookingschoolclasses.Atthebeginningoftheclasstheteacherwouldpass out a sheet of paper that was called the dispensa. Listing not only theingredients and recipes, the paper would also outline exactly what we’d belearning over the course of the class. While no one is handing me a list ofinstructions when I go to make dinner, I like to think that my well-stockedpantryissomehowadvisingme,lettingmeknowwhatwewillbecoveringfortonight’sdinner.And finally, dispensa also translates as “dispensation,” as in “you are

forgiven” (in theCatholic religionor ina legalkindofway),ornothaving toadhere toanypreviouslyagreeduponrules,which iskindofanice ideawhendinnercomesaround.Oneof the reasons thatmypantry is sowell stocked ismyconstant fearof

neverbeingabletofindthatspecialingredienteveragain.Iamacompleteandutter sucker for the handmade, artisanal, heritage, and limited-production foodproduct.Ifthereisafarmers’market,Iamthere.Andthereisn’tanItalianfoodfairthatIhaven’tbeentomanytimesover.WhenI’mwalkingaroundtheaislesofSlowFood’sSalonedelGusto inTorino, or theTaste fair inFlorence, I’mthere to do research, to discover the latest andmost obscure. I tastemywaythroughthingslikepickledgarlicshoots,Sardiniansmokedfishroe,andcheesesagedinmountaintopcaves.WhilemanyofthethingsItryarethereonlyforthetasting, even more are for sale, and I’m sure that one of the reasons I haveshoulder problems is due tomy tendency to overloadmy shopping bagswithkilosofbeans,cansoffish,andbottlesofbalsamicthatgetluggedonthetrain,backtoRome,tofillmydispensa.SoeventhoughIampastthedayswhenIwouldmakeupdetailedmealplans

fortheweek,Idon’treallyhavetoworry,sincewithoutreallyeventrying,mycupboardisrarelybare.

bestplacestostockupyourpantryinrome

CastroniViaNazionale71,39-06-489-8744 Castroni is where you go in Rome when you can’t find that hard-to-get

essential ingredient. Cranberries for Thanksgiving? Check. Soba noodles?Check.ThesprawlingstoreoffColadiRienzo(andthenewlylocatedstoreonVia Nazionale) is where expats—and Romans—go for exotic and foreigngoodies. But it also has one of the best selections of Italian pantry items likeoliveoil,balsamicvinegar,mostarda,coffee,andchocolates.

EatalyPiazzaleXII,Ottobre1492,39-06-902-79201 One-stop shopping for just about everything an Italian pantry could want,

fromoliveoil–packedtunatoartisanalpasta.

D.O.L.ViaDomenicoPanaroli6,39-06-2430-0765 This small shop, located outside of Rome’s center in the Tuscolana

neighborhood, is runby thepassionateVincenzoMacino,whohasmade ithispersonal goal to revive andmake available, commercially and sustainably, thefoodofLazio. Inaddition tocheeseandcuredmeats,you’ll findplenty to fillyourpantry:oliveoils,vinegars,driedpastas,jams,andlegumes.

EmporiodelleSpezieViaLucadellaRobbia20,39-327-861-2655OneofthebestspicestoresinRomeislocatedintheTestaccioneighborhood.

stockingyouritalianpantry

Extra-VirginOliveOil. Thisisyourbasicingredient,somakeitcount.Don’tassumethattheoliveoilyoubuyinthesupermarketthatislabeledextra-virginItalianoliveoil is that. If it’s cheap, thenchances are that it’s eithernot extravirgin or not even Italian.The bestway to get the best olive oil is to go to atrustedsource.

Anchovies. The best come in clear glass jars, to better display the fat fillets.Youcanusethosepackedeitherinsaltorinoil.Iuseandloveboth,fordifferentreasons.IfIhavemoretime,thenI’llmaketheefforttousethoseinsalt.Theyare fiddly since they involve soaking, and then filleting, but the large sturdyfilletsarebeautiful.Ontheotherhand,ifyoufindgood-qualityfilletspackedinoliveoil,thatissomucheasier.Theonlyproblemisthattheyusuallycostabitmore.

Capers. Thebestcaperscomefromthe islandsaroundSicily,Pantelleria,andtheAeolian Islands. If you can find thempacked in salt, get those, since theyhaveamuchpurertastethanthosepackedinbrineorvinegar.Theyjustneedasoak(oraparboil)toremovetheexcesssalt.

Tuna. I considerwater-packed tuna to be the equivalent of boneless, skinlesschickenbreasts.Inotherwords,whybother?High-qualityoliveoil–packedtunais a thing of beauty and delicious, and an essential component of any well-stocked pantry. Ventresca, or belly tuna, is the best. Known as toro in sushirestaurants, the canned version is supertender, flavorful, and rich. It’s alsopricey,soyoumightjustwanttouseregularoil-packedtuna.

Beans. Dried beans are always going to be better than canned beans, but Irealizethatyoumighthavelast-minuteemergencies.Soit’sbesttoalwayshavebothinyourpantry.

Tomatoes. Ifpossible,trytogetyourhandsonimportedtomatoesfromItaly.Ialwayskeepavarietyinmypantry,includingpeeled(pelati)SanMarzano,bothcrushedandpureed.Thebest,though,arecannedcherrytomatoesfromSicilyoraroundNaples.

Sardines. Tuna is not the only canned fish. You’d be amazedwhat a can ofgoodsardinescanaddtoapastadish.

Olives. A few jars, with pits please, of both black and green. Don’t feelcommitted to Italian imports, since those from Turkey, Greece, Spain, andFrancearejustasgood.

Pasta. Ifthereisoneitemyoustockyourpantrywith,itshouldbeseveralbagsofgood-qualitypasta.AndwhenIsaygoodquality,Ireallydomeanthat.Trytobuyimportedpasta,whichhasbeenair-driedslowly.Industriallymadepasta—especially that made in the United States—can’t compare in taste or texture.BrandsI like, thatareavailableabroad:Martelli,Rustichelli,Faella,BenedettoCavallieri,andGarafolo.

pantryricesalad

InItalyit’sstillprettycommontoeatseasonally.Noonewouldeverdreamofhavingpomodorialriso(rice-stuffedtomatoes)orfriselle(tomato-toppedrusks)inthedeadofwinterbecausewhereonearthwouldthosetomatoescomefrom?And anythingwithcavolo nero (kale) is for the coldmonths only.The eatingseasonally thing ismostly tied to ingredients, obviously. But there are certaindishes that could, in theory, bemade year-round but are reserved for specificseasonsbecause,well,theyjustare.Insalatadiriso(ricesalad)isoneofthosedishes.It’ssimplyboiledricewith

choppedrawvegetablesaswellasafewpreservedones.Addoliveoil,salt,andpepper,andyou’vegotyourdish.Intheoryyoucouldeatityear-round,varyingitseasonbyseasonwiththeadditionofdifferentvegetables.Butno. I think there isprobablyan Italian law that says insalatadi risocan

onlybe eatenduring the summer.And just in caseyouare confusedas to theofficial start of insalata di riso season, just take a stroll down any aisle in asupermarketandyouaresuretobefacedwithalargedisplayofCondiriso.Yes.Thereisaspecificmixofpreservedvegetablesthatisusedforinsalatadi

risothatisavailableonlyduringthesummer.WhileI’musuallyonthe“freshisbetter” team, like any good Italian housewife, I, too,make sure I stock up ontheselittlejars.But of course I’ve developedmy own version of rice salad over the years,

which manages to mix both fresh and preserved vegetables. Why includeanythingina jar,youmaywonder?BecauseI likericesaladthat includesthatpickle-y,brinytaste.Littlechunksofolives,carrots,andonionsthathavehadagoodlongvinegarsoak.AndIalwayschoosetheleggero,or“light,”versionofCondiriso, which means the goodies are preserved in brine, not in olive oil,whichmakesthemnotonlylighter,butevenmoresour.I also break from traditional Italian insalata di riso tradition by using the

wrong kind of rice.Most Italians use parboiled rice, which is labeled clearly“perinsalatadiriso.”Thegrainscookupallniceandseparate,withnogummystarch thing happening. But I prefer the chewiness of arborio or carnaroli,whichmakesmyinsalatadirisomuchlesscaffetteria-style.(AtleastIthinkso.)When do I make insalata di riso? In the summer, naturally. (I’m not that

iconoclastic.) Specifically, it’s become a tradition to make it on the days my

sisters are arriving for their annual visits from the States. Since I never quiteknowexactlywhattimetheywillgettothehouseinUmbriafromtheairportinRome,it’seasierifIhavesomethingalreadymadeandwaiting.

recipes

insalatadiriso{ricesalad}

Serves8

3cups(¾liter)chickenbroth1tablespoonsalt1pound(½kilo)arboriorice1jarCondiriso,drained1redbellpepper,seededandchopped2carrots,peeledandchopped2tomatoes,chopped2celerystalks,chopped¼cupextra-virginoliveoilJuiceof1lemon1cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsleyFreshlygroundblackpepper

Bringthechickenbrothandenoughwatertofillapotlargeenoughtocookallthericetoaboil.Addthesalt.Addthericeandcookuntildonebutnotmushy.Drain.Whilethericeiscooking,puttheCondorisoandchoppedvegetablesinalarge

bowl.Addtheoliveoil,lemonjuice,andparsley.Addthewarmdrainedricetothevegetablemixture.Stirandletcometoroom

temperature. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add as much lemon juice andfreshlygroundpepperasyou’dlike.

Note:I’veactuallyseenCondirisoforsaleintheStates.Anotheroptionistobuya jar of giardiniera, amix of pickled vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, andcelery.Justmakesureyouchopthelargerpiecesfinely.

Variations:Youcanadd just about anythingelseyou’d like.Otherherbs likebasilandchivesaregreat.Alsoaddanyotherchoppedrawveggieslikezucchinior scallions. Ifyouwant to throw in some tuna tomake itmoreof aone-dishmeal,thatworks,too.Or,ifyou’refeelingporky,thinlyslicedhotdogsareoften

mysecret ingredient.For real.Feta is lovely.And,ofcourse, ifyou’re feelinghealthy,anysortofgrainwilldo:brownrice,farro,evenbarley.

pastawithsardinesandroastedtomatoes

Serves5to6asafirstcourse

Mypantry is alwayswell stockedwith fish.Notyourusual cansofdrywhitetunainwater,butcansofdelicious,oilysardines,mackerel,andfattyventrescatuna.While theventresca tuna canbe expensive, I’malways surprised at howcheap both the sardines and the mackerel are, and equally shocked at theseingredientsaren’tmorewidelyusedinpastasauces.Last summer when my mother-in-law came to visit up in Umbria, she

carefully packed in her suitcase a kilo of handmade orecchiette. Since it wassummer,Ihadplentyoftomatoesonhand,andsoroastedthemathighheattotosswiththepasta.WhileI’dusuallyaddafewhandfulsofgratedricottasalatacheesetofinish,thistimeIdecidedtoskipthedairy(bothSophieandEmmaaregettingtobeslightlylactoseintolerant)infavorofoneofmybeautifullylabeledcansofsardines.Mymother-in-lawwasabitskepticalasIwasdumpingcansoffishontoher

carefully carried, handmade, fresh orecchiette. “Cosi’? Senza fare niente?”(“Likethat?Withoutdoinganythingtothem?”)PuttingcannedfoodontopastawasobviouslysomethingonlyanAmericandaughter-in-lawcouldthinkup.

Alldoubts fadedawayonceshe tasted thepasta.“None’male.” (“Notbad.”)From an Italian mother-in-law? That’s more or less the equivalent of twoMichelinstars.

2pounds(1kilo)freshplumorcherrytomatoesSaltHotredpepperflakes3teaspoonsdriedoregano6garliccloves,thinlysliced

⅓cup(70milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil1pound(500grams)pasta(Iusedorecchiette,butyoucanuseanyotherpasta)3.8-ounce(110-gram)cangood-qualitysardinesAhandfuloffreshbasilleaves

Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).Slicethetomatoesinhalflengthwise.Laythemonabakingsheetinonelayer,

cutsidefacingup.(Youmayneedtwobakingsheets.)Sprinklewithsalt, redpepperflakes,andoregano.Slip theslicedgarlic into

thetomatoesanddrizzleliberallywitholiveoil;themorethebetter.Roastintheovenuntilthetomatoeshavebeguntoshrivelupandbrown,about45minutes.Inthemeantime,bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Whenthetomatoes

arealmostdone,boilthepasta,cookinguntilaldente.Drain,reserving½cupofthe pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl, and scrape thetomatoes onto the pasta. Pour the reserved hot pasta water onto the bakingsheet(s),anduse it to scrapeup thebitsofbrowned tomatoesand their juices.Pourthatonthepastaaswellandtosstocombine.Addthesardinestothepasta,breakingthemupwithawoodenspoon.Addthefreshbasilandserve.

cavatelliwithtunaandlemon

Serves5

Most people take tuna for granted. It’s that can you keep in the pantry for anemergency. And if you’re likemost, you sort of think of tuna as a relativelyinexpensivediet food, and sobuy the small canspacked inwater,which tasteaboutasinterestingascatfood.Butthere’sawholeotherworldoftunaoutthere.Ventrescatunaisfromthe

belly, and so is very tender, very fatty, and extremely flavorful. It’s alwayspackagedinflatcanstopreservetheshapeof thefillets,andalwayspackedinoliveoil.And,forsomereason,theold-fashionedcansalwayshavefantasticallybeautifullabels,whichmakesmeoverbuy.Althoughyoudon’thave toaddmuch toacanof fine tuna to turn it intoa

topping for pasta, you probably also have lemons, capers, and olives around,whichmakeitevenbetter.

1pound(500grams)cavatelliSalt16blackolives,pitted2tablespoonscapers2garliccloves,crushed¼cupextra-virginoliveoil½teaspoonhotredpepperflakesGratedzestandjuiceof1untreatedlemonOne3.5-ounce(100-gram)canimportedventrescatuna½cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoboil,addthepasta,andcookuntilaldente.Meanwhile,inalargebowlcombinetheolives,capers,garlic,oil,redpepper

flakes, lemon zest, and juice and stir well. Add the tuna, broken into largechunks.Whenthepastaisaldente,drain,reserving½cupofthepastacookingwater.

Transferthepastatothebowlwiththetunamixtureandtossgently.Addabitofthereservedcookingwatertomoisten.Addthechoppedparsley,toss,andserve.

strongtomatosauce

Serves5

OneofthebiggestpropertyownersinmypantryisthejarsandjarsoftomatoesthatourfriendPaoloputsupeveryAugustandgivestous.Peoplesooftenthinkabout these “canned things” as somehow not vegetables anymore, but just avehicleforsauce.Andtheothermisconceptionthatpeoplehaveisthatpastaisnotadietfood.Theevilcarbohydrateraisesitshead.Butdiet isabouthowmuchyoueat,ofcourse. Ifyoueat loadsofpasta (or

anything,forthatmatter),you’regoingtogainweight.Andifyouloadtonsofoilandcheeseontopofthat,well…youknowwherethisisgoing.So,herefollowsmyanswertowhattomakewhenyourpantryisbareandyou

maybewanttostart theyearonaslightlylighternote.Thingstonote:I’vecuttheoilwaydown,whichisn’talwaysthewayIdothings.ButinthiscaseI’vedoubledtheamountoftomatoesIusuallyuseandcookedthemdownevenmoretoboostflavor.Andtoaddmorezing,I’vethrowninahandfulofolives—nottoomany,justafewtogivetextureandcolorandabitof“oliveyness.”I’vealsoadded anchovies, so yes, this is really puttanesca (but with less oil, which Iconsideroneofthemainingredientsofputtanescasauce).And a word about amounts of pasta. It bears repeating about the whole

quantitything.Morepastaequalsmorecalories.Now,Idon’tknowaboutyourfamily, but inmine asmuch pasta as gets cooked gets eaten. So like a goodItaliancookImeasureoutmypasta.Foradishlikethis,withsuchalightsauce,I use 100 grams (3½ ounces) per person. (Nomore than that.) For a heaviersauce,oronewithalotmorevegetables,Icutitbackto75(2.6ounces)oreven50grams(1.7ounces)aperson.

4teaspoonsextra-virginoliveoil6garliccloves,chopped½teaspoonhotredpepperflakes4anchovies8blackolives,pitted4cupspelati(peeledwholeSanMarzanotomatoes)withtheirjuices2cupscannedcrushedtomatoes1pound(500grams)farfalle(seenote)About½cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Heattheoliveoilovermediumheatinapanlargeenoughtoholdallthecookedpastaandsauce.Addthegarlicandcookforjustacoupleofminutes,thenaddtheredpepperflakes,anchovies,andolives.Cook,stirring,until theanchoviesstarttofallapart,about2minutes.Addthe tomatoesandtheir juices.Thiswillseemlikea lotof tomatoesand

juices,butyou’rereallygoingtocookitdownalot.Turntheheattomedium-high and let the sauce really bubble away.Youmayhave to put one of thosesplattershieldsonthepot,butyoudon’twanttocoverit.Youwantthesaucetoreducetoaboutone-fourthofwhatyoustartedwith.Thisshouldtakeonlyabout20minutesorso,ifyouarereallycookingonmedium-highheat.Inthemeantime,bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboilandcookthepasta

untilaldente.Drain,addthepastatothesauceinthepan,andcookuntilheatedthrough, scraping in any bits of dried sauce that have stuck to the sides ofthepan.Topwithparsleyandserve.

Note:Ofcourseyoucanuseanothershapeofpasta.ButsometimesIfeelasifI’mgettingintoapennerut.

beanandtunasalad

Serves4

During the summer, I like to make up a big bowl of some type of salad onSunday,tohavesomethingtoseeusthroughaweekoflunches.Moreoftenthannotit’sagrainorricesalad.Andofcourse,theperennialstandby:beanandtunasalad.WhileIusuallyaddsomethingbrightandcolorfullikebellpeppersorcherry

tomatoestoabeansalad,Iamoftenforcedtoraidthepantry.Anexcellentcanof olive oil–packed tuna and a beautiful red onion from Tropea come to therescue.Aheftypourofoliveoilandsomefreshlygroundblackpepperturnitallintoalight,yetdelicious,Sundaylunch,withplentyleftovertoseeusthroughatleastthreemorelunchesduringtheweek.

2cupsdriedbeans(seenote)One8.8-ounce(250-gram)canoliveoil–packedtuna1largeredonion,chopped1bigbunchflat-leafparsley,leavesroughlychoppedSaltFreshlygroundblackpepperExtra-virginoliveoil

Putthedrainedcookedbeansintoalargebowl.Openthetunaandaddittothebeans,alongwith theoliveoil it ispacked in. (Comeon,youcando it.Don’tdrainthatgood,tuna-flavoredoilaway!)Add the onion and parsley, and stir. Season with salt and abundant black

peppertotaste.Youmayneedabitmoreoliveoil.This is the basic version. If you do end up making it to have for lunches

duringtheweek,theneachdayyoucanaddsomethingelsetochangethingsup.Aslicedtomatoisalwaysgreat.Somechoppedbellpeppers.Ialsolovecelery.It’suptoyou.

Note:Beans:Yes,youcanusecannedbeans.Butasalways,driedaresomuchbetter(orfreshifyoucangetthem).Ifyouareusingdriedbeans,soakthemforat least 6 hours, then cook in abundant salted water just until tender. Do notovercook.Whenyou’remakingbeansalad,abitofabite isagood thing,andyoudefinitelywanttoavoidthemushfactor.

{ chapter11 }

bringinghomethepancetta

Some husbands come home to theirwiveswith a bunch of tulips or a box ofchocolates.Myhusband?He’smore likely to lughomeawheelofpecorino,abagofdriedpeppers,oracratefulloflemons.Becausehefiguredoutearlyonthatifhebroughtmesomethingtocookwith,itwasawin-winforeveryone.I’dbe thrilled to have some incredibly delicious ingredient to play with. AndDomenico?Well,he’stheveryhappybeneficiaryofallthatplayingaround.While it didn’t take Domenico long to figure out I preferred sausages and

dried cannellini beans to earrings and perfume, he’s definitely refined his giftgiving over the years.While his travels certainly dictatewhat he comes backhome with (chocolate from Switzerland, lemons from Amalfi, and pistachiosfromSicily), there isone ingredient thathashogged itsway to the front lines:pork.Ninetimesoutoften,myhusbandcomeshomewithsomekindofpig.Hetakesthephrase“bringinghomethebacon”veryseriously.Ihavea few theoriesaboutwhyDomenicocomeshomewithporkasagift

more often than anything else. First of all there is the fact that most ofDomenico’s architectural restoration projects take place in central Italy, inUmbria and Tuscany. This is big pork-eating country, and many of thecontractors or farmersDomenico comes into contact with not only raise theirown animals but also take great pride in curing pancetta, guanciale, andprosciutto.Domenicoalsolovesshopping.Sowhenhe’soutataworksiteinTuscanyor

Umbria,he’llalwaysdiscoverthemostfamousbutcherinthearea,andgoonashoppingspree.Andsincehecan’tleavefreshlybutcheredporkchopsinacarthatwill sit around all day, curedmeatwill do just fine.And here he doesn’tlimit himself to the expected pancetta or guanciale. The stranger, the better isDomenico’smottowhenitcomestoshoppingatthebutcher’s.While Idon’taccompanyDomenicoon theseshopping forays, it’sas if I’m

there, sincehephonesmeat leastadozen times tomakesurehe’sgetting the

right things.My input isusuallyaboutquantity. “No,we reallyonlyneedoneprosciutto.Really.Onewillbemorethanenough.”But somehow this never happens. Domenico often gets into a pork-buying

frenzyandtheresultisthatmyrefrigeratorisalmostalwaysfullofhugeslabsofcuredpork.EventhoughIendupgivingbitsandpiecestomyfriends,I’mstillleftwithalotoflardtoworkthrough.Iknowrightnowyou’reprobablygettingabitworriedaboutthestateofour

arteries.But along theway I’veadopted the Italianmethodofusingporkas aseasoning.Yes.Everythingtastesbetterwithabitofporkaddedtoit.We are not huge consumers of meat in our household. Vegetables, pastas,

grains,andbeansmakeupa largepercentageofourdinners.ButI figuredoutearlyonwhatmostItaliansalreadyknow:Alittlebitofporkfatcangoalongwayinmakinganordinaryplateofalmostanythingextraordinary.AndI’mnottalkingabouthavingbaconforbreakfasteverymorning.Thisphilosophyisactually tiednot toanabundanceofpork(oranykindof

meat,forthatmatter)butrathertoalackofit.Cucinapovera,“poorcooking,”wasawaytotakeinexpensiveingredientsandnotonlymakethemtastebetter,butaddmuch-neededcaloriestoadishthatwasotherwiseprettymeager.Inthiswayonesmallchunkofpancettacouldbeaddedtoavegetabledish,makingitnotonlymoresavory,butmorefillingaswell.

curedporkandtravel

UntilMay 2013, itwas strictly forbidden to import any type of pork into theUnitedStatesfromItaly.Thelawdatedtothetimeswhentrichinosisandotherpork-bornepathogenswereareal issue.Thesedaysthereisnomoredangerofdevelopinglockjawfromasliceofprosciutto,sotheUSDAhasfinallybeguntoopentheborders.Asofthewritingofthisbook,youstillmusthaveanofficialimportpermit,sostickingthatsalamiinyoursuitcaseisstilloff-limits.Butkeepyour eyes out for further loosening of the law, as well as a slew of Italianimports.

guancialeversuspancetta

One of the best investments that you canmake, in terms of stocking up yourporklarder,isabigchunkofpancettaorguanciale.Botharecutsofcuredpork,andareoftencomparedtoandtranslatedasbacon.

Pancetta:Curedporkbelly.

Guanciale:Curedporkjowl.

Guanciale,whichinItalyhasagreaterratioofleantofat,hasastrongerporkflavor than pancetta and is the cut that is traditionally used in Roman pastadisheslikecarbonara,gricia,andamatriciana.Butdon’tgetoverlyupsetifyoucan’tfindit;pancettawilldojustfine.Ifyoumustsubstitutebacon,useonethatisnotsmoked,andifyoucanfindslabbaconallthebetter,sinceyouwanttocutitinchunks,notflimsystrips.Storing: My neighbors in Umbria store their cured pork in a cold cellar,

hanging it from the ceiling. I’m sure it keeps just fine, but since our home inRome is too warm, I stash mine in the refrigerator. A well-cured piece ofpancettaorguancialewillkeepforafewmonths,ifyoutreatitwell.Wrapitinapieceofpapertowelandthencoveritwithapieceoflooselywrappedaluminumfoil.Donotwrapitinanytypeofplastic,sincethatwillencouragemold.Don’tworryiftheporkgetsabitdriedout;itwillstilltastegood.

wheninrome…eatingpork

Don’tmissthefollowingpastadishes,whichfeatureguanciale:pastaallagricia,spaghettiallacarbonara,andbucatiniall’amatricianaStopbyNorcineriaViola(Campode’Fiori)forafull-onporkimmersion.Manyalimentari(delicatessens)willpreparesimplesandwichesonthespotforyou.Justchooseyourmeat,andthey’llsplitopenafreshroll,andfillitupwithsalami,prosciutto,ormortadella.

recipesI’vebecomeamasterofmakingsomethingoutofalmostnothing.AndIneverthrowleftoversaway.Evenifthereisonelonelysliceofmortadellaleft,IwillcarefullywrapitupbecauseIknowitwillcomeinhandy.Thefollowingrecipescall for minimal amounts of cured pork. But let me make myself very clear:Although the amount may be small, the impact is big. So, to answer yourquestion:Youcan’tmake theserecipeswithout thecuredpork.Well,youcan,butthenyoumightaswelljustskipoverthischapter.

greenbeanswithmortadellasalad

Serves4–5

I’mnotquitesurehowIendedupbuyingapoundofgreenbeansinthemiddleofwinter,but theywere thoroughlyuninspiring;souninspiring that theysat intherefrigeratorforagoodlongweek,gettinglessandlessinteresting,beforeIcouldthinkofcookingthem.Bytheendoftheweek,theretheywere,thelonevegetableleftinthefridge,waitingtobecookedforSaturdaylunch,beforetheweeklytriptothemarket.Luckily,mortadellacametotherescue.Anitty-bittypieceofmortadella,left

over fromacuredmeat tasting I led,was the inspiration for thispork-infused,greenbeansalad.AndIhavetosay,thatlittlebitofporkdidalottotheI-don’t-want-to-know-where-they-come-fromwintergreenbeans.Itaddedjusttherighttouchofpigtoanotherwiseveryveggiedish.The trick to this dish is to prepare all the ingredients in the serving bowl

while thebeans are cooking.Youwant to add thebeans to thedressingwhiletheyarestillpipinghot,sothattheysortofcooktheshallotsandgarlic,andcoaxthefatnodulesoutofthemortadella.Iactuallymakeasimilarversionofthisdishallsummerlong,usingamixture

oftomatoesandbasilwithgarlicandredonions.Thesamegoesforthis:Placepipinghotgreenbeansintodressing.

1pound(½kilo)greenbeans,cleaned1slicemortadella(about½cupchoppedinsmallpieces)1shallot,finelychopped1garlicclove,crushed2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil2tablespoonschoppedfreshtarragonZestof1lemon,peeledwithapotatopeelerandfinelychoppedZestof1smallorange,peeledwithapotatopeelerandfinelychopped3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice2tablespoonsfreshorangejuiceSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper¼cupchopped,roastedalmonds

Steamthegreenbeansuntiltender.

Meanwhile,place themortadella, shallot,garlic,oliveoil, tarragon,choppedcitruszests,andcitrusjuicesinalargebowlandstirtomixwell.Whenthebeansaretender,drainthemandthenaddthem,stillsteaminghot,

tothemixtureinthebowl.Tosswellandseasonwithsaltandpeppertotaste.Letcool,tossagain,andtopwiththealmonds.Serveatroomtemperature.

roastedradicchioandcuredpork

Serves4–5

Youknowhoweveryone is alwayswriting recipes thatuseup leftoverbitsofcheese?WhatIwanttoknowiswhydoesn’tanyoneeveraddresstheevenmorepressing issue of half-forgotten, unloved, leftover bits of dried-out salami andrandombitsofcuredmeats.Am I the only one with this problem? You know. Nubs of boar sausage;

slightlydriedchunksofpancetta;apieceofduckprosciuttoyouweresavingforaspecialoccasionthatnevercame.Idecidedtousetheseoddsandendsandadaptthemtoarecipethatmyfriend

Judy makes called radicchio roses. Actually, I adapted the recipe instead offollowing it faithfully, mostly because I had forgotten to buy one of the keyingredients.WhileI’dpickedupacoupleofgorgeousheadsofradicchioatthefarmers’marketonSaturday,somehowIforgottobuysomesausage,whichleftmewithnoporkystuffing…untilIrememberedthosenubs.Theyallwent intomymini chopper,whichhas an incredibly strongmotor.

WithinaminutemyvariousfattybitswerelookingprettysimilartothesausageJudy’srecipehadoriginallycalledfor.WhileIwasfillingmybasketatthemarket,Icouldn’tquiterememberwhich

kindofradicchioJudy’srecipecalledfor.SoIgotaheadofverylooseradicchiodi Treviso, as well as the tighter radicchio di Chioggia. They both workedperfectly.Radicchio,whencooked,isamarvelousthing.Allbitternessdisappears,and

the edges of the leaves get brown and crispy and extra sweet, which is theperfectfoilforallthatpork.Ithinkusingtherawsausagecalledforintheoriginalrecipeprobablyresults

inasofterconsistency.Butme?There’snothingIlikebetterthancrunchybitsofbrownedandcrispedcuredmeats.Takethat,leftoverporknubs.

¼pound(130grams)leftovercuredpork,roughlychopped(seenote)2headsradicchioExtra-virginoliveoil,fordrizzlingSalt

Freshlygroundblackpepper

Preheattheovento350°F(180°C).Lightlyoilabakingsheet.Placealltheroughlychoppedcuredmeatinafoodprocessorandpulseuntilit

lookslikegroundmeat.WARNING:Atthispointyoumaybetemptedtojusteatallthatlovelypink,

salty,fattysalamimushschmearedonapieceofbread.Resist.Ifyouareusingtheloose-leafkindofradicchio,thenjustrinseanddrywell,

keepingtheheadintact.Thenstuffbitsofthesausageinbetweentheleaves.Ifyou are using the tighter Chioggia radicchio, cut it into quarters, through thestemend,keepingthatpartintact.Laythepiecesonthetrayandgentlystuffbitsofthesausagebetweentheleaves.Aboutthestuffing:Juststickthestuffin,hereandthere.Thinkoftheporkas

more of a condiment than amain course.Drizzle liberallywith olive oil, andseasonwithsaltandpepper.Bake for about 30 minutes. The radicchio should be fully cooked, and the

edgesoftheradicchioleaveswellbrowned.

Note:Ofcourseyoucanmakethiswithanything.Iusedamixofboarsausage,pancetta,Calabrianspicysalami,andasmallbitoffennelsausagefromTuscany(Ithinkthat’swhereitcamefrom…).

cauliflowerandbloodsausage

Serves4–5

OnedayDomenico,whileupinTuscanyvisitingaconstructionsite,calledmeonthephone,allexcited.“Igotaburisto!”First of all, you have to realize that Domenico loves calling me from the

speakerphoneinthecar.Theproblemis,he’susuallydrivinginthebackhillsofUmbriaorTuscany,whichmeansbad reception…whichmeans Iusuallygetabouthalfofwhathe’ssaid.After he had repeated buristo about five times, I finally just said, “Great!

fantastic!,” hung up the phone, and decided to Google what I thought I hadheard.Buristo:Apig’sstomachstuffedwithpig’sbloodandpork.Imusthavemisheard.Icouldn’timagineDomenicowasgoingtoarrivehome

withablood-stuffedpig’sstomach.Actually,hearrivedwithjusthalfablood-stuffedpig’sstomach.Ihave to admit that Ihadneverboughtblood sausagebefore.Tasted it, for

sure,many,many times,at foodfairsandsalamistores.AndIdidalways likeit. It’s so rich, and usually so strong tasting, that by the time I’d tasted it I’dusuallydecidedthatI’dhadenough.AftersearchingaroundtheWebabit,Isawthat buristo, a Tuscan specialty, is often used on top of bruschetta, whichsoundedlikeagreatidea.Theover-the-toprichnesswouldmeltintothehotandtoastedbread.SinceIhadtwobeautifulheadsofcauliflowertouse,Idecidedtomakeakind

of carbless bruschetta. I took the cauliflower and cut it into thick, steaklike,slabs.After brushing themwitholiveoil and abit of salt andpepper, I laid asliceofburistoon topofeachone. Intoahotoven theywent,and20minuteslaterthecauliflowerhadsoftenedandbrownedattheedgesandtheburistohadmeltedintoallthenooksandcrevices.Thegreatthingaboutusingporkasacondiment?Italmostmakesyouforget

youaren’teatinganycarbs.

1headcauliflowerExtra-virginoliveoil,fordrizzlingSalt

FreshlygroundblackpepperSeveralslicesburisto(seenote)Ahandfulofchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).Lineabakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.Cut the cauliflower into 3/5-inch-thick slices, being careful to keep the

“steaks” together. This is easy in the center,where the stem holds everythingtogether.Ifyouareservingthisforcompany,itmightbeworthittogetseveralheadsofcaulifloweranduseonlythecenterparts.Thenreservethesidepiecesforanotheruse.Place the cauliflower steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle liberally

witholiveoil,coatingbothsides.Sprinklewithsaltandpepper.Layathinsliceofsausageontopofeachsteak,coveringit.(Youmayhavetousemorethanonesliceifyourcauliflowerisbig.)Bakeintheoven,onthemiddlerack,untiltenderandslightlybrowned,about

20minutes.Servesprinkledwithchoppedparsley.

Note:I’dneverseenburistobefore,soI’mthinkingitmightbehardforyoutotrack down.You can substitute any other type of blood sausage, like Spanishmorcilla,Frenchboudinnoir,orevenGermanblutwurst.

bruschettawithwildasparagusandpancetta

Makes6bruschetti

Havingaslabofpancetta toworkyourway throughforcesyou to thinkaboutold favorite recipes in newways. The easiest—andmaybe the best—recipe Icameupwithwasthissimplebruschetta.I’mnotsurewhy,butupuntilnowI’dneverconsideredusingpancetta forbruschetta. Iguessmostlybecause Ineverhadanentireslabofpancettatoplayaroundwithbefore.While I used wild asparagus (which was fabulous), you can certainly use

regularasparagus,oranyotherveggie,forthatmatter.Thekey,inanyvariation,iscrunchy,chewybitsofpancettaalongwiththeporkfatsoakingintothebread.

½cupcubedpancetta1bunchwildasparagus,tenderpartsonly(seenote)SaltFreshlygroundblackpepper6slicescrustyItalianbread,slicedabout½inchthick1garlicclove,peeledExtra-virginoliveoil,fordrizzling

Heatamediumfryingpanovermediumheat,andaddthepancetta.Cook,untilit’srendereditsfatandbecomecrisp.Removefromthefatwithaslottedspoonandtransfertoasmallbowl.(Donotputitonapapertowel.Youwanttoretainallthatgoodporkfat!)Add thecut-upasparagus to thepanwith the renderedpancetta fat and stir.

Sprinklewith salt (howmuchwill depend on how salty your pancetta is) andpepper.Cook,addingabitofwaterifnecessary,untiltender.Addthepancetta,withitsjuices,backintothepanandstirtocombine.Toastthebread,overanopenfireifpossible.Ifnot,thenovertheflamesof

yourstovetop,orinatoaster.Whilethebreadisstillhot,rubitwithgarlicanddrizzlewithabitofoliveoil.

Dividetheasparagusmixtureevenlyamongtheslicesofbreadandserve.

Note: Asparagus come in all shapes and sizes.Wild asparagus have the leastamountof tender,ediblestalk to them,onlyabout theupper4 inches,near thetip.Cultivatedasparagusaretendererfartherdown.Todeterminehowmuchtouse,juststartchoppingtheasparagusinto1-inchpieces.Assoonasitbecomes

difficult to chopor slice easily, that is thepoint of too tough.And remember,you can substitute about 3 cups of any other kind of vegetable like zucchini,regular asparagus, peas, fava beans, or even tender green beans, for the wildasparagus.

{ chapter12 }

eatingthewholeanimal

Iwasneveroneofthosekidswhodidn’teatliver.Infact,themainreasonthatIlovedJewishholidayswasnotthechancetorunwildwithmycousins,buttheopportunitytogorgemyselfonmygrandmother’schoppedchickenliver.Servedin a massive cut-crystal bowl that came out only for the high holidays, thecreamymixtureofliverwitheggsandonionssautéedinschmaltzwassomethingIlookedforwardtoallyearlong.It was not until I moved to Florence that my love affair with offal truly

blossomed.Ihadseenthestandsalloverthecitysellingsandwiches,buthadn’treallygiventhemmuchthought.But one day,while taking a latemorningpasseggiata,Domenico suggested

wedetour toPiazzadelCimatori forapaninodi lampredotto.SinceIhad justmetDomenico,andwasheadoverheelsinlove,ifhehadsaid,“Let’sjumpintotheArno,” I probablywould have done that, too. So tripe on a bun seemed areasonablerequest.Thestandwascrowded,andwewaitedourturn.Whenwegottothefront,the

tripe man asked, “Poppo o lampredotto?” (“Udder or stomach?”) AfterDomenico made some sort of crude cow boob joke, we went classic, choselampredotto, and the vendor stuck his longmetal fork into a steaming vat ofbroth,pulledoutabeigepieceofslightlygelatinousmeat,andploppeditonthecuttingboard.

Working quickly with a knife, he chopped up two portions’ worth into thinstrips,laidthematopapairofcrustybuns,sprinkledthemgenerouslywithsaltandpepper,andthencappedthemwiththebuntop,whichhadfirstbeendunkedbrieflyinabitofthetripebroth.AndthatwaswhenIrealized:NotonlydidIloveDomenico,butIalsoreally

lovedtripe.AndmaybeIlovedDomenicothatmuchmoreforintroducingmetowhatisnowoneofmyall-timefavoritesnacks.

Yet itwasn’t until Imoved toRome, the followingyear, thatmy real offaleducationandappreciationbegan.WhileIknewIlovedliver,andtripewasnowafriend,Iwasabletoboldlymoveintoother,moreexoticpartsofthebutchershop. I soon found that in Rome not only were there entire butchers thatspecializedinthesecuts,therewasanentireneighborhood.Testaccio is a working-class neighborhood in Rome located just out of the

historiccenter,alongthebanksoftheTiberRiver.InancientRomantimesthiswas the city’s port, and a largeman-mademountain constructed of discardedterracottastorageurnsbearstestamenttothebusytradeinoilandwine.Todaythisgrass-coveredknolltowersoverthenow-abandonedMattatoio.The Mattatoio, built in 1873, was, at the time, the most modern and

sophisticatedslaughterhouseinEurope.Thesprawlingplantcontainedareasforherding, slaughtering, butchering, and shipping out animals like cattle, sheep,andhorses.Theworking-classneighborhoodthatspranguparoundithousedtheworkerswhotoiledtoprovidemeatforthecity.Itwasaprettysqualidlife,andonethatdidn’tpayespeciallywell.Infact,the

workers,whoprobablycouldn’tevenaffordtobuythemeattheywerehelpingto process, were paid in kind. But not with the prime cuts that went out tomarket; instead they came home with paper-wrapped parcels of the quintoquarto.The “fifthquarter”was thepart of the animal that for commercial purposes

didn’t exist. There is no fifth quarter, since these were the cuts that werenormallydiscarded.Intestines,spleen, liver,nerves,brains…itwas thesecutsthatbecameanessentialpartofRomancooking,andthattoday,onceagain,areshowinguponmenusalloverthecity.If, as a child, I came to equate Jewish high holidayswith chopped chicken

liver, inmynewlifeinRome(andwithmynon-Jewishhusband)wecelebrateprettymucheveryholidaythatcomesalonganditseemsIstillhaveatendencytoleantowardtheoffalsideofthings.I know people like Easter in Italy for a lot of reasons: Some like the big

chocolateeggs,othersthecheese-filledpizzadipasqua.Thenthereisthewholecolombe thing (the Easter version of pannetone). And I guess some peopleactuallydogotoMass,sinceEasterisareligiousholidayandnotjustanexcuseforabigmeal.

Butme?ThisisthetimeofyearwhenIordermyabbacchio,or“babylamb,”to roast in ourwood-fueled oven up inTodi.While I usually get a rosemary-garlicthinggoing,someyearsIexperimentandturntoMoroccoandFranceforinspiration.Butwhat I really love about Easter is not the lame gift that usually comes

insidethebighollowEastereggs.Ilikethegiftthatcomesinsidethelittlelamb:coratella.CoratellaistheItalianwordfor“lamb’spluck.”Notthatyou’veeverheardof

thatwordbefore,I’msure.Lamb’spluckisthelungs,liver,andheartofalamb,allstillconnectedbytheesophagus.It’snotaneasycutofmeattofind,andissomewhatseasonalsinceit’sbestwhenitcomesfromfreshlyslaughteredyoungspringlambs:abbacchio.The recipe Iuse is theone I’vebeenusingever since Idiscoveredmy first

coratella hiding inside my Easter lamb. Spring lamb coincides with springartichokes,andnowheredotheygetanybetterthanintheareaaroundRome.SoitwasAdaBoni’sCoratellaconCarciofi,fromIlTalismanodellaFelicita(theItalianequivalentoftheJoyofCooking).ThiswasthetomeIturnedtowhenIfirstfoundmyselfwithcoratellainthekitchen.Adatoldmehowtocutupthedifferentorgans,andinwhichordertoaddthemtothepan.

coratelladiabbacchioconcarciofi

Serves6

(AdaptedfromAdaBoni’sIlTalismanodellaFelicita.)

2pounds(1kilo)coratella,orlamb’spluck10artichokes¼cup(60milliliters)extra-virginoliveoilSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper1onion,chopped⅔cup(160milliliters)drywhitewineChoppedfreshmintleaves,about½cupAsqueezeoffreshlemonjuice

Separatetheorgansfromtheconnectingtissue.Cuteachoneinto¼-inchslices,andkeepseparate.Clean, trim, and slice the artichokes into wedges. (See “All About

Artichokes,”here.)Inalargepanovermediumheat,warmtheoliveoil.Addtheartichokesand

cook until tender, adding a bit of water if they dry out. Seasonwith salt andpepperOncetheartichokesaredone,inapanlargeenoughtoholdalltheinnardsand

artichokes, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook justuntiltheonionsoftensabit.Addthelungsandcookwiththeonion(thiswaytheonionwon’tovercook),

addingabitofwateriftheonionstartstobrown.Letthelungscookuntiltheyarebrownedandgiveofftheircharacteristicwhistle,15to20minutes.Seasonwithsaltandpepper,andaddabout⅓cupof thewhitewine.Let it

evaporate and add theheart.After 2minutes, add the liver and let it cook foranotherminuteortwo.Oncetheliverhaslostitsrosycolor,addtheartichokes.Stir and add the remaining⅓ cup wine. Let it cook a bit more and add thechoppedmint.Transferthecoratellatoaplatterandsqueezesomelemonjuiceoverthetop.

Coratellashouldbeservedpipinghot.Iliketoserveitwithmashedpotatoes.

eatingotheranimals

WhenIfirstmetDomenicoandstarteddatinghimIwaslivinginFlorenceandhewaslivinginRome.Iwouldcomedownalmosteveryweekendtovisithim.WhileIknewRomeverywell,hewaslivinginMonti,anareaIhadonlybeentoonce tovisit a churchdesignedbyGiacomodellaPorta.Centrally locatedandtuckedintoanareabetweentheRomanForumandtheColosseum,it isoneofthe city’soldest neighborhoods. It had alwaysbeenknownas akindof roughneighborhood,farfromtheborderlinehipster,downrighttrendyplaceitistoday.WhenDomenicofirstmovedintotheflat,mostofthe“hotels”downthestreet

werefullofroomsthatwererentedbythehourbytheworkingladies,andtheowner ofDomenico’s flat—an oldwoman—had kept chickens on the rooftopterrace.OnedayasIwaslookingoutthelivingroomwindow,atthebuildingacross

thestreet,Isawtheoutlinesofletteringthatseemedlikeithadonlybeentakendown recently.As I tried tomakeout theword, Imust have been talking outloud, sinceDomenicosaid,“Ohyeah, thatwas thehorsebutcher.Theyclosedsixmonthsago.”WhileDomenicodidn’tgrowupeatinghorse,hedidn’tunderstandmyshock

at the prospect. In Italy, until quite recently, horse was thought of as aparticularly iron-richmeat thatwasfed to thesickand the infirmtogive themstrength. Itwas also prettymuch of a delicacy, and not only for sale atmostbutchers’butalso,asDomenicohadpointedout,therewereentirebutchershopsthatspecializedinit.ThesedaysmostoftheequinebutchersinRomehaveclosedshop(thereare

two left in Testaccio), but that doesn’t mean I don’t expand my cooking toincludeotheranimalsthatIdidn’tgrowupeating.Oneofmyfavorites is rabbit. Iguesssince Ineverhadapet rabbit, Idon’t

reallyhaveany“bunny”issues.Also,inthisdayandageofbatteryhensfullofantibiotics andgodknowswhat else, you can alwaysbepretty sure the rabbityoubuyisraisedhumanelyand,hopefully,notshotupwithadditives.

rabbitvignarola

Serves6

Vignarola, a spring stew made up of artichokes, peas, and fava beans, is aRomanspecialty.A recent trend inRoman restaurants is tomakevignarola aspart of another dish. I think that one of the main reasons most restaurantshesitate toaddvignarolaon itsown to themenu is that theydon’tknowquitewheretoputit.Firstcourse?Sidedish?Antipasto?Itisanyandalloftheabove.ToresolvethisissuerestaurantslikeCesareandTavernadeiForiImperialihavebeenusingvignarolaasapastasauce.Brilliant,right?But I decided to delve into the unchartered second course arena. I had a

beautifullybonedrabbit fromthefarmers’market,soIused thatas thebase. Ibrowned the rabbit first, then pretty much proceeded with the vignarola as Inormallywould.Butwithonebigexception.Iwaiteduntil thevery lastminute toaddbighandfulsofchoppedscallions,

spring garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. And the peas were the last to go in.Tender and sweet, they needed only about 2minutes of cooking before Iwasabletobringthedishtothetable.Andwhilethisstewisnevergoingtowinanybeauty awards, at least I finally accomplishedwhat I’d always wanted to do:makeavignarolathatlookedasspringyandvibrantasIknewittasted.If you can’t find rabbit, and I know this can be difficult, then substitute

chicken. But please use a mixture of breast and thighs, or even all thighs, ifpossible.

2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoilOne3-pound(1½kilos)rabbit,cutinto2-inchpiecesSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper6artichokes,trimmedandcutintowedges(see“AllAboutArtichokes,”here)1cupfreshlyshelledfavabeans1cup(250milliliters)drywhitewine4scallions,chopped4freshspringgarlicbulbs,chopped2cupsfreshlyshelledpeas½cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsleyZestof1lemon,roughlychopped3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice

Inasautépanlargeenoughtoholdeverything,addtheoilandplaceoverhighheat.Addtherabbitandbrownwell,seasoningwithsaltandpepper.Once therabbit is browned, stir in the artichokes and fava beans. Add the white wine,scrapingupthebrownedbitsfromthebottomofthepan.Coverandletsimmerover lowheat for about25minutes.Checkeverynowand thenandadd somewaterifitlookstoodry.Oncetherabbitandartichokesaretender,addthescallions,garlic,andpeas.

Stir,cover,andcookforabout1minute.Test tomakesure thepeasaredone.Turnoff theheat;addtheparsley, lemonzest,andlemonjuice.Stir, taste,andadjusttheseasoningifneeded.Serveimmediatelywhilepeasarestillprettyandgreen.Ifyouaregoingtopreparethisahead,waituntilyoureheatittoaddthefinal

fiveingredients.

wheretoeatoffalinrome

Checchinodal1887ViadiMonteTestaccio30,39-06-574-3816This isoneof theoldest restaurants inTestaccio,andcertainly the fanciest,

whichofferssomeofthebesttraditionaloffalinRome.Don’tmisstheirinsalatadi zampi, anold-fashionedsaladmadeofveal trotter,bonedand tossedwithatepidmixofcelery,carrots,andbeansanddressedwithsalsaverde.ThedishIwould gladly eat every day is the rigatoni alla pajata. Again, while mostTestacciorestaurantsdoservethis,Irarelyorderitsinceitusuallycomeswithafewmeaslysquigglesofintestinethrownintoatomatosauce.Checchinodoesitright,withtheratioofrigatonitopajatabeingabout50:50.Thesaucetasteslikepajata,justlikeitshould,withahealthydustingofsharppecorino.Theirbestdish,though,isthemixedgrillofpajata,kidney,sweetbreads,and

liver—allcrispy,crunchy,salty,andcookedjustuntilbarelydone.

ArmandoalPantheonSalitadeiCrescenzi31,39-06-6880-3034Thisold-school trattorianear thePantheonalmostalwayshasat least some

offalonthemenu,whichchangesdaily.TheirRoman-stylestewedtripe(madewithwildmint)isheavenly,asistheirantipastoofcrispygrilledpajata.

PerilliViaMarmorata39,39-06-575-5100MyfavoriterestaurantinTestaccioisPerilli.Myfavoritemaindishthereis

coratella,andIorderiteverytimeIseeitonthemenu,whichisusuallyonlyinthespring.Their tripe isalsoexcellent,and theyareoneof thefewplaces leftthatstillmakespastaservedwithcodaallavaccinara,“stewedoxtail.”

{ chapter13 }

trattoriabehavior

PeoplethinkthatjustbecauseIwriteaboutfoodIgettoeatinfancyrestaurantsall the time. Far from it. First of all, fancy restaurants are expensive and Iusuallypayformymeals.Andsecond,Inaturallytendtowardthesimplerendoftheeateryspectrum.EspeciallyinItaly.Upuntil recently,whenyouwanted togoout toeat inRome the landscape

wasverystrictlydefined.Attheupperendofthingstherewereristoranti.Whitetableclothson tables,ancientwaiters (neverwaitresses) inwhite jackets,andamenufromwhichyouwereexpectedtoorderatleasttwocourses.Priceswererelativelyhigh,andyouwerepayingasmuchfortheformalsettingandserviceasforthefooditself.At theotherendof thespectrum therewere theosteria and trattoria.These

simplerplacesstartedoutlifeasplacesthatsoldwine.Thiswaswherelaborerscouldcomewiththeirownfood—apieceofbread,anonion,andmaybeahunkof cheese—sit down, and order a carafe of white Frascati. Eventually theseplaces started serving foodaswell: simplepastas andmaybeoneor twomaincourses.Andalways:winebythecarafe.WhenI livedinRomein the’70s,whenheadingout toeatwegravitated to

the trattorie. Cheap as could be, I remember clearly that a plate of pastawasusuallyabout600lire(about60cents).Ristoranti—likePipernoorLaCampana—were reserved for special occasions like birthdays or grandparents visiting.But it was to the corner trattoria that we headed for weekend dinners or anynightmymotherdidn’tfeellikecooking.Oneofmyfavoritepartsofeatinginthesetrattoriewasthewinedispensers.

Massive, refrigeratedcabinets tookup theentirebackwall.TheywereusuallyfrontedwithamirroretchedwithaRomansceneorastilllifeofgrapes.Butthemainactionwasthelittlespigots.Thisiswherethewaiterwouldholdahastilyrinsed,stockyglasscarafeandfillituptothetopwithslightlyfizzywhitewine.The wine was straw colored and the still active fermentation would not only

resultinafoamyhead,butalsoaheady,almostsour,distinctlywinesmellthatIwouldforeverassociatewitheatingoutinRome.Although Iwasn’t old enough to drink, Iwas completely fascinated by the

entire procedure. I loved the bow-waisted glass carafes as well as the shortchunky glasses that were used to drink wine, water, or, more commonly, amixture of both. I was completely mystified how the wine came out of thefaucets,justlikewater.Itwasoneofthesuresignsthat,infact,ItalywasalotdifferentthanwhereIhadgrownupinSt.Louis,wherefaucetswereforwater.Iactually thought thatwinewaspartof theplumbing.Itwasn’tuntilmuchlaterthatIrealizedthatlargetruckswerecominginfromFrascatiandpipinginbarrelloadsofwinedirectlyintolargevats.Although these trattorieandosterieweresimple, thatdidn’tmean theywere

withouttheirownunwrittencodes.MysistersandIsoonlearnedtherulesthateveryRoman already knew.Therewere certain things you ordered at specificplaces,andevencertaindishesthatwereonlyavailableonspecificdaysoftheweek.We took to going out on Thursdays sincemy sister Jodiwas obsessedwithgnocchiandthiswasthedaytheywereserved.Youwouldneverthinkofordering fishonaSundayorMonday (noboatsgoouton thosedays),butonFridayyouwouldn’torderanythingbutfish.At the same time therewere thingson themenu that nopersonwould ever

order.InsalataRussa,amixtureofboiledvegetables,pickles,andmayonnaise,was,atthetime,onalmostallmenus.ButitwassomethingthatnooneIkneweverordered,anywhere.Another thing my sisters and I were fascinated with was the display of

antipastithatwouldgreetuswhenwewalkedinthedoor.Almosteverytrattoriawewenttohadadisplayofplattersfilledwithgleaming,colorfulchoices:thickslicesofbrightyellowfrittata,glisteningorbsofsweetandsouronions,parsley-flecked seafood salad, and toomanykindsof roastedvegetables and salads toname. This abundant display would change with the seasons, includingartichokesinthespringandplattersfulloftangledwildgreensinthewinter.The location of the antipasto displaywas crucial. Since youwere forced to

passbythedisplayasyoumadeyourwaytoyourtable,thisalmostguaranteedthatyouwouldorder something,even if itwasonlyasmalldishofmarinatedblackolives.Thesmellsandsightswerejusttootantalizingtopassup.Inrecentyearsthistypeofantipastodisplayseemstobeadyingbreed.Ithink

it may be partly due to health regulations (I’m not sure platters of room-temperaturefoodwithineasyreachofeveryonewalkingbycomplywithcurrent

EU norms), but I also suspect it has to do a bit with changing eating habits.Antipastotranslatesas“beforethemeal,”andthesedays,withpeoplewatchingwhat theyeataswellaswhat theyspend, it’sararecasethatyouwouldorderthree full courses in any restaurant. The antipasto course has sadly been acasualtyofthesetrends.Luckilytherearestillafewveryold-fashionedplacesthatchoosetostickto

tradition.Nerone,anothing-specialkindofplace,isoneofmyfavorites.Whileone of themain attractions of this neighborhood tratorria is the rickety tableswithdirectviewsoftheColosseum,localscomehereforthemassiveantipastocounterintheback.Adaptingtocurrentregulations,theownershaveinstalledalong, refrigerated display case that runs almost the length of the room. Glassshelves balance white platters filled with all of my favorites. Like all goodantipastospreads, it isheavyon thevegetables:grilledandmarinatedpeppers,stewed artichokes, and breaded and fried eggplant. Then there are the fritti:small balls of rice, potato croquettes, and breaded stuffed olives, orbs of purewhitemozzarella,blackandgreenmarinatedolives,andat least threekindsofseafoodsalad.

myfivefavoritetrattorie

These days true trattorie are a dying breed. I’m talking about humble, paper-covered-tablekindofplaces.Hereareafewthatareleft.

SoraMargheritaPiazzadelleCinqueScole30,39-06-687-4216SoraMargheritais,literally,aholeinthewall.Itsfifteenpaper-toppedtables

arecrammed intoa longnarrowspace thatbarelyhas roomforakitchen.Getthere by 12:15 and put your name on thewaiting list. Then sit on one of thechairs outside andwait. It’sworth it. Trustme. (They start serving at 12:30.)Don’tmiss:deep-friedartichokesandcacioepepeconricotta.

SettimioViadelPellegrino117,39-06-688-01978Simple,bare-bonestrattoria.Thekitchenisthesizeofacloset,butmanages

to turn out Roman classics, including freshly made pasta. Nothing fancy. Nowholegrilledseabassorgrouperhere.Thisiswhatkeepsthepricesprettylow;thatandtheotherlovinglypreparedstandards,servedonthickwhiteplates,nogarnish. Don’t be put off by the locked door; they are, indeed open, if theydecidetoletyouin.

EnotecaCorsiViadelGesu87/88,39-06-679-0821,lunchonly An old-fashioned “bottle” shop, selling wine in the front room—the real

actionisinback.Paper-toppedtablesandwoodenchairsarealloriginal.Adailymenuisthrownonthetable,outliningthedozenspecialsoftheday.Everythingisrough,ready,anddelicious.

DarFilettaroLargodeiLibrari88,39-06-686-4018,dinneronlyThissmallhole-in-the-walldoesn’tkidaround.Theyserveonething,andone

thingonly:big,steaminghunksoffreshlyfriedbaccalà.IfyouwanttobereallyRoman,orderaplateofacciugheconburro,anchovieswithbutter.Butthemaindrawisofcoursethebaccalà.

ToninoViadelGovernoVecchio18–19,333-587-0779 The official name is Trattoria Antonio Bassetti, but there’s barely a sign

outside,andeveryonejustcallsitTonino’s.Eventhoughit’sjustdownthestreetfrom the touristy PiazzaNavona, you’ll findmore regulars here than tourists.Thespaceiscramped,tablesaredrapedincheerycheckedcloth,andthemenunever changes.This is the place to order bucatini all’amatriciana, gnocchi (onThursdays), or spaghetti alla gricia. Seconds usually include stuffed zucchini,meatballs,and—onFridays—baccalà.

placesthatstillhaveanantipastobuffet

NeroneViadelleTermediTito96,39-06-481-7952Neronehasoneof the fewold-fashionedbig antipasto spreads left. I’ll say

rightupfront,thereisn’tanygrandinnovationorcreativityhere.Whatthereisareseasonalvegetables,cookedinafewdifferentways,servedwithoutfanfare.Grilled peppers simply dressed with oil and a bit of garlic; fried eggplant,breaded and drizzled with a light tomato sauce; pan-fried zucchini roundsdressedwithvinegarandmint;artichokes,steweduntiltheybecomelikesilk.

HosteriaL’Orso80Viadel’Orso33,39-06-686-4904Themainreasontogotothislargeandold-fashionedplacejustablockfrom

Piazza Navona is the antipasto spread. Have a seat and just say the wordantipastiandsitbackfortheride.Theplatesstartcominganddon’treallystopuntilthewaiterscan’tfindanymorespaceonthetable.Thesmallplatesincludeabitofeverything:smallvealmeatballs intomatosauce,focaccia,mozzarella,friedzucchiniflowers,prosciuttoandmelon,grilledvegetables,beans,seafoodsalad.The rest of themenu is excellent, but it’s the antipasto that’s the thing.Andyoumayverywellbetoofulltocarryon.

CostanzaPiazzadelParadiso63,39-06-686-1717Costanzaismorerestaurant thantrattoria,butstillcontinuesthetraditionof

displayingantipasti in theentranceway.Plattersofartichokes, roastedpeppers,andstuffedzucchininudgeupagainstseafoodsaladandmarinatedoctopus.

wheninrome…trattoriarules

1.Whattoorder?:Almostnooneisexpectedtoorderthreefullcoursesanymore.Twocourseswilldojustfine.Anantipastoandafirstorsecondcourseorelseapastaandamaindishareenough.

2.Splittingadish:Youcandoit,butremember,portionsinItalyaresmallerthanintheStates.

3.Tipping:Takealookatyourbill.Ifthereisachargeforservice,thenjustafeweurosleftonthetablewillsuffice.Ifserviceisnotincluded,then10percentisstandard.

4.Bread:Thebreadbasketisnotafreeantipastocourse.Thebreadistheretobeeatenwitheitheryourantipasto,maindish,orsalad.Italiansdonotaskforadishofoliveoilandthenproceedtoeatthebasketfulofbreadbeforethemealevenstarts.

recipes:romantrattoriafood

celeryandcheeseantipasto

Serves4

Old-fashionedRoman trattorie are quirky things. I often hear from visitors toRomethatthey’velookedatthemenu,chosensomething,onlytoseeeveryoneelsearoundthemeatingcompletelydifferentdishesthanwerelisted.Notonlyaredailyspecialsnotlisted,butalsocertainthings,likeantipastiand

side dishes (contorni), remain completely mysterious. Even restaurants that Ihave been going to for years have special dishes that continue to escape mynotice.For instance,we’vebeengoing toPerilli forSunday lunches for aboutfifteenyearsnow.AnditwasonlylastyearthatIdiscoveredtheirdeliciousand,as far as I can figureout, totallyuniqueceleryandcheeseantipasto.Theonlyway we found out about it was thanks to our favorite waiter, Valerio. OneafternoonDomenico and I had arrived at 1:00 tomeet Sophie and Emma forlunch.Forsomereason(dryingtheirhair?puttingonmakeup?)theywereverylate.Valeriotookpityonus,andbroughtusoveraplateofwhatatfirstglancelookedtobecheeseinoil.Instead it was Perilli’s amazing celery and fontina antipasto in mustard

vinaigrette.Whoknew?Well,Ishouldhave.Ithadalwaysbeenavailableontheantipasto tableforas longaswe’dbeengoingthere.Tuckedrightbetweenthecarciofiallaromanaandthestuffedzucchini.But,somehow,ithadneverbeenoffered,andsoithadneverbeenordered.It’snowbecomeoneofourfavoritedishes.Thewhitetenderceleryheartsarecutintolongsticks,asisthefontina.Theyarethenmixedtogetherwithalemonyvinaigrettemadewithmustard.Notspicy French Dijon mustard, but a more mild and fruity one, basically anysupermarket mustard that you can get in Italy (more French’s than GreyPoupon).

4to5celeryheartstalks(onlythewhitestinnerstalks)¼pound(150grams)fontinacheese(seenote)1½tablespoonsyellowpreparedmustard,suchasFrench’s⅓cupextra-virginoliveoil3tablespoonsfreshlemonjuice

SaltFreshlygroundblackpepperCrustyItalianbread,forserving

Cut the celery stalks into 3-inch-long, thickish pieces.Cut the cheese into thesameshape.Put themustard intoa smallbowl.Slowlydrizzle in theoliveoil, abit at a

time,stirringtoemulsifythemixture, thenpourinmore;itwillgetverythick.Slowly add the lemon juice and taste. If you like it more lemony, add morelemonjuice.Seasonwithsaltandpeppertotaste.Combineeverythinginabowlandmixwell.Letsitforatleastanhourbefore

serving.Thisallows thecheese toabsorb the flavorsof thevinaigretteand thecelerytowiltjustabit.Place the antipasto in a small, shallow servingdish, set in the center of the

table, and let everyone serve themselves. Accompany with bread, and soonyou’llseeeveryonefightingtodiptheirbreadintheleftoverdressing.

Note:Ifyoucan’tgetfontina,thenahigh-qualitySwisswouldworkjustfine.

cacioepepe

Serves4–5

MoreorlesstheRomanversionofmacaroniandcheese,it’sapoorman’sdish,involvingnothingmorethanthreeingredients.Whileitwasalwaysavailableinthe simplest of trattorie, this was not a dish that was common in the generalrestaurant scene in Rome until about fifteen years ago, when it was“rediscovered.”Noweverychefworthhiswhileisexperimentingwithdifferentfancied-upversions.Althoughoneofthemosttypicalshapesofpastatouseisfreshtonnarelli,Ifindthatpackagedrigatoniiseasiertohandleathome.Althoughtherecipeseemseasy,it’snot.Makesureyoufollowthedirections

aboutthestirringandaddingofcheese,orelseyouwillendupwithabig,uglyclump.

1pound(500grams)rigatoni4ounces(120grams)youngpecorinocheese,grated2to3tablespoonsfreshlygroundblackpepper

Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthepastaandcookuntilaldente.Meanwhile,mix thegratedcheesewith thepepperandsetaside.Makesure

yourpastabowlisheated,orelseyourcheesewillclumpup.Youcanheatthebowlbylettingitsitwithhotwaterinituntilyouarereadytouseit.Whenthepastaisdone,drainit,reserving1cupofthepastacookingwater.

Transferthepastatothelargeheatedbowl.Addhandfulsofcheesetothepasta,mixingasyougo,andalternatingwithabitofthereservedpastacookingwaterso itdoesn’tgetdriedout.Keepdoing thisuntilyouhaveusedall thecheese.Youwanttoaddthecheeseslowlysoitdoesn’tallmeltandclumpup,butdon’toverstir,oragain,itwillallcometogetherinaclump.Grind a bitmoreblackpepper on top, and serve immediately. In fact,most

trattorietendtodothemixingatthetable.

Variation:SoraMargheritaservestheircacioepepewithabig,heapingdollopoffreshricottaatopeachplate.Nottraditionalatall,butabsolutelydivine.

{ chapter14 }

howtofeedaromandogandraisearomanbaby

One of the first conversations that I ever had with Domenico concerned ourfuturedog,Chester.WewereonourfirstdateinFlorence,andlittledidIknowthatalmosteverythingaboutthateveningwouldpredicttherestofmylife.Forour very first date Domenico showed up forty-five minutes late. Twenty-fiveyears later, he has still not mastered the art of being on time. Even thoughDomenicohadinvitedmeonthisdate,onceheshowedup,Ifoundouthehadnoideawheretogofordinnerandhadn’tmadeanyreservations.Twenty-fiveyearslater,notonlyamIfullyinchargeofourdinnerplans,butIhaveactuallymadeacareeroutofit.Soitreallyshouldn’tbesurprisingthatsincemuchofourtalkthatnightwas

aboutJackRussells,wewouldendupwithoneverybad,butdearlyloved,JackRussell that would take over our lives for the following fourteen years. OverdinneratAcquaalDue(mychoice)DomenicoandIfoundoutwehadmuchincommon.Variousfriendsintheartworld,architecturalhistorianswebothknew(some of whom were disconcertingly his ex-girlfriends), and, weirdly, oursharedobsessionwithJackRussells.Thiswaswaybefore JackRussellsbecame thedogdu jour foranyonewho

owned a leash. Where did our passion come from? Where any New York–centricpersongetshisorherprepackagedpassion:TheNewYorker.AsitturnedoutwehadbothreadthesamearticleaboutBrianPlummerandhisrat-catchingdogs.Itwasagoodold-fashionedNewYorkerarticle,atleastfifteenpageslong.By the end of it, we were both dreaming of our own little black-and-whitepuppy,even ifwedidn’thaveany rats tocatch.So, really, it seemed like fatethatweshouldmeeteachotherandfallinlovesothatwecouldbringourJackRussell dream to fruition. Right then and there, over dessert, we even namedhim:Chester, after amuch-lovedbird Ihadhad to leavebehind inNewYork

whenImovedtoFlorence.Soafewshortmonthslater,IsurprisedDomenicowithaberibbonedChester.

Onlytwomonthsold,hewas immediatelyanightmare.Cute,butanightmare.He had a cough.He had a limp.He tried to bite just about everyone.Butwelovedhim,becausehewasourfirstbaby.Andlikeanybaby,Ihadtofeedhim.Therewasasmallstoredownthestreet

frommeinFlorencethatseemedtoselleverything,soIheadedtherebrightandearlytopickupsomedogfood.Havingneverownedadogbefore,IwasprettysureIwouldhaveachoiceofeithercannedfoodordry,andwaspreparedtobuyabitofbothjusttobeonthesafeside.So I was really confused that the shop owner responded to my request of

“Cibo per cane, per favore” (“Dog food, please”) with the response “Riso opasta?”(“Riceorpasta?”).No,no,Itriedtoexplaintohim,Iwanteddogfood,nothumanfood.AtwhichpointhejustgaveuptryingtocommunicatewiththisobviouslyconfusedforeignerandjustpointedovertotwobigbinsthatI’dnevernoticedbefore.Onewas fullofbrokenpasta,and theotherof rice.And that’swhenitdawnedonme:Iwasgoingtohavetocookformydog.At which point just about everyone else in the shop chimed in. One lady

clutching a small trembling Yorkie told me that “Danilo was a bit under theweathertoday,sohejusthadabitofriceinchickenbroth.”Whileamanbuying10kilosofthebrokenpastaletmeknowhejustmixesthisupwithleftovertablescraps for his German shepherd. “Blackie mangia tutto!” (“Blackie eatseverything!”)I was going to have to cook for Chester? Every day? And adjust his diet

accordingtohowhewasfeeling?Thinkingthat thiswasabitmorethanIhadbargained for, I finally spied a few dusty cans of Ciappi sitting on the shelf.Sincethe labelspicturedasmilingandveryhealthy-lookinggoldenretriever, Ifigured thiswasmyanswer.As Iwent to take twocans everyone in the shoponceagainchimedin,“Macheschifezza!”(“Howdisgusting!”)Itturnsoutthatno self-respecting Italian dog owner would ever think of feeding their dogcannedfood.Imeanreally,wouldyoueatcannedfoodyourself?And so I cooked forChester. Ricewith a bit of egg. Pastawith butter and

cheese.Heseemedveryhappywithhismeals.ButChester’scatereddinnerssooncame toanend.By the timehewasone

yearold,IwasexpectingSophieandtherewasnowayIwasgoingtodealwithpreparingmealsfortwoveryneedylittlecreatures.SoChesterwasweanedontocansofCiappi,whilemyeducationonfeedinganItalianchildbegan.

Oddly,myexperienceatthepediatrician’swasnotunlikemyfirstforayintobuying dog food.While I expected the doctor to let me know about variousbrandsofbabyfood,IgotacrashcourseinwhatItalianbabieseat.Actually,thefirstlessonIreceivedaboutfeedingSophiewaswhileIwasstill

in thehospital.Over thecourseof theweekIspent in theclinicwhereSophiewas born, the nurse would come in every few hours to weigh her. At first IthoughtthatshewasjusthyperattentivetoseeifSophiewasgrowing.(Sofast?Injustoneday?)ButIsoonrealizedthatitwasmyskillandabilitytofeedherthatwasbeingweighed.Sophiewouldbeplunkedon a scale right before andrightaftershewasfed.AndIbegantoequatethenurse’sattitudetowardme—wasshesmiling?Wasshedisapproving?—withmyabilitytofeedmychild.Like the folks I first ran into while buying dog food for Chester, almost

everyonehadanopinionabouthowIwassupposedtobefeedingSophie.Thisiswhen I first learned thewordminestrina.Evenpeoplewhodon’t speak Italianknow thewordminestrone, a hearty, often chunky Italian vegetable soup.ButwhenthepediatriciantoldmethatoneofthefirstthingsIcouldfeedSophiewasminestrina, I had no idea what he was talking about. Since -ina added toanythingmakes it adiminutive, I thoughthewas referring to theportion size.AndwhileSophiewouldbestartingoutwithpint-sizeportionsofanything,the-inainthiscasemeantjustalighterversionofwhatDomenicoandIwerealreadyeating.Iwassupposedtomakeaspecialsoup,withacut-upcarrot,apieceofcelery,

andmaybe a potato. Not toomuch salt, per favore. Then strain this, and theresultingvegetable brothwouldbeSophie’s first foray into thewideworld ofadult food. When I mentioned that this sounded kind of unappetizing, that Idoubted aweakvegetable brothwould be very appealing, he responded: “NotonceyouaddthegratedParmesancheeseandoliveoil.”And that’swhen I realized thatas faras feedingchildrenhere in Italy there

was tobenoneof thespecial“kids” food,but justversionsofwhat theadults(anddogs,Iguess)alreadyknewandloved.SoafterSophieshowednoproblemenjoying her first bowls of minestrina, I was allowed to add the next step:pastina.Yes,itty-bittypiecesofpastamadejustforbabies,withloadsofoliveoilandfreshlygratedParmesancheese.Like most Italian children, Sophie and Emma thus never had to make any

transition from “children’s food” like fish fingers and chicken nuggets. Theyprettymuchdidwhatmostkidsheredo:eatwhattheirparentsareeating.Thismeant that they soon left behind watered-down vegetable soup and were

ordering tripeand liverwhenever theygot thechanceanddigging into freshlycaughtseaurchinsalongthelungomareinPuglia.

recipes

Even though Italian children eat prettymuchwhat adults eat, there are certainfoods that kids here know and love and associate with their childhood. Thedishes change from region to region, and even from family to family. Thefollowing are pretty standard, and were, and still are, Sophie’s and Emma’sfavorites.

pastaconburro

Serves5

Youwouldthinkthiswouldbeano-brainer.Pastawithbuttershouldjustalwaysbepastawithbutter,right?ButIgotaverybigshockoneday,whenSophieandEmmawerelittle,whenIservedthemwhatIthoughtwasoneoftheirfavoritedishes.“It’sdoesn’ttastelikeSandra’s.”Translation:“Sandra’stastesbetterthanyours.”Sandra isourneighbor inUmbria,andthegirlswouldspendmorningsthereduringthesummerwhileIworked.ThenexttimeIdroppedoffSophieandEmmaImadeapointtoaskSandra

forhersecretrecipe.Asitturnedoutnotonlydidsheuseunsaltedbutter(IhadbeenusingfancyimportedsaltedbutterfromDenmark),butshealsoaddedonesecret ingredient: the pasta cooking water. Evidently this trick emulsified thebutter into a starchy sauce that made Sandra’s so much better. Also? Sandraalwaysusedspaghetti,neverpenne.This,too(accordingtoSophieandEmma),made all the difference.As Sandra explained tome, “Signora, children preferspaghetti,”asifitwassomethingeveryoneknew.Andthefinaltouch,adrizzleofoliveoil,madeitirresistible.

Salt1pound(500grams)spaghetti4tablespoons(½stick/60grams)unsaltedbutter,atroomtemperature,cutintosmallpiecesExtra-virginoliveoil

Bringapotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthespaghettiandcookuntilaldente.Drainthepasta,reservingacupofthepastacookingwater.Returnthepastato

the warm pot and add the butter. Stir in the butter, so that it begins to melt,addingthepastacookingwaterabitatatime,andcontinuingtostir.Abuttery,starchysauceshouldform.Servewithabitofoliveoildrizzledontop.Or,betteryet, letyourchildren

drizzletheirownoil,whichispartofthefun.

pastawithbutterandanchovies

Serves4

Pasta con burro is definitely comfort food. While delicious and almosteveryone’ssecretvice,it’snotreallysomethingthatyouwouldservetoguests,right?Butwithjustacoupleoftweaksthishomeydishcanbecomedinnerpartyfare.I started thinking about this because pastawith butter is currently enjoying

quite a vogue in Rome in restaurants. But it’s not your everyday pasta withbutter.Pastawithbutterandtheall-importantadditionofanchovieshasbecomesomethingeverynewrestaurantisputtingonitsmenu.Infact,you’dthinkthattherewas some sort of new law that required it as aprerequisite toopening arestaurant.It’sdefinitelyatrend,butatleastanincrediblydeliciousone.Itisbeyondeasytomakeinthecomfortofyourownhome,evenifyou’refar

fromthecentrostorico.Thetrick,ofcourse, ismakingtheeffort tosourcetheright ingredients.Freshlymadeeggpasta tostart, then theverybestanchoviesmoney can buy. Big fat fillets packed in oil aremy favorite, preferably fromSicilyor,ifI’mfeelingparticularlyflush,importedanchoviesfromthenortherncoastofSpain.And butter—lots of butter.And no one in his rightmindwould use Italian

butter for this dish. Italians aregood at lots of things, but butter is not oneofthem.IusuallyoptforimportedDanishbutter,butthebestwaswhenIhappenedtohaveapackofFrenchbutterSophiehadreceivedasaChristmaspresentfromherboss(goodbossesgivegoodbutter),whichmadeallthedifference.Once you’ve got your ingredients, the rest is pretty simple, but not as

straightforwardasyoumightthink.Iuseanchoviestwice:firstdissolvedintothemelted butter, and then a few thick fillets added at the last minute. And toachieve themost luscious of sauces, youmustmake ample use of the starchypastacookingwater.Wheneverything isplaced inawarmedbowland toppedwithafewgrindingsofblackpepper,youcanpretendyou’reinoneofRome’strendiestrestaurants.Orjustcallitwhatitis:comfortfood.Yourchoice.

Salt8tablespoons(1stick/110grams)good-qualityunsaltedbutter12anchovyfillets1pound(500grams)freshfettuccine

Freshlygroundblackpepper

Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Putthree-quarters(6tablespoons)ofthebutterintoapanlargeenoughtohold

the cooked and drained pasta, and melt over medium heat. Add half of theanchoviesandstiruntiltheyhavedissolved.

Oncethewaterisboiling,addthepastaandcookuntilaldente.Ifitisfresh

pastaitwillcookveryquickly,sokeepyoureyeonitDrain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the

drainedpastatothepanwiththebutterandtosswelltocoatovermediumheat.Addabout¼cupofthepastacookingwater,andstirwell.Turnofftheheat

andaddtheremaining2tablespoonsbutterandabitmoreofthepastacookingwater,stirringtoamalgamate.Add the remaining anchovies, toss, and serve immediately. Seasonwith the

pepper.

Note:Foraboostof“anchoviness,”usecolatura,areducedanchovyliquidfromCampania,inadditiontotheanchovies.

zabaione

Serves2

Oneofmyhusband’siconicchildhoodfoodmemoriesiszabaione.Hisfondestmemories arewhenhe arrivedhome from school andhismotherwouldmakehim a special treat.Taking out a big bowl and a large fork (she didn’t own awhisk),hismotherwouldwhiphimupafreshbatchofthishomeycustard.We’vehadmorefightsthanIcantellyouaboutthis.Firstofall,whenSophie

and Emma were little, he would encourage me to make it for them.When Ibalkedatfeedingaone-year-oldraweggs,hisresponsewas“Itdidn’thurtme!”Ialsohaveanissuewithhisreferringtothisaszabaioneatall,sincetraditionalzabaione includes at least some sweet dessertwine,which I know hismotherwouldneverhaveincluded.Asitturnsout,wearebothright.Thereisaversionof this traditional recipe, for children, that eliminates the wine. The resultingdessertiscompletelydifferent,butdeliciousjustthesame.AndwhileDomenicoinsists hismother never got hers anywhere near the heat, justwhipping up anegg yolk with sugar, I prefer to cook it over a bain-marie. A dash of vanillareplacestheflavoringoftheMarsala.

4eggyolks⅓cup(80grams)sugar¼cup(250milliliters)heavycream¼teaspoonpurevanillaextract

Placealltheingredientsinametalbowl;selectabowlthatwilllaterfitoverapanofsimmeringwater.Usinganelectricmixerorawhisk,beatuntilthemixtureislightandfrothy;it

should be very light in color. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmeringwaterandcontinuewhiskingforanother10minutes.Itwillcontinuetoexpandandbecomeevencreamier.You can either eat it immediately,warm, or place it in small single-serving

cupsandchillintherefrigerator,whereitwillbecomefirmer.

{ chapter15 }

topaninoornottopanino?thatistheromanquestion

Rememberwheneveryonewasgettingthosepaninopresses?Ithinkitwasaboutfifteen years ago,when the hot item in every fancy cooking supply cataloguewas amachinewhose sole purposewas to take an Italian-style sandwich andpressitdownbetweentwoheatedsteelplatesuntiltheoutsidewascrispandtheinsidewaswarmand(sincewearetalkingAmericahere)probablyoozingwithmeltedcheese.Theinvestmentwasworthit—orsoitwasimplied—sothatyoucouldhavean

authenticItalianpaninointhecomfortofyourownhome.ThemainproblemwiththisisthatnoItalianeverthinksofhavingapaninoin

the comfort of their own home. Panini (and we’ll get into what that meansspecifically inRome)aremeant tobeeatenonly insituationswherea full sit-downmeal is not possible or convenient.Going to the beach?Pack a panino.Train ride? Panino. Hungry for a quick lunch on a short work break? Paninofromyourlocalcoffeebar.I realized this cultural divide during one of our yearly trips to the States.

Whenweheadbackhome,weusuallyspendaweekatmysisterRobin’shouse.Likeallgoodmoms,shealwayshasaloafofbread,somecoldcuts,andajarofpicklesinthefridge.Whenlunchtimerollsaround,everythingislaidoutonthecounteranditismoreorlessfendforyourself.TakingpityonmyItalianhusband,Imadeasandwichforhim.Twoslicesof

rye bread, some corned beef, Swiss cheese, mayo, and mustard. While heenjoyed it, I knew, from the shaking of his head, that thiswas a very strangethingtobecallingarealmeal.Back inRome, I tried to introduce the ideaof a sandwich for ameal.Even

whenIwentoutofmywaytogetgreatbread,interestingcheesesandprosciutto,andfreshlettuceleavesforasandwichallmadetoorderandputonaplatewith

a side of cut carrots, pickles, and even homemade coleslaw, my family washaving none of this. I’m not sure how my 50 percent American daughtersdecidedthattheywere100percentItalianwhenitcametomeals.EvenifIwasputting it on a plate, whichwas sitting on a tablecloth in our dining room, apaninowasjustnotgoingtobearealmeal.Itwasn’tuntilSophieheadedofftomiddleschoolthatshebegantoappreciate

myoh-so-Americansandwich-makingskills.Sinceitwasalongdaybeforeshecame home for lunch at 2:00 p.m., she would get famished. To avoid theinevitable drops in blood sugar, I started slipping an aluminum foil–wrappedsandwich into the outside pocket of her backpack. Her first reaction was, ofcourse,oneofembarrassment.Whileanyfourteen-year-oldwillbeembarrassedby almost anything their mother does, I think the thought of pulling out anobviously “American snack,” made by her mother was just too horrific tocontemplate.Until,thatis,shestartedaskingmeifIcouldpossiblymaketwo…andthen

three.AtfirstIthoughtthatshewasjustgoingthroughagrowthspurt.ButIquickly

realized thathersandwichesnotonlyhadbecomeanobjectofcuriosity inherclass, but were beginning to become requested by her schoolmates. In fact, Ifoundoutmysandwicheshadaname:paninidiLitzie.Whatmademylittlepaninisuchobjectsofdesire?Itsurewasn’tartisanbread

andrawmilkcheese.ForSophie’ssnacksIpulledoutaloafofindustriallymadeMulinoBianco bread, slapped on store-bought turkey breast, a leaf of lettuce,andcopiousamountsofmyfavoritebrandofItalianmayonnaise,Calve.This,ofcourse, made them completely exotic and exciting. They were “American”panini,andso(atleastinthethen-preteens’eyes)somuchbetterthanthetypicalRomanpanini theywere used to.Which is all kindof ironic since, of course,trueRomanpaniniare(atleastinmyfoodieadulteyes)somuchbetter.LikemanyItalianfoodwords,paninoisaloadedone.Fromregiontoregion

thedefinitionslipsfromone thing toanother. InPalermosoft rollsare layeredwithspleen,whileinFlorencemobilecartsserveupsteamingspoonfulsoftripeontocrustyciabatta.InVenicesoftwhitebreadiscutintotrianglesandstuffedwith things like chicken salad, tiny shrimp, or simple ham, all with copiousamountsofmayonnaisetobecometramezzini.

anatomyofaromanpanino:thebread

Rosetta.  For a long time the rosetta roll held sway over every other kind ofbreadusedtomakeapanino.WhenIlivedhereinthe’70s,itwasjustabouttheonlybreadyou’dsee.Itwaswhatshowedupinbreadbasketsinrestaurantsandwascertainlywhateveryschoolkid looked forward toat lunch.The rosetta ismadeby layingfivesmallballsofdoughnext toeachother inacircle,withasixthballstuckontopinthecenter.Afterithasbeenlefttorise,itisbakedinahot ovenwhere themagic occurs.While the outside becomes golden and theseparation between the balls becomes a lovely rose-shaped pattern (get it?rosetta?), the inside puffs up and is completely hollow, which makes it theperfectvehicleforapanino.

Tartaruga.  A cousin of the rosetta, the tartaruga has a flat shape andcrisscrossingpatternthatmakeitlooklikeaturtle.Iguess.

Pizza Bianca.  One of my all-time favorite Roman sandwiches is the pizzabianca type. The Roman panino par excellence is pizza e mortazza, or pizzabiancaslicedopenhorizontallyandlayeredwithasliceortwoofmortadella.

Ciabatta. Thiswordciabatta literallytranslatesas“slipper,”andreferstotheelongated, flattishshape,which, ifyou reallystretchyour imagination, Iguesslookslikesomesortofslipper?Inanycase,thewordciabattachangesmeaningslightlyfromregiontoregion,sometimesreferringtoalargeloafandsometimes(as here in Rome) referring to a largish roll. In Rome, ciabattas are oftenseasonedwithabitofoliveoilontop,whichmakestherusticcrumbevensofterandsoperfectforslicingopenlengthwiseandturningintoapanino.

Ciriola. A smallish football-shaped rollwith a very sturdy crumb and crispycrust, it was traditionally the roll favored by workers, since the sturdyconstructionnotonlywasfillinginandofitself,butalsocouldbeamplystuffed.Ciriolaaregettingharderandhardertofindthesedays.

anatomyofaromanpanino:thefillingRomansandwiches,includingtherosetta,arethingsofminimalbeauty.Threeorfourslicesofsalami.Orafewslicesofmozzarellaandatomato.That’sit—noquarterpoundofham,andcertainlynomustardormayonnaise.Condimentsaregenerallyfrownedupon,mostly,Isuppose,becausetheyjustdon’tformpartoftheItaliandiet.Andwhenyouthinkaboutit,ifyou’vealreadygotsomethingasheavilyseasonedasmortadella,provolone,orporchetta,doyou reallywantorneedmustardand/ormayo?

wheninrome…

One of the most welcome trends in the Roman dining scene has been theopeningof“gourmet”paninoshops.WhileIhatetousethewordgourmetinanycontext, I’m using it here since it’s the word the young owners are usingthemselves. The trend actually was kick-started in Florence, by AlessandroFrassicaandhisnow-famoussandwichshop’Ino.HewasoneofthefirsttoraisethehumblepaninotoloftyheightsbyfocusingonextraordinaryqualityofbothbreadandfillingswhileremainingprettytiedtoItaliantradition.HerefollowafewofthebetterofhisRomanoffspring:

TricoloreViaUrbana126UntilrecentlyTricolorewasabitofeverything.Cookingschool,breadshop,

andgourmetpaninosource.Theyhaverecentlyrelaunched themselvesandarenow featuring only their much-loved gourmet panini. Not simple bread andprosciutto fare, but the best gourmet sandwiches in town: Egg andTruffle onCornBread;OctopusonPotatoBread;BollitowithSalsaVerdeonSourdough.Eachrollisspeciallybakedinthemorningtopairwithspecificsandwiches.

ZiaRosettaViaUrbana54Thisadorable sandwichshop isnamedafter theold-fashioned rosettabread

roll, which is stuffed in about fifteen different ways. Fillings are simple, yetinventive,withcutenameslikeLadyGodiva(meatballs)andAllspice(chickencurry).Since theyofferbothfull-sizeandminipanini, I like toget threesmallonessoI’mabletotryasmanyaspossible.Theyalsodeliver.

TrapizzinoViaGiovanniBranca88TheownerofoneofRome’sbestpizzerias,Sforno,openedthissmallshopin

Testaccio,whichoffersthelovechildofpizzaandpanino:thetrapizzino.Madeoutofawhitepizzapocket,thesmalltrianglesofdougharestuffedwiththingsliketripe,meatballs,andchickenandpeppers.KindoflikeaHotPocket,ifyouinsist.It’saningeniouswaytoeatbothpizzaandamaincoursewhilecallingitasnack,ifyouaskme.

’Ino,EatalyPiazzaleXIIOttobre1492AlessandroFrassicakick-startedthegourmetpaninotrendinFlorenceathis

ground-breaking ’Ino, just behind theUffiziGallery.He’s since branchedout,andhashisowncounterattheEatalyinRome.

traditionalpanino

AttheverybeginningofthischapterIstressedthefactthatpaniniaresomethingyoueatquickly,usuallywhileatabar.Thisstillholdstrue,andalmostanybaryouwalkintoinRomewillhaveaselectionoffreshlymadepanini.Madeinthelatemorning,thesepaniniaremeanttobeboughtandconsumedwithinthesameday.Theyusuallyselloutby4:00p.m.Depending on the type of sandwich you order, your baristamay ask you if

you’dlikeitriscaldata(“Wouldyoulikeitheated?”).Andfinally,thisiswherethe infamouspaninopress finallymakes itself known.Not in people’s homes,butasaquickwaytoheatupthepanino.Sincemostpaniniaremadefromeitherrollsorpizzabianca,bothofwhichhaveatendencytogrowhardanddryfast,aquick trip to the panino press not only softens the bread, but warms it andprovidesanextralayerofcrispycrunch.

favoriteplacestograbatraditionalpanino

Rarelydoyougooutofyourwaytograbapaninoinabar.ThisissomethingthatRomansdoatthespurofthemoment,whentheyarehungryandjustdon’thave timefora realmeal.Mostneighborhoodbarsmakedecentpanini, so it’shardtosingleoutoneovertheother.SoI’lljustlistafewofmyfavorites,whicharemostlymyfavoritesbecauseofpureconvenience.

BernasconiPiazzaCairoli16Thoughit isbetterknownforpastriesandcakes,Ioftenheadto thiscoffee

barfortheirminisandwiches.Small,softrollsareslicedinhalfandfilledwithsalmonandmarinatedartichokes.These tinybits areperfectwhen I’mhungrybutdon’twanttocommittoafull-fledgedpanino.

CaffèPerùViadiMonserrato46Althoughthiscoffeebarhasrecentlybeenrenovatedandhasstartedserving

real food, I still like stoppingbyhere foroneof theirwell-madepanini.Eventhoughit’slocatedinthehypertouristyareaaroundCampode’Fiori,thebarstillattractsmostlyregulars,whostopbyforaquicklunchtimesandwich.

VanniViaColdiLana10VanniisaRomaninstitution.Whileitmayhavestartedoutasacoffeebar,it

now includes a full-fledged pastry section and a restaurant. I’d never think ofhaving a real meal there (the food looks kind of institutional to me), but aSundaycappuccinowithoneoftheirwell-madepaniniisperfect.LocatedinthePratineighborhood.

LottiViaSardegna13IfirstdiscoveredLottiwhenSophiewasabouttenandtakingtennislessons

neartheVillaBorghese.Iwoulddropheroffand,badmotherthatIam,wanderofftofindacoffeeandreadthenewspaper.(Thereisonlysomuchten-year-oldtennisplayingyoucanwatch.)Inmymemoryitwasalsoalwayscoldandrainy.(Why Iwas leavingmy child to play tennis in thatweather is something I’vemanaged to forget.)Anyway,when I first stumbleduponLotti, it immediatelybecame“myplace.”Atmealtimestheyactuallyserverealfood,butmyfavoritething toorder isacoupleof theirsoft tramezzini, filledwithhard-boiledeggs,lettuce,andjustenoughmayonnaisetoholditalltogether.

FornoCampode’FioriPiazzaCampode’FioriWhenyoustartoutwithgreatbread,you’realreadyaheadofthegamewhen

itcomestoapanino.TheFornoCampode’FioriisoneofthebestbakeriesinRome,sohigh-qualitybreadgoeswithoutsaying.Foryearspeoplewouldstopbythebakery,pickuparollorasliceofpizzabianca,andthentakeitacrossthepiazzatothealimentaritohaveitslicedopenandturnedintoasandwichwithafillingof their choosing.TheForno finally realized that theycouldbedoingagreatbusinessbymakingtheirownpaniniandsotheyacquiredthecornershopacrossthestreetandturneditintooneofthebestsandwichshopsinthecenter.Yourbestbethereistogoforoneofthepizzabianca–basedpanini.Theclassic,ofcourse,isstuffedwithmortadella.Butinseasontherearesuchspecialtiesasprosciuttoandfigs,ortomatoesandmozzarelladibufala.Domenicocanneverresistthecrustycirioliastuffedwithafatwedgeoffrittata,sinceitremindshimofchildhoodtripstothebeach.

recipes

paninodifrittata

Makes4panini

Even thoughDomenicowon’tacceptapaninoasa substitute foramealwhenweareathome,ifit’spackedupforapicnic,allrulesflyoutthewindow.Hisfavoritebeach-timetreatexistsinhismemory:thepaninodifrittatahismotherusedtomakeforhimtotakeforadayatthebeach.Madewithathicksliceoffrittata,thericheggysandwichneedsnoothercondiments.

1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil1½cupschoppedonionsSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper3largeeggs¼cupgratedParmesancheese4crustyrolls

Pourtheoliveoilinan8-inchnonstickpanandplaceitovermediumheat.Addthe onions, and season with salt and pepper. Let cook until the onions havesoftened,about12minutes.Inthemeantimebeattheeggsandgratedcheeseinasmallbowl.Aftertheonionshavecooked,addthemtotheeggs,stir,andpourtheentire

mixturebackintothepan.Placealidonthepan,andcookuntiltheeggshaveset.Turnoutontoaplateandletcool.Slicetherollsinhalf,andplaceaquarterofthefrittataineachroll.

prosciuttoandfigpanino

Makes1panino

Although most people know and love the divine combination of melon andprosciutto,manyareunawareofthecharmsofpairingprosciuttowithfreshfigs,maybebecausefreshfigsaresohardtocomeby.Butifyoudohaveasupply,there is nothing better than theRomanpractice of smashing a fewof them inbetweentwoslicesofpizzabianca,withasliceofprosciutto.

One4-inchsquarefocacciaorpizzabianca2slicesprosciuttocrudo4veryripefigs

Slice the focacciaorpizzabiancaopen lengthwise.Layonesliceofprosciuttoon the bread, then place the cut-open figs on top.Coverwith another slice ofprosciuttoandsmashdownwiththetoppieceofbread,sothatthefigsbecomealmostapuree.

{ chapter16 }

cookinglikemama

I’veprettymuchgrownupcooking.Myfavorite toywhen IwasyoungerwasmyEasy-BakeOven.Mixing the littlepacketsofpowderwithwater that thenturned into pint-sized corn muffins, brownies, and cakes was just about myfavorite thing in the world. I then moved on to the real thing, following therecipeonthebackofthebagofchocolatechipssothatIcouldturnoutabatchofperfectTollHousecookiesbythetimeIwaseight.Byhighschool,IhadmovedonfromRiceKrispiesTreatsandDuncanHines

brownies. By age fifteen I had became the de facto cook in our family. Mymother,whoworked,wouldleavemehercreditcardandthekeystothecarsothat when I came home from school I could not only do the weekly groceryshopping,butthenmakedinner.Homework?Ididgotothelibrary,butitwastolookuprecipesforthingslikegado-gadoandcoqauvin,ratherthanfinishthatresearchpaperonEmilyDickinson.Throughout university, I naturally took on the role of cooking for my

roommates.Iwouldcarefullyplanoutaweek’sworthofmenus,thensendthemofftodothegroceryshopping.FortherestoftheweekIwouldworkmywaythroughTheMoosewoodCookbook,torn-outpagesfromBonAppétit,andCraigClaiborne’s Favorites from the New York Times. Graduate school saw methrowingdinnerpartiesformystarvingfriendsevenwhenmykitchenconsistedofbarelymorethantwoburnersandatoasteroveninmyupperWestSidestudioapartment.ThisisalltosaythatbythetimeIwasmarriedandraisingmyownfamilyin

RomeIwasnotsomenoviceinthekitchen.Iknewhowtofeedbothfriendsandfamily.Givemeahalf-fullrefrigeratorandIcouldfigureoutsomethingtomakefordinner.Granted,thiswasItaly,nottheStates,butIhadspentagoodportionof my life here and so I had learned the ins and outs of being in an Italiankitchen.AndbeinganItalianwife?Thatwasanewthingforme.ButbeinganItalian

daughter-in-law? That actually proved pretty easy. Maybe it is because mymother-in-law lives about 500kilometers away fromRome, butwe’ve alwaysgottenalongjustfine.ButreproducingMama’sdishesformyItalianhusband?That’sanotherstory.Andit’snotlikeIhaveahusbandwhohasgrownupeatingonlyhismother’s

cooking.Myhusbandisnotamammone,abreedofItalianmalewhoonlyleavesthe comforts of his mama’s home when he gets married, and even after thatremains tied to hismama’s apron strings.No,Domenico has traveled far andwide.He’slivedintheStatesforextendedperiodsoftimeandevenspentmuchofhisearlycareer inAfrica.Sohe’sbeenexposed to,and fallen in lovewith,foodfromjustabouteverywherebutItaly.As a newwife, I couldwhip upmeals to recreate the escargot he’d had in

Paris, the barbecued ribs he’d eaten inKansas City, and theWiener schnitzelhe’dhad inVienna. Iwas evenwell versed in the ribollita he enjoyedduringcollegedaysinFlorence,theamatricianahe’slearnedtoloveinRome,andthespaghettiallevongolefromtimespentonthebeachesofTuscany.But making orecchiette con cime di rapa just like Domenico’s pugliese

mother makes? That one threwme for a loop for the longest time. I quicklydiscovered thatwhenyouarecooking foran Italianmale, food isprettymuchdividedintotwocategories.Thefirstcategoryisthefoodhismothermadewhilehe was a child. The second category is everything else. And if you haven’tfigureditoutbynow,thefoodthathismothermakes?It’sthebestfoodintheworld.Nocomparison.I remembermy first visit toBari.Wemade the five-hour tripdownbycar,

andmostof the tripwas takenupdiscussingwhatweweregoing tobeeatingoncewearrived.SinceIhadneverbeentoPuglia,anddidn’tknowmuchaboutthe foods of that region, I was intensely curious. But I had a hard timeunderstandingsomeofthedishesDomenicowasdescribing.And let me be clear: Domenico and I speak in English. His English is so

perfectyou’dthinkhewasAmerican.Andmineisprettygood,too.Soitwasn’ta language problem. It was a cultural one. Domenico was busy rhapsodizingaboutdishesthatsounded,well,boring?

A plate of fava puree with boiled greens. Pasta boiled together with otherboiledgreens.Somekindofpizzathatreallywasn’tapizzamadewithmashedpotatoes andmortadella—or not. Themortadella additionwas evidently a bigfamilyissue.Somehow, during that first trip to Bari, over the course of three days, his

mothermanagedtomakeallthesedishes.Because,ofcourse,hersonhadaskedfor them and there is nothing that brings more joy to an Italian mother thancooking for her son. The food, of course, was delicious and not, I foolishlythought,thatcomplicatedtorecreate.Rosamadeitallseemsoeasy.Herkitchenstayedneatandtidytheentiretimeshewascooking,andthedishesseemedtoappear almost miraculously with almost no effort at all. Even the mostcomplicated of the things we ate that first weekend—orecchiette con cime dirapa—seemed like a no-brainer. I distinctly remember thinking, “Hey, thisseemsprettyeasy.Youevencookthevegetablesandpastainthesamepot.”Butbackinmynewlyweddedhome,for thenextfewmonths, I triedoften,

and failed, to recreate this typical dish.Undercooked orecchiette. Overcookedorecchiette.Broccolithatfellapart.BroccolithattastednothinglikeMama’s.And then there was the whole thing about getting my hands on some

orecchietteinthefirstplace.Thislittleear-shapedpastaisverymuchapugliesething, and althoughyou’ll find orecchiette-shapedpasta inmost supermarkets,theyaren’tanywhereneartherealthing.Realorecchiettearethick,hard,and,whencookedcorrectly,slightlychewyto

thebite.ButtodayI’mhappytosaythatI’vefinallyperfectedmyorecchietteconcime

di rapa. It’sonly takenme twentyyears,and involvesdrivingdown toBari toshopforingredients.Ikidyounot.IknowIbangonaboutlocal,seasonalingredientsalot.Andcimedirapaare

atypicalexample.AlthoughyoucangetsomeversionoffloweringbroccolihereinLazio, it is a completelydifferent animal from thebunches Ipickupat themarketinBari.Thesoil,climate,andvarietygivethecimadirapafromPugliaa

very specific, pungent, green taste that is unique. I’ve never quite found theexactsametastenorthofNaples.So,wheneverI’minBari,Igetatleastafewkilos.Ialsoloaduponorecchiette,whicharehandmadebyhousewivesworkingoutoftheirhomesintheoldpartoftown.Thus—withonlya500-kilometerdrivetothemarketbetweenmeandmydish

—Icanproudlyproduceperfectorecchietteconcimedirapa.

recipes

favaandchicory

Serves4asamaincourse

Thisisoneofthosedishesthatissosimplethatit’salmostanonrecipe—apureeof fava beans served with a side of boiled greens. The idea of mixing bittergreenswithanearthystarchisagreatone.Themagicworkswhentheblandandthebittercometogetherontheplate,underaliberalpourofoliveoil.Youmightnever have had this, since most restaurants tend to fuss it up, adding garlic,onions, or even bits of pancetta. But the true poetry of the dish comes in itssimplicity.Ifyoureallycan’tabidethebitternessofchicory,youcansubstituteanother,sweeter,greenlikeSwisschard.

2cupsdriedsplitfavabeanswithouttheskin(notfreshfava)1teaspoonsalt,plusmoreasneeded3pounds(11/5kilos)chicorygreensExtra-virginoliveoil

Placethefavabeansinabowlofwaterandsoakfor6hoursorovernight.Drain the beans, place them in a pot, and add enoughwater to come about

½inchoverthetopofthebeans.Add1teaspoonofsaltandbringtoasimmer.Letcook,undisturbed,untilthebeansaremushy-tender.Don’tbetemptedtostirthemup.Youwantmostof thewater tobeabsorbed,butwhat’snotabsorbedshouldevaporate.It’stricky.(Itcantakequitealongtimeforthebeanstocook,up to an hour and a half if they are older.) By the end you should have justenoughliquidinthepottohelpthebeansbecomemush.Usingawoodenspoon,onlythendoyoustirthingsup,mashandmushthem

intoaroughpuree.(Donotcookthebeansaheadoftime,becausethefavapureetendstosolidify,

sort of like polenta. If you do decide tomake the favas ahead of time, you’llhavetothinthemoutwithabitmorewater.Theconsistencyshouldbe,moreorless,likethatofmashedpotatoes.)Inthemeantime,bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthechicory

andcookuntildone,about15minutes.Thetrickwithcookingthechicoryisto

useabundantwater.Thiswillhelptotamethenaturalbitternessofthegreens.To serve, fill eachplatewithhalf chicory andhalf favapuree.Drizzlewith

oliveoil,andsprinklewithsalt.Servewithcrustybread,andenjoy.

minchillimeatballs

Serves4to5asamaincourse

Thisisarecipethatmymother-in-lawusedtocookforSophieandEmmawhentheywerelittle.Andofcourse,I’msureshemadeitforhersonswhentheywerechildren,too.ThereallessonthatIlearnedinwatchingmymother-in-lawmakethesemeatballsistherolethatoliveoilplaysinsomanyrecipes.It’snotjustavehicle for softening the garlic or onion in a dish, but is one of the mainingredientsthatgivebodyandtexture,nottomentiontaste.

7ounces(200grams)groundpork7ounces(200grams)groundbeef7ounces(200grams)groundvealorturkey½cupgratedonion½cupbreadcrumbs⅓cupgratedParmesancheese¼cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsley2garliccloves,minced¾teaspoonsalt,plusmoretoseason½teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper1largeegg¼cup(60milliliters)plus2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoilOne18-ounce(500-gram)canpelati(peeledwholeSanMarzano)tomatoes

In a large bowl, gently combine the pork, beef, veal, onion, bread crumbs,cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, egg, and the¼cupof oliveoil. Form themixtureintoabout30smallmeatballs,1½inchesindiameter.In a largeheavy-bottomed skillet, heat the remaining2 tablespoonsofolive

oilovermediumheat.Addthemeatballstotheskillet,about10atatime,soasnottoovercrowd.Cook,usingaspoontoturnthemeatballs,untiltheyarewellbrownedallover.Removefromthepan,setaside,andrepeat theprocedure tocooktherest.Addthetomatoestotheoil intheskilletandbringtoasimmer,scrapingup

thebits of brownedmeat, and seasonwith salt.Return themeatballs, and anyjuicesthathaveformedontheplate,totheskillet.Bringbacktoalowsimmer,cover,andcookuntildone,about30minutes.

orecchietteconcimedirapa

Serves5to6

2pounds(1kilo)trimmedcimadirapa(broccolirabe)4to6anchovyfillets1pound(500grams)orecchiettepasta⅓cup(120milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil2garliccloves,chopped¼to½teaspoonhotredpepperflakes

Prepareallyouringredientsbeforeyougetstarted.Washand trim thegreens.This tookme the longest time to figureout.You

want to make sure that you use every bit that is tender, but that is sort ofsubjective. Definitely preserve the flowering heads, or cime. Then the tendercenter leaves,aswellasanybiggerones thatseemtender.Justmakesureyoueliminateanyreallytoughstems.Asfortheanchovies,youcanuseanchoviespackedinoil,readytogo,butI

like theones that arepreserved in salt.Thismeans soaking them forabout10minutes in room-temperaturewater.Thencarefullyopen themup, takeout thecentralbones,andrinsethemoff.Cutthemintosmallpieces.Bring a large pot of saltedwater to a boil.Add the orecchiette, and set the

timerfor5minutes.After5minutes,addthebroccolirabeandbringbacktoasteadysimmer.Inthemeantime,placetheoilinaskilletthatwillbelargeenoughtoholdall

thepastaandbroccolirabeandheatgently.Addthegarlicandredpepperflakes.Whenthegarlicbecomesfragrant,addtheanchovies,mixingandmashingthemupwithawoodenspoon.Turnofftheheatsothegarlicdoesn’tbrownorburn.After the pasta has cooked for about 12 minutes total, start checking it.

Orecchietteisatrickypastatogetright.Youwantittobecookedthrough,butstillchewy.Itshouldbecookedmorealdentethanotherkindsofpasta.Whenitiscooked,drainthepastaandbroccoliinacolander,reservingacup

ofthecookingwater.Turntheheatbackonunderthepanwiththeoliveoil,andaddthepastaand

broccolirabetothepan.Stirandtossoverlowheat,sothatthepastaabsorbstheoil.Addabitofthereservedcookingwaterifyouthinkit’sdry,butthebroccoli

rabeshouldgivethedishenoughmoisture.Serve, making sure you divide the broccoli rabe evenly among the dishes,

sinceittendstoclumpup.

pizzadipatate

Makesone10-inch“pizza”

ThisisoneofmyfavoritedishesthatI learnedfrommymother-in-law.Itwasalso theone I foundmost confusing. I just couldn’t understandwhy this dish,whichisbasicallyamashedpotatocasserole,wascalledpizza.IthasnothingincommonwithanythingIthinkofaspizzaexceptfortheroundshapeofthepanit’susuallybakedin.

2pounds(1kilo)starchypotatoes4tablespoons(½stick/60grams)unsaltedbutter,plusmoreforthepan½cupbreadcrumbsfordusting1egg½cup(118milliliters)wholemilk1teaspoonsalt½cupgratedParmesancheese1cup½-inchpiecesfreshmozzarella1cup½-inchpiecesmortadella

Peelthepotatoesandcutinhalfiflarge.Bringalargepotofwatertoaboil,addthepotatoes,andcookuntiltenderyetfirm.Drainandplaceinabowl.Letcoolabit.Preheattheovento350°F(180°C).Buttera10-inchspringformpanandcoat

liberallywithbreadcrumbs.Inabowl,mixtheeggwiththemilkandstirwelltobreakuptheegg.Addthe

egg-milkmixturetothepotatoes,alongwith2tablespoonsofthebutter,thesalt,andthegratedParmesancheese,andmixwell,mashingthepotatoestoasmoothconsistency.Spreadhalfofthepotatomixtureintothepreparedpan,usingawoodenspoon

toevenitout.Scatterthemozzarellaandthemortadellaevenlyontopofthepotatoes.Cover

with the rest of the potato mixture. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons ofbutterandsprinkleonthebreadcrumbs.Place in the preheatedoven, on the top rack, andbakeuntil heated through

andbrowned,25to30minutes.

eatingwithanitalianmamaofyourown

DoyouwanttohaveanItalianmamacookforyou?Ormaybeteachyouhowtocook? You can actually do this without finding your own Italian wife orhusband. Home Food is an association of home cooks throughout Italy whowelcomesguestsintotheirhomesformeals.Thesearenot“pop-up”restaurants,oranything“underground,”justwomenwhoarekeepingalivelocaltraditionsintheir homes. It’s a fantasticway to sample regional home cooking.The homecooks are called le Cesarine, and are located throughout Italy. The nonprofitorganizationisnotaboutmakingmoney,butaboutsharingawayoflife.Eachhome cook decides on his or her menu, then posts their availability on thewebsite.There are now somanyCesarine that it’s pretty easy to coordinate amealinoneoftheirhomeswithyourtravelplans.Ifyoudon’tseeanappropriatedate, just send thema note, and they’ll try to arrange a unique experience foryou,whichcanalsoincludeacookinglesson.IfirstdiscoveredHomeFoodwhileresearchingGourmet’sDiaryofaFoodie.

We featured Paola, a transplanted Sardinianwoman now living inRome.Hermealmixed her Sardinian rootswith foods from her newfound home. Paola’smenu included bucatini all’amatriciana, stewed rabbit, andmixedwild greens.Thewinewas fromSardinia, the tablewas setwith familyheirlooms, and theconversation lively with two other couples—one from Canada and the otherfromAustralia—allhappytocometogetherinatrueRomanhome.

{ chapter17 }

sundaylunch—thebestmealoftheweek

Therewere a lot of things in Italy that it tookme a long time to get used to:Shops closing in themiddle of the day.Unannounced strikes.Late trains.ButonethingItooktoimmediatelywastheideaofabigSundaylunch.Igrewupinafamilywheredinnerwastheonlyseriousmealofthedayand

breakfastwasanonevent.Growingup inSt.Louis, Iguesswehadcereal likemostotherkidsatthattime,andIdoinfacthavestrongmemoriesofpreferringthe pink to the green marsh–mallows in Lucky Charms. But even that weakattemptatahealthybreakfast flewout thewindowwhenwemoved to Italy. IhavestrongmemoriesoffendingformyselfonthewaytocatchtheschoolbusbypickingupapieceofpizzabiancaatthebakeryintheJewishGhetto.IfIwasextrahungryIwouldstopatthepizzaaltaglioplacedownthestreetandgetahugesliceofwhat I called“saladpizza”:pizzabianca toppedwithartichokes,arugula,andhard-boiledeggs.Butoncemy familyhit the road, for long tripsacrossEurope, allbetswere

off.BreakfastwouldconsistofTicTacsfrommymother’spurse,passedtousatthecrackofdawnfromthefrontseat.To thisdaymysisterRobingagsat themeresoundofthosebrightgreenmintsclickingintheirlittleplasticbox.Lunchinmyfamilywassimilarlyfrowneduponandneverreallyasit-down

planned affair. In fact, my mother still “picks” at lunch, poking aroundTupperwarecontainersstraight fromtherefrigerator.She isneverhappier thanwhilestandingupat thecounter,digginginto lastnight’s leftoversalad,soggyandwiltedfromitsovernightsoak.Myfatherinsteadconsidersabiglunchanenormouswasteofcaloriesand/or

a sign ofweakness. For him dinner is themainmeal and hewould rather gohungrytheentireday,packinginaday’sworthofeatinginonemeal.Luckily,at the internationalschool thatmysistersandIattendedduringour

time in Italy lunch was—true to Italian tradition—the big meal of the day.

Served cafeteria-style (that part was pure American), the food itself was 100percent Roman. There was always a first course, pasta; and a second course,meat.IamprettysurethisiswheremysisterJodistartedherlifelongloveaffairwithgnocchi.And it iscertainlywhere Idiscovered that somepeopleactuallydidsitdowntoabiglunch.WhenImovedbacktoItaly,andtoFlorence,in1988,asanadulttoworkon

mydissertation,Ihadtofacemyfamily’singrainedlunchissues.Particularly,IhadtodecidewhatcampIwasin.Waslunchamealthatwasbesteatenontherun, a quick panino wolfed down between bouts of deciphering Latindocuments?Orwasitatimetositdown,rest,andrefuelinordertofacetherestoftheday?While most of my time in Florence was spent poring through sixteenth-

century ledgers, documenting the shopping habits of theMedicis, with barelyanytimetothinkaboutlunchonewayortheother,Iwasfacedwithendlesslylong Sundayswhen the libraries and archiveswere closed. I am pretty sure itwas my friend Marietta who suggested we fill our time off with a long andleisurely lunch. While during the week I made do with panini from the bararound the corner from the archive, on SundaysMarietta and I headed to ourlocaltrattoriaforafullthree-coursemealwithatleastoneliterofthehousewinetowashitdown.Awalkandanapfollowed,andIcan’tthinkofamoreperfectformulaforaSundayafternooninItaly.WhileIthoroughlyenjoyedmySundaysinFlorence,IthinkIonlylearnedto

appreciate the truemeaning of Sunday lunch once I was living in Rome andraisingmyownfamily.Duringtheweek,ourmainmealofthedaywasdinner.Week-time lunches, instead, tended to be quick things—leftovers, bread andcheese, or a panino from the bar. Not quite my mother’s “picking” nor myfather’s“deprivation,”butnotaregularItalianluncheither.Come Sunday, though, I cooked big-time. I verymuch took to the idea of

being an Italianmama. If during the week I wouldmake something light fordinner, Sunday mornings would see me at the stove with a big pot of sauceboiling away, a pork roast in the oven, or some other delicious, long-cookingdish thatwould fill thehousewith thesmellof“Sunday.” I finallyunderstoodmy mother-in-law’s perennial question to me almost every day: “Che cosacucinistamattina?”(“Whatareyoucookingthismorning?”)BecauseshecouldneverquitegetherheadaroundthefactthatIdidn’tspendmymorningsasshehad done formost of her life, cooking for her husband and sons,whowouldcomehomefromworkandschoolforlunch.

Andwhilewhat Iwascookingcertainlymatters (and is alwaysa subjectoffamilydebate),itismoretheritualofthedayitselfthatmattersthemost.

italianbrunch

Ican’twriteaboutSunday lunch inRomewithoutsayingsomethingabout thenew trend of Sunday brunch.When I first started to see restaurants in Romeadvertising Sunday brunch, I thought, “Finally!” I have to admit that eventhough I am beyond assimilated here in Italy, I still have random and totallyunpredictableexpatcravings.Reese’sPeanutButterCupsrankhigh,asdothingslikecheddarcheeseandtacos.SowhenIfirstreadthewordbrunch,imagesofpancakes,baconandeggs,andbagelsnaturallystartedfloatingthroughmyhead.I should have known by the timing of the first brunch we went to that

somethingwasoff.Astherestaurantwasnotopenuntil12:30,Ithoughtthatitwas a late start to breakfast.Aswe sat down, thewaiter came by to take ourdrinksorderandexplain that thebuffetwouldbesetupanyminute.As I sawwaiters tending to chafing dishes, I still had hopes for eggs and could almostconvincemyselfthatIsmelledsausage.Butwhenwe finallypickedupourplatesand joined the line, Iwasgreeted

withplattersofprosciutto andmelon,mozzarella, andbresaola.Thosechafingdishes? Full of lasagna and eggplant parmigiana. The only things vaguelybrunchlikewere tiny squares of red pepper frittata thatwere clearlymeant asappetizers.I’mnotreallysurewhomadethisdecision,but the“b”inbrunch, inRome,

officiallystandsfor“buffet,”not“breakfast.”Thingswouldbemuchclearer ifthey justdecided tocall it“bunch”or“luffet”because it really just isa fixed-price lunchbuffet,meant tobeamorerelaxedapproach toSunday lunch. I’veneverbecomeabigfan,butI thinkthishasmoretodowithmyownpersonalantibuffetviewsthananyjudgmentonthequalityofthefood.Becausesomeofthe “brunches” aroundRome are quite good, and are hugely popular—even iftherearenopancakesinsight.

wheninrome…sundaylunch

Ordering:Thisisyourchancetoorderbig.Ifyou’vebeenavoidingorderingmorethanonecourseduringtheweek,thisisthetimetodothefullantipasto/primo/secondothing.Timing:Withallthatfood,takeyourtime.Sundaylunchisalongaffair.Atleasttwohours,usuallymuchmore,especiallyifyou’reinvitedtosomeone’shouse.Passeggiata:Walkitoffwithalongstrollafterward.ThisiswhattheSundaypasseggiatawasinventedfor.

sundaylunchinrome

Whiletherearelotsofnewrestaurants thathaveopenedinRomeoverthelasttenyears,whenitcomestoSundaylunchIamveryold-school.Iwantaplacethat hasn’t changed in decades. Because many families go out for lunch onSunday,placesdofillupaheadoftime,somakesureyoucalltoreserveatleastacoupleofdaysbefore.

PerilliViaMarmorata39,39-06-574-2415 This is our all-time favorite place for Sunday lunch. Evidently it’s also

everyoneelse’s since it’snear to impossible togetaSunday lunch reservationhereunlessyoucallafewdaysaheadoftime.Butit’sworththeeffort.Foundedin 1911, the old-fashioned place still has a distinct Roman trattoria feel to it.Located inTestaccio,where theoldslaughterhousewas, it servesmanydishesthat feature those odd cuts of meat known as the quinto quarto, or the “fifthquarter”(i.e.,offal). I thinkPerillihas thebestcarbonara in town,fullofhugechunksof chewyguanciale.Sophie swearsby theamatriciana (but thenagain,SophiewouldprobablyorderamatricianaevenifshewasinChina).Eitherway,youcan’tgowrong.Unbuttonyourpants,andhaveasecondcourseaswell. Iwaffleamongthemaialino(roastsucklingpig),thecoratella(lambinnards),andtheossobuco.Seechapter18formoreaboutPerilli.

PipernoMontedeCenci9,39-06-6880-6629I’vebeengoingheresinceIwastwelve,andhaveasoftspotforthisplace.

Whenmyfathercanbeconvincedtohavelunch,thisiswherewego.Notjustbecauseit’stheclosestrestauranttohishouseandhedoesn’thavetowalkbutalsobecause ithasexcellent food.Onasummerafternoon,youcan’tbeat thisjewel-sizepiazza forpretty, and inwinter thegreencloth–coveredwallsmakethe old-fashioned dining room extra cozy. What to get? Carciofi alla giudea(deep-friedartichokes),whichisoneoftheirspecialties,orreallyanythingfried,including zucchini and zucchini flowers. Save room for their pala di nono(grandfather’sballs): deep-fried, chocolate-speckledballs of ricotta. I’veneverhadthemanywhereelse(andnotquitesureIneedto).

LaCampanaVicolodellaCampana18,39-06-687-5273 La Campana is supposed to be Rome’s oldest restaurant, with documents

datingbackto1518.Well…whatever.ItcertainlyisaRomanclassic,withthesamefamilyrunningthingsjustastheyalwayshaveforgenerations.Ifyouwanttopickatleastoneold-fashionedtraditionalrestaurantinRome,thiswouldbeagood choice. The interiors are Roman comfortable and sober. Professionalwaiters inwhite jacketswaitontablesdrapedinstarchedlinen.Thedishesareequally classic. This iswhere you go to have seasonal treats like vignarola, asoup made of spring artichokes, peas, and fava beans. I often choose fish,especially if it’s Friday, and recently had an excellent grilled sole. But onSunday,Itendtogothemeatroute.IlovetheirvealsautéedinMarsalawine;itisascomfortingas it sounds.Dessertsarehomemade, like theirpearcakeandmontebiancowhenchestnutsareinseason.

placestohavesundaybrunchinrome

Iovercomemy“brunchaphobia”inRomeforafewplaces:

LanificioViadiPietralata159/159a,39-06-4178-0081Inanoddpartoftown,outtheNomentanaroad,Lanificioislocatedinanold

wool factory along the banks of theAnieneRiver. The space itself is beyondperfect.Roughconcretefloors, lightfloodingin,andtheentireplacefurnishedinmismatchedchairs, tables, andcouches.Kindof likea fleamarket,which Iguessitis,becauseeverythingisforsale.Thefoodisprettygoodtoo,setupontwolongwoodentables.

OpenColonnaViaMilano9a,39-06-4782-2641 OpenColonna is overseen by one of Italy’smost famous chefs,Antonello

Colonna.Bothhisupscale,fancyrestaurantandthemorecasualOpenColonnaare located atop the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, encased in a steel and glassstructure that sits on the roof of the museum. Their brunch buffet on theweekendsisoneofthemostpopularintown.

recipesforasundaylunch

Inourhouseit’salwayspasta.

bucatiniall’amatriciana

Serves4to5

3thickslicesofguanciale,choppedintosmallcubes(youcansubstitutepancettaorunsmokedbacon)2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil,asneeded1smallonion,choppedHotredpepperflakes(optional)One28-ounce(794-gram)canpeeled,wholeSanMarzanotomatoeswiththeirjuices1pound(500grams)bucatini½cupgratedPecorinoRomanocheese,ormoreasneeded

Place theguanciale ina large sautépanovermediumheat and let it cookandsizzleuntil just starting tobrown; it shouldgiveupquiteabitof fat.Turnoffheatand,usingaslottedspoon,scooptheguancialebitsupandsetaside.Ifthereisn’talotofrenderedfatleft inthepan,addabitofoliveoil.(You

maynotneedto.Thereshouldbeatleast3to4tablespoonsoffat.)Turntheheatbackon,addtheonion,andcookoverlowheatuntilquitesoft,butnotbrowned.At thispointyoucanaddabitofredpepperflakes ifyoulike togive itsomekick.Addthe tomatoesand their juices to thepan,alongwithreservedguanciale.

Letthesaucebubbleawayslowlyforatleastahalfhour.Itshouldreducequiteabit,andthicken.Ifyouthinkit’sgettingtoothick,addabitofwater.Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthebucatiniandcookuntilal

dente.Drainthepasta,reservingacupofthewater,andtransferittothepanwiththe

sauce. Stir to combine, and cook briefly over gentle heat, just to meld theflavors. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cheese. If the sauce seems toothick,addabitofreservedpastawater.Servewithextracheeseonthesideatthetable.

pastaalforno

Serves6

2to3smalleggplants(about1poundor1/2kilototal)2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil,plusmoreforfryingeggplant,oilingpan,anddrizzling2garliccloves,choppedHotredpepperflakes4cups(1liter)tomatopureeSalt1pound(500grams)pasta(Ilikeshells,butyoucanuserigatoni,too)1½cupscubedsmokedscamorzacheeseAbout12freshbasilleaves,torn1cupgratedParmesancheese

Choptheeggplantsinto½-inchcubes.Inahigh-sidedpot,frytheeggplantcubesin about 2 inches of hot olive oil until golden and soft. Make sure not toovercrowd the pot. You may have to do this in a few batches. Remove theeggplantwithaslottedspoonandtransfertopapertowelstodrain.Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan.Add the garlic and cook,

stirring,for1minute.Stirintheredpepperflakestotaste.Addthetomatopureeandsalttotaste.Cookoverlowheatuntilitstartstothicken,about15minutes.Addtornbasilleavesandstir.Tasteandadjustwithmoresaltifneeded.Cookthepastainsaltedwateruntilaldente.Drainandtosswithsomeolive

oilsoitdoesn’tsticktogether.Preheattheovento400°F(200°C).Ruban8-by-12-inchcasseroledishwith

oliveoil.Inalargebowl,mixthepastawiththetomatosauce.Addthefriedeggplant

andgentlystir tocombine.Stirin1cupofthecubedscamorza.Pourthepastainto the prepared casserole dish. Top with the remaining ½ cup of cubedscamorzaandthegratedParmesananddrizzlewitholiveoil.Placeinthepreheatedovenandbakeuntilbubblyandbrownedontop,about

20minutes.Letsitforabout5minutesbeforeserving.

{ chapter18 }

rome’sperfectrestaurant(atleastforme)

WhenIfirststartedthinkingofthisbook,IwasjokingaroundthatIshouldjusttitle itFavoriteRestaurants inRome andbedonewith it.Because, letme tellyou,ifyouareanexpatlivinginRomethatisthequestionyougetatleastfivetimes aweek. “My dentist’s aunt is coming to Rome. Can you recommend agreatpizzeria?”“Myex-brother-in-law’sgirlfriend’sniecewillbespendingherjunioryearabroad,canyoulistyourtenfavoriteplacestoeatdinnerthatdon’tcost toomuch?”“Hi,youdon’tknowme,butIwent tohighschoolwithyoursister.I’minRomerightnow.Couldyoutellmewheretohavelunch?Now?”I’mnotreallyexaggerating.Andthethingis,I’mnottheonlyonewhogets

theserequests.AllofmyfriendswholivehereinRomearebombardeddailybyfriendsof friendsof friendswhowould like“the list.”But, since I’m the foodwriterinourgroup,myfriendsalwaysdecidetofieldtheirqueriestome.Thankyouverymuch.Inthebeginning,backatthedawnoftime,IhadalistthatIwouldkeepupto

date.I’deithermail(rememberstamps?)orfax(yes,really)thisever-changinglistfarandwide.EventuallythelistgotsopassedaroundthatitwouldmakeitswaybacktomeinaculinaryversionofSixDegreesofMealPlanning.Iwouldreceiveane-mailfromatotalstranger,sendingme“their”listofrestaurantstocommenton.“Afriendofmineknowsachefwhogavemehis listof favoriteplaces.Canyoutellmeifyouagreewithhim?”“Well,yes,actuallyIcan,sincethisisthelistIgavetothecheflastyearbeforehistriptoRome.”AswemovedintothedigitalageIthinkoneoftheveryfirstthingsIthrewup

ontheWebwassomethingcalledElizabeth’sRestaurants.Atleast,now,Icouldeasilydirecteveryonetoasimplewebsitewithouttheneedforstampsand/orfaxpaper.Andthenblogshappenedand,beforeIknewit,myideaofpostingasimple

list of restaurants transformed itself into a forumwhere I could talk about somuchmore.Thisfinallyledtomyapp,EatRome.This,Ithought,wouldfinallyeliminatetheneedofanyonetoaskmequestionsaboutRomanrestaurantseveragain.Itwasallthere,constantlyupdated,easilydownloaded,and,frankly,dirtcheap.Now I (and allmy fellow expats in Rome) could respondwith a veryshorte-mail:Buytheapp.Andmostpeopledo.Butyouwanttoknowsomething?EventhoughIspent

anawfullotoftimepullingtogethermylistoffavoritesinRome?Thee-mailsstillcontinuetoarrivefrompeopleaskingmetonarrowthelistdown.Whatareyourfavoritefiverestaurants?What’syourfavoriteplacetohavepizza?Whereshouldwegoforapredinnerglassofwine?And, sinceEat Rome lists more than 80 restaurants, I still continue to get

askedthefollowingquestiononanalmostdailybasis:Whatisyourvery,veryfavoriteplacetoeat?HowamIsupposedtoanswerthat?Therearesomanyvariables.Itdepends

on theweatherand the season. ItdependsonhowI’m feeling, andhowmuchmoneyIwant tospend.DoI feel likegettingdressedup?DoIwant to takeataxi or drive? Or should I just stay in my own neighborhood? This is not astraightforwardquestion,andthereisreallynosimpleanswer.Sorry.Thatsaid,acoupleofyearsagoIreconsideredallofthis.Therehadjustbeen

a major earthquake in central Italy. The online world was all atwitter withpredictionsofan impending raptureor something.So I finallygot to thinking:WhatwouldmyverylastmealinRomebeifIhadtochoose?MyverylastmealifIwouldneverbeinRomeagain?BeforeIgotraptureduptoheavenorsuckeddownwhentheEarthsplitopen?Noonehadeveraskedmethatbefore.And,ifyouputitthatway,theansweriseasy:Perilli,ViaMarmorata39.Thisold-fashionedTestacciotrattoriahasbeengoingstrongsince1911.And

eveniftheyrecentlyspruceduptheplace,theimportantthingsremainthesame.Certainlythefoodand—Isuspect—evensomeofthewaitershaven’tchangedindecades. I guess somepeople are a bit put off by the fact that it feels like aninsiders-only Roman place to go. And in fact, you’ll find few tourists there(especiallyatSundaylunch).Italwayshasbeen,andremains,aplacefrequentedbyregulars,ofwhichIamdefinitelyone.While I love the waiters (Valerio is my favorite), and the slightly frumpy

overlit,mural-covereddiningroom,ofcoursewhatkeepsmecomingbackisthefood.My favorite dish: hands down the carbonara. This is (and you heard ithere) the best carbonara in Rome. Al dente rigatoni bathed in a wet gooey

coating of egg and cheese, studded with huge chewy chunks of guanciale. Icouldeatitthreetimesaday,everyday.AsI’vealreadyexplained,mydaughterSophiewouldkillforaplateoftheir

bucatini all’amatriciana. Since we usually head here for Sunday lunch, wemanagetomakeitthroughatleasttwocourses.Theirroastporkandroastlambarebothcoveredincrispy,saltyskin,moistandtenderontheinsideandservedwithwhatmaybethebestroastpotatoesintown.InspringIsometimesskipthemeat, andget aheapingportionofvignarola (a springtimestewofartichokes,peas, and fava beans). (OK, I never skip the meat, but get both meat andvignarola.)Since this isTestaccio, there isoffalgalore: rigatoni con lapajata(rigatoniwithlamb’sintestines)andcoratella(lambinnards)arefavorites.Ialsolove the osso buco, smothered in fresh peas. But no matter how much wemanagetoeat,Emma,whohasthesweettoothinthefamily,alwayssavesroomfortherichandcreamyold-fashionedzabaione.Whenyougo(noticeIdidn’tsay“if”),andmorethanonepersonatthetable

orderscarbonara,makesureyougettheservingbowl.Afterservingoutportionsofpastatothetable,oneluckydinergetstoeathisorherpastastraightoutoftheservingbowl.Thismeansextracheesy,eggygooeynessandall thosestraypiecesofguanciale(curedporkjowl)thatsinktothebottom.Butthereareotherthingsthathelpmedefine“favoriterestaurant.”Ihaveto

admit that one of them is convenience. There is a reason we all have our“neighborhood”place.Intheory,Ilovetryingoutnewrestaurants,andofcourseIdothisalotnotonlyformyworkbutalsoformypleasure.Isay“intheory”because,ofcourse,I’mlikeeveryoneelseIknow.Thosereservationsyoumadeweeks ago, to go to the newest, hottest restaurant across town, seemed like agoodideaatthetime.Butcome7:30p.m.,afterafulldayofwork,allyoureallywanttodoiswalkaroundthecornertoyourneighborhoodtrattoria.Notonlyareyouknownandloved(cuethethemefromCheers),butyoualsoknowandlovewhatwillbeonyourplate.AmIright?And then there is the whole question of defining “favorite.” In my book,

favoritedoesn’t necessarilymean someplace I eat at everyweek.Someofmyfavoriteplaces inRomearerestaurants that Isometimemake it toonlyonceayear.But—andthisisabigbut—theyarerestaurantsI’vebeengoingtoonceayearforaboutthirtyyearsnow.Thesearetheclassics,theold-fashionedRomanrestaurantsI’vebeengoingtosinceIwastwelveyearsold.

Thisisthetypeofrestaurantthatisoftenignoredbyfoodiesandguidebooks:the old-fashioned, more formal spots simply called ristoranti. Not trattoria,osteria, or any other -ria, but the kind of place that has existed for decades.WhenIfirstmovedtoRome,intheearly’70s,theseweretheplaceswewouldgoasaspecialtreat.Fortyyearslater,Iamstilldiningattheseinstitutions,andmanyofthesamewaitersarestillshufflingaboutinwhitejackets,transportingplatesofgnocchianddeep-friedsaltcod.Thesearetheold-schoolhauntswhereyouaremorelikelytobeseatednexttoanItaliansenatororfilmdirectorthan

someoneyouknowfromSanFrancisco.

myfavoriteclassicsinrome

RistoranteNinoViaBorgognona11,39-06-679-5676Nino,neartheSpanishSteps,doesn’tgetmuchattention—whichisstrange,

sincethefoodhasbeenconsistentlyexcellentsinceIbegandininghere,in1972.The restaurant,opened in1934,bills itself asTuscan, and it certainly servesasuperbzuppadi fagioli (beansoup).Butwhat I really loveaboutNinoare theold-style dishes that seem like holdovers from a 1960s Italian country clubmenu, including sformato di spinaci (a cup-size spinach soufflé served withchickenliverortomatosauce)andthebeststeaktartareintown.

PipernoMontede’Cenci9,39-06-688-06629 Open since 1860, Piperno is my father’s favorite restaurant in Rome.We

dinedhereeverySundaywhenwelivedabovethisjustifiablywell-knownspot.Decades later, my family still gathers here to celebrate birthdays andanniversaries. If it’ssummer,makesureyouaskfora tableoutside, inwhat isone of the smallest, andmost beautiful, of the city’s piazzas. This is Rome’sancientJewishGhetto,andthemenupaystributetotheneighborhood’sheritage.

PompiereViaSantaMariadeiCalderari38,39-06-686-8377 Located not far from Piperno, Pompiere is another family favorite. It is

somewhathiddenupaflightofstairs—theprimereasonfewknowaboutit.Thisgem is separated into fourhuge rooms, someofwhichhave frescoedceilings,makingitperfectforlargegroups.Grilledvealchopsandfriedzucchiniflowersare the house specialties, and some charmingly outdated dishes, such as thelinguineal limone (linguinewith lemonandcream),arehardtofindanywhereelse.

AlMoroVicolodelleBollette13,39-06-678-3495Thisistheoneold-schoolinstitutionthatmostpeopleknow.Locatedacoin’s

throw from the Trevi Fountain, Al Moro is a likely spot for bumping intopoliticians or captains of industry taking very long lunches. What are theylounging over? Vignarola (a stew of fava beans, peas, and artichokes), ossobuco, and a pasta all’arrabbiata. The traditional menu changes to reflect theseasons,buttheslightlygrumpywaiterswon’ttellyouanythingaboutthedishesunlessyouask.Do.It’sworthit.

LaCampanaVicolodellaCampana18,39-06-687-5237LaCampanabillsitselfastheoldestrestaurantinRome(circatheseventeenth

century), andmaybe it is. All I know is that today it’s always full of Italianfamilies with well-dressed children. The biggest draw is the excellent food,especiallytheantipasti,whichisdeliciouslydisplayedinsidethefrontdoor.(Allrestaurantsusedtodothis,butfewstilldo.)Ialwaysordersaltimbocca,aclassicdishofsautéedvealwithprosciuttoandsage.ButnomatterwhatIget,Ialwayssave room for the monte bianco, a fluffy mound of chestnut purée, whippedcream,andmeringue.

recipes

There are certain dishes that I only order at these old-fashioned Romanrestaurants.

ossobuco

Serves4

Osso buco, braised veal shank, is not really a Roman recipe. It is morecommonlyfoundinthenorthofItaly,especiallyaroundMilan,whereit’sservedwithrisottoallamilanese(asaffron-scentedrisotto).Inotherwords,likemuchof northern Italian cooking it is considered to be more sophisticated than therough-and-tumbleworldofrusticRomancooking,whichiswhyyouoftenfinditonthemenusofold-fashionedRomanrestaurants.Itistheirattemptatfancy,althoughofcourseit’sanythingbut.Ahugesliceofvealshankissteweduntilitalmost falls apart. My favorite rendition of this dish is at Perilli. Like theMilaneseversion, it isdone inbianco,stewedsimplyinasauceofwhitewineandbroth.WhenImakeitathome,whichIrarelydo,Iusuallyuseamixtureofcarrot,celery,andonion.

Four1-inch-thickslicesossobucoSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper1largeonion1largecarrot1largeleek1largefennelbulb¼cup(330milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil2tablespoonsunsaltedbutterAll-purposeflour,fordredging1cup(230milliliters)drywhitewineZestfrom1untreatedlemon1smallbunchflat-leafparsley

Seasontheossobucowithsaltandpepperandletsitforabout20minutes.In themeantime, chop the vegetables. I usually just put everything into the

foodprocessor. I likechopped,butpretty fine, so thatmakes the jobgomuchmorequickly.Heattheoliveoilandbutterinapanlargeenoughtoholdallthemeatandthe

vegetables.Dredgetheossobucoinflourandaddtothepan,andbrownwelloverhigh

heat,onbothsides.Bybrownwell,Imeanreallybrownwell.Donotskimpon

thispart.Thoserich,darkbrownbitsofcaramelizedmeatarewhatwillgivetherestofthedishitsrich,deeptaste.Removetheossobucoandplaceasideonaplate.Add all the vegetables to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the

brownedbitsofmeatandflourfromthebottom.Letthevegetablescook,untilsoftened,about10minutes.Seasonwithsalt.Addthemeatandanyjuicesbacktothepan,pushingasidethevegetablesto

makeroom.Addthewineandsimmerforabout4minutes.Coverthepanandletcookfor

about 15minutes, then check to see if it’s too dry. If so, add about a cup ofwater,coveragain,andcookveryslowlyforaboutanhour.Chopthelemonzestandparsleyfinely,thenaddthemtotheossobucoatthe

lastminute.Youdon’thavetostiritin(itwillbehardtodoso),butmakesureyou’vemanagedtogetsomegremolataoneachpiece.Serveeachguestapieceofossobucowiththesauce.Ofcoursethebestway

toenjoythesauceisalongwithabigmoundofbutterymashedpotatoes.

saltimbocca

Serves4

Alotofpeoplehaveahardtimewiththewordsaltimbocca.And,infact,itdoessoundslightlyodd,untilyourealizethatitisRomandialectforsaltareinbocca,or“jump inyourmouth.”Thisdish,madefromthinslicesofvealpairedwithprosciuttoandsage,issogood,thethinkinggoes,thatitliterallyjumpsupintoyour mouth. These days the dish has become famous and appears on Italianrestaurantmenusallovertheworld—except,ofcourse,inRome.Atsomepointit just felloff theradarofmost restaurantsas just tooold-fashioned.But thereare a still a fewplaces, likePompiere andLaCampana,where I almostneverpassitup.

1pound(500grams)thinvealscallopsSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper12freshsageleaves12thinslicesthinlyslicedprosciuttocrudodiParma1tablespoonunsaltedbutter1tablespoonextra-virginoliveoil¾cup(80milliliters)drywhitewine

Using ameatmallet or a rolling pin, flatten each of the scallops as thinly aspossible.Seasonwithsaltandpepper.Placeasageleafatopeachscallop,topwithasliceofprosciutto,andattachto

thescallopwithoneortwotoothpicks.Heata large fryingpanoverhighheatandadd thebutterandoil.When the

butterhas stopped foaming,addasmanyscallopsaspossible,veal sidedown.Cook for 2minutes and then flip over and let cook for anotherminute. Theyshould be browned and be thoroughly cooked. Set aside in a warm dish andrepeattocooktherestofthemeat.Addthewine,scrapingupthebrownedbitsonthebottomofthepan,andreturnthemeattothepanandcoatwiththesauce.Place the veal on awarmplatter and topwith the pan juices.Make sure to

warneveryoneaboutthetoothpicks.

Note: You can also roll the veal up into individual little bundles, which are

easiertocookandhandle.Butnotaspretty,Ithink.

recipesmadewithcreamandbutter

There isanentireclassof recipes thatpoppedup in the ’50s in Italy. ItwasatimewhenthecountrywascomingoutoftheprivationsofWorldWarIIandsocooks and chefs were ready to embrace not only a newfound abundance, butingredients that almost screamed richness. Heavy cream and butter featuredprominently. Though these traditionally had almost no place in central Italiancooking, chefs atmore upscale restaurants began to develop and serve pastasthatwereslipperywithaslickoftheseheavyingredients.Thisistheperiodthatgave birth to fettuccineAlfredo and tagliolini al limone. Both of these dishesremindmesomehowofthefoodIgrewupwithatthecountryclubinsuburbanSt.Louis—richandcomforting,andalwaysservedbyawaiterinawhitejacket.

fettuccinealfredo

Serves4

AfterthisdishwasinventedandservedatthisclassicItalianrestaurant,thenameAlfredo came to mean anything with a cream and cheese sauce on it. Theoriginaldishispurer:consistingoffettuccine,butter,andgratedcheese.ItisnotveryRomanatall,exceptthatitis.

1pound(500grams)freshfettuccine6tablespoons(¾stick/80grams)unsaltedbutter,atroomtemperature¾cupfinelygratedParmesancheese

Bring a largepot of saltedwater to a boil. Place a large servingplatter in theoventowarm.Dropthepastaintotheboilingwater.Whenthepastaiscookedaldente,take

thewarmedservingplatteroutoftheoven(carefulnottoburnyourhands)andplacethebutter,insmallpieces,onthedish.Liftoutthepastafromtheboilingwater using tongs, letting someof thewater cling to the noodles, andplace itatopthebutterontheplatter.Usingtwoforks,begintotossthepasta,addingthecheese,handfulbyhandful.Anicecreamysauceshouldstarttoform.Ifitseemstoo dry, you can add a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Serveimmediately.

taglioliniallimone

Serves4

ThisiswhatIalwaysorderatPompiere,theclassicRomanrestaurantlocatedattheedgeoftheJewishGhettoonthesecondfloorofPalazzoCenci.

6tablespoons(¾stick/80grams)unsaltedbutterFinelygratedzestof2largeuntreatedlemons1pound(500grams)freshtagliolini(orotherthinlycutfresheggpasta)½cup(120milliliters)heavycream,atroomtemperature½cupfinelychoppedfreshflat-leafparsley

Melt thebutter in a sautépan largeenough tohold thecookedpasta.Add thelemonzestandheatfor1minute.Removefromtheheat.Bringalargepotofsaltedwatertoaboil.Addthepastaandcookjustuntilit

isalmostdone;thepastawillcontinuetocookasyoudressit.Placethepanwiththebutterbackovertheheatand,usingtongs,liftthepasta

outofthewaterandintothepanwiththebutter.Stirtocombineandgraduallyaddtheheavycream,lettingit thickenslightly.If itgets toothick,useabitofpastacookingwatertothinitout.Serveinheatedbowls,toppedwithparsley.

{ chapter19 }

howtoeatgelatolikearoman

OneofthemostdangerousthingsyoucandoinRomeisheadoutforagelatowithout a plan. OK, it’s maybe not the most dangerous thing (that would becrossingthestreetasapedestrian),butifyou’renotcarefulaboutwhereyoubuyyourconeyoumaybeinforaveryhorribleexperience.You probably think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not. When my daughters,

Sophie andEmma,were eight and five,weunwittingly stoppedby agelateriathat we didn’t know on our way back from their music lesson. Emma wasalwayseasytoplease,ifmessy,sinceshealwayschosechocolate.Sophie,whousuallyorderedonlystrawberryandlemon,decidedtogowildandorderbanana.While my little drama queen was known to blow things out of proportion(especially when it came to food), her first gagging on, then spitting out themouthful of bright yellow gelato was fully justified. I tasted it, completelypreparedtoberateherformakingsuchafuss,butItoohadtospititoutintoanapkin.Itwasthatgross.Ifyou’relikealotofotherpeople,youareprobablythinkingItaly+Gelato=

Good. How could a country that invented gelato let things go so wrong? Itwasn’talwaysso.GelatoinItaly,likemanytraditionalfavorites,hashaditsupsanddownsoverthelastfiftyyearsorso.And if one of the first things you think of eating when you are in Italy is

gelato, there is a good reason for that.Gelato, or ice cream,was prettymuchinventedhere.Frozendesserts, theancestorof today’sgelato,actuallygobackfurther than

the ItalianRenaissance.AncientRomans,Egyptians, andArabs crafted syrup-soaked,coolingsweetswithsnowbroughtdownfrommountaintopsandstoredinbelowgroundcold rooms—moreor less a typeof literal snowconewithoutthecone.Gelato as we know it today—the creamy and soft sweetened milk-and/or-

fruit-based dessert—was invented in Florence during the Renaissance. Insixteenth-centuryFlorenceartistswere jacks-of-all-trades,expectednotonly topaint,sculpt,anddesignbuildings,butalsotobeoncallfortheirclientsshouldthey need an extra-special event. Leonardo was known for his extraordinaryfireworks.Oneoftheearliestandbest-knownpartyplannerswasBernardoBuontalenti.

Famous for his fantastical garden grottoes as well as more permanentarchitectural structures like palaces and churches, he was also master of theephemeral.Hugeentrygatesandcolorfulbackdropswereconstructedofboardand plaster to impress for a day and then be taken away, and terrificallyelaborate firework displays were planned for marriages, pageants, andcoronations.Couldthisfocusonthefleetingelementofvisualspectaclehaveinspiredhim

tocreateadishthatcouldmeltbeforeyoureyesifnotgobbledupquickly?Iliketothinkso,sinceitwasBuontalentiwhodishedupthefirstservingofgelatotoCatherinede’Medici in1565.Hisuniquerefrigeratingtechniquesallowedhimtoturnsugarandmilkintoafrozennoveltythatseducedeveryoneattheparty.Itwas another Italian, Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, who popularized thedessert,byopeninghiscafé,Procope,inParis,wherehedishedupgelatoforoneandall,notjustprincessesattheirparties.In Italy, gelato remained, for centuries, a rare and much-appreciated treat.

Rarebecausenotonlydidyouhavetogetyourhandsonexpensiveingredientslike milk, sugar, and eggs to create it, but also you needed some form ofrefrigeration,which, before the invention of electricity,was not the flick of aswitchitistoday.Carryingdownnaturalicefromamountaintoptochurnyourdessertwasnotaneverydayevent.ThingsstartedtochangeinabigwayinItalyafterWorldWarII.Notonlydid

refrigerationbecomemorecommon,accesstoprimaryingredientsafterwartimeshortagesmeantmoreandmorecommercialestablishmentsbegantosellgelato.InRome,manyofthefirstplacestobecomegelaterie—placesthatsoldgelato

—werelatterie,orstoresthatsoldmilk.Obviouslytheyhadaccesstothemainingredient and, with the addition of seasonal fruit, nuts, chocolate, and othernaturalflavors,begantomakegelatoamoreaffordableandregularsnack.Aswithall food-related thingsover the last fiftyyears,progresshashadan

unfortunate effect on gelato in Italy.While there are still some old-fashionedgelateriemakinggelatowithnatural ingredientssuchasreal fruitandnuts, themajority of places you run into in themore heavily “touristed” areas of town

churntheiricecreamfrompremademixesorbuyindustriallypremadegelato.Thankfully, in the last few years, there has been a renaissance of artisanal

gelaterie.Areturn toallnatural ingredientsandattention toqualitymeans thatit’snotashardasitwasabouttwelveyearsagotogetagoodscoop.OneofthepioneersofthisminigelatorevolutioninRomeisClaudioTorcè.Hisinsistenceongoingbacktobasicsandsourcingthebestingredientsmeansthatthereareagrowing number of places in Romewhere you can find gelatomade not justfromfreshpistachios,but fromthebestpistachios in theworld,grownonly inthe smallSicilian townofBronte.Theeggsarenot just anyorganic eggs,buteggs lovingly raised by Paolo Parisi in Tuscany, and the chocolate, singlevarietalsfromVenezuela.Howcanyoutellagoodgelateriafromabadone?Hereareafewclues:

•Color:Isthegelatobrighterthananyfruitknowninnature?Chancesare,thoseneongreenandshockingpinktonescomefromaddedfoodcoloring.Whilesomefruits,likestrawberries,arenaturallybright,others,likebananasandpistachios,shouldalwaysbearatherunappetizingshadeofkhaki.

•Shape:Isthegelatodisplayedingreatfluffymoundsthatdefygravity?Ifso,runtheotherway.Gelatodoesnotattainthisshapenaturally,andgreatwavesofcreamandcolorusuallybetraytheadditionofgelatin,stabilizers,andotheringredientsthathavenoplaceintraditionalgelato.

•Seasonality:Althoughsomeflavorslikechocolateandpistachioareavailableyear-round,others,likestrawberryandchestnut,shouldonlymaketheirappearancewhileinseason.Ifyou’reseeingraspberryinJanuaryandpersimmoninAugust,thenit’slikelyeitherthefruitwasfrozen(ifyou’relucky)ortheentirethingismadefromapremadeorartificialmix.

wheninrome…gelatorules

LikeeverythingelseinItalyinvolvingfood,therearecertainwaystoeatgelato.

•Whentoeatgelato:Ingeneral,Italiansdon’teatbetweenmeals.Butgelatofallsintothecategoryofmerenda,orlate-afternoonsnack.Headingoutforagelatoanytimefrom4:00to7:00p.m.isprettystandard.Ittookmequitealongtimetogetintothisideaofhavingapredinnercone,butsomehowthatisstillconsideredsnacktime,sincedinnerdoesn’tcomeonuntilacoupleofhourslater.

•Howtoeatgelato:Chooseyourflavor.Thegelatowillbedisplayedinrefrigeratedcases.Thebettergelatoplacesstoretheirgelatoinstainlesssteelbinswithlidstolimittheexposuretoair,whichaffectstheflavorandfreshness.Inthiscasehavealookattheprintedflavors,andbeready.Bytheway,Italiansdonotaskfortastesofdifferentflavorsbeforedecidingwhichonetocommitto—ever!

•Chooseyoursize:Thesizesandpricesareoftendisplayedbehindoronthecounter.Therewillusuallybethreesizesoflittlepapercupsandonesizecone,whichyoucanhavetoppedwithonetothreeflavors.Generally,eveninthesmallestcupsyouareallowedtohavetwoflavors.Andthatlargesize?Ifyou’rethinkingthatthelargesizedoesn’tlookthatlargecomparedtoeventhesmallestofthesizesyou’reusedtoinAmerica,you’reright.MostItalianswilloptforthesmallestsize,whichisjustaquartertoathirdofacup.Thosebigsizes?Troppo!Andusuallyonlyorderedbyforeignerswhodon’tknowanybetter.

•Panna?Onceyou’vedecidedonyoursizeandyourflavor,thepersonservingyouwillaskyouaone-wordquestion:“Panna?”(“Whippedcream?”)AlmostallItaliansexpectandenjoyabigdollopofwhippedcreamontheirconeorcup.Whenit’sgood,it’sgreat.It’salmostalwaysunsweetened,andsomeoftheoldergelateriestillhavetheiroriginalwhippedcreammachines,whichsomehowwhipatalowerspeed,whichresultsinanevencreamiertexture.

•Paying:Thisissomethingthatdrivesmeinsaneingelaterie.Although

someofthebiggerplacesinsistthatyoupayaheadoftimeatthecashregisterandthenbringyourreceipttothepersonservingthegelato,mostofthesmalleroneshaveadifferentsystem.Theyhandyouyourfilledcone,thentellyouhowmuchtopay.Whichmeansthatyouareholdingyourconewithonehand,whileyoudesperatelytrytodigintoyourpurseorwalletwiththeother,topay.AlloverRome.Allthetime.

•Walkandtalk:Whetherinacuporinacone,gelatoisstreetfood,meanttobeconsumedwhiletakingaleisurelypasseggiata.

•Gelatosittingdown:Whilemanyofthenewbreedofgelateriearesmallplaces,withnotablesorplacestositdown,someoftheolderbarsthatalsoservegreatgelatodohavetableservice.Butbeware:Whenorderingaconeorcupdirectlyfromthecounter,youarenotallowedtotakeitwithyoutoatableandsitdown.Thetablesareservicedbywaiters,whowilltakeyourorderandcomebacktoyouwithaglassormetalcupfilledwithalargerportionofgelato.Theservicenaturallycomeswithaprice,butyoualsogetachancetositdown,andyouwillbeservedwateraswell.

wheretoeatgelatoinrome

ClaudioTorcèVialeAventino59Amongthehalfdozentop-notchartisangelaterieinRomethesedays,thisone

isatthetopofthelist.OvertheyearsI’vetried,Ithink,mostoftheflavors.Myfavorites?Don’tbeshocked,butIloveboththeceleryandthehabanero.Iknowtheysoundstrange,buttheyweren’t.Brieconfruttidibosco(Briewithberries)iscreamyandjustcheesyenough.Don’tworry,theyhavenormalflavors,too.

FatamorganaPiazzadegliZingari,39-06-8639-1589FollowinginthefootstepsofClaudioTorcè,Fatamorganawasoneofthefirst

artisanal gelaterie in Rome to start playing around with weird and wonderfulingredients.Kentuckyisaheavenlymixofchocolateandtobacco.MyfavoriteisDukha, a Middle Eastern–inspired mélange of sesame seeds, hazelnuts, andcoriander.AndthenthereareflavorslikepearandGorgonzola,whichmustbepopular since it’s always freshly made. But don’t worry, they also do theclassics,soyouaresuretofindwhateverfruitisinseason,whippedupintocoolandcreamyperfection.Therearenowseveralotherlocationsindifferentpartsoftown.

AlbertoPicaViadellaSeggiola12,39-06-688-06153IcanstillrememberthetasteofthemelonicecreamIhadherein1972.Iwas

twelve,andwewerelivingacrossthestreet.AfterlunchIbeggedtobeletoutonmyowntogetagelato.BythetimeImadeitbackupstairs,Ihadfinishedmysmallcupofmelone.Itwassogood,Iimmediatelyleftagain,togetanothercup.What I really lovedwas theway thepure, richwhippedcreambecamealmostsolidnexttothecoldgelato.Evenbackinthosedays,IwassurprisedIhadenoughnervetogothereonmy

own.Andithadnothingtodowithcrossingthestreet.Picawas,backthen,andcontinuestobetoday,wellknownforitsgruffowners.ButifyoucangetpasttheRoman attitude, the ice cream is heavenly. They are best known for theirrice-based gelati,which change according towhim and season.How does thericestaysofirm?Acloselyguardedsecret!Domenico’sfavoriteisthezabaione,madewith eggyolks andMarsalawine. I love the risoalla canella (ricewithcinnamon).AndIwillstandbymywordthattheymaketheverybestpistachiogelatoI’veeverhadinmylife.

GracchiViadeiGracchi272,39-06-321-6668 Why does Prati, the neighborhood around the Vatican, have such a high

concentrationofgreatgelaterie?Iguessit’sbecauseit’ssodenselyresidential,as well as having some great shopping districts; in other words, a lot of foottraffic.GelateriaGracchiisjustablockawayfromthebusyshoppingstreetofCola

diRienzo,andcloseenoughtotheVaticanforaneasystroll.Thisplace,though,isworthahikeforitsseasonal,carefullycraftedgelati.Ialwaysthinkthatatestofanyicecreamplaceistheirnutflavors,andGelateriaGracchicomesoutwithflyingcolors.Bothpistachioandhazelnutwithmeringuearecreamyandfullofbig chunks of nuts. Their seasonal menu means you may not always findeverything,but their autumnpersimmon isoutof thisworld, likebiting intoabig juicy piece of fruit.Myhands-down favorite is roasted chestnut, availableonlya fewshortmonthsof theyear. (They justopenedanew locationonViadell’AngelettointheMontineighborhood.)

ComeilLatteViaSilvioSpaventa24–26,39-06-429-03882Whilesomeofthenewgelaterieareminimalintermsoftherichnessoftheir

product,ComeilLatteleanstowardthecreamyandrichsideofthings,butthengoesseveral steps further.Firstofall, the flavors:veryaddictiveandcomfort-foody. I can’t get enough of caramello al sale (salted caramel) and all ofmyItalian friends love the mascarpone con biscotti Gentillini, a sort of creamcheeseflavorwithanItalianbrandofcrunchycookiesscatteredin.High-qualityingredientsgowithoutsaying.Andthecrunchyconesandcookiesthatgetstuckontopofeachcup?Theyarefirstdippedorcoatedinchocolatethatisrunningout of two faucets at the end of the counter. You have your choice of darkchocolateorwhite.Yes.Forreal.

othercoldsweettreatsinrome

GelatoisnottheonlythingtocoolyouoffduringahotRomansummer.Thereareseveralothertypesoficytreatsinwhichyoucanindulge.

Tazzad’OroViadegliOrfani84,39-06-678-9792WheretogetthebestcoffeeinRome?Everyonehastheirfavorite,butatthe

verytopof thebunchthere isTazzad’Oro.If it’ssummer,run—don’twalk—here tohave theverybestgranitadicaffè in town.This is servedwith freshlywhippedcream,piled into thebottomof thecupaswell as slatheredon top. Ilike to ask for mine solo sotto, (only on the bottom), and then mush it alltogetherwithmyspoonforacreamycoffeeslushytreat.

CasadelCremolato(Seethephotographbelow.)ViaPriscilla18Althoughit’slocatedoutofthecenteroftown,it’sworththeefforttosample

one of the best cremolati in Rome. If you’ve never had a cremolato, or evenheardofone,it’sacloserelativeofthegranita.Butwhileagranitaismoreaboutliquid,turningintoicydelight,thecremolatoisallaboutthefruit.Perfectlyripefruit is combined with just enough sugar, frozen, and then mashed up justenough toproducean intensely flavorful, fruity, andbone-chilling treat.Thereare big frozen chunks of fruit that almost hurt your teeth when you bite intothem. It is theperfect antidote toaRomansummerheatwave.Whileyoucancertainlygetasmallpapercuptogo,youshouldgoforbroke(itisapaingettingthere)andtakeaseatatthecool’60schairsandtablesandorderaheavyglassgoblet filled to the brim with cremolato. Make sure you get whipped cream,which isstillchurned in theirold-fashionedwhippingmachine,andoneof thethickestandrichestI’veeverhad.

PascucciViadiTorreArgentina20I’vebeengoingtoPascucciforaboutfortyyears.Althoughthey’verecently

renovated,therearestillthesamebatteryofindustrial-strengthblendersreadytowhipthemarinatingfruitintoicy-coldfrulatti,orsmoothies,whichareservedinold-fashionedsodafountainglasses.MyfavoriteflavorisstillAmalfi,amixofcitrusandstrawberries;sweet,tart,andcold.

GrattacheccaSoraMirellaLungoteveredegliAnguillara(nearthebridgetotheIsolaTiberina) The grattachecca is a Roman tradition. The simplest and most rustic of

summertreats,itismadefromshavedicethatistoppedwithfruitsyrup.Thereusedtobestandsalloverthecitythatsoldthistreat,butoneoffewremaining,andperhapsthemostfamous, is theoneneartheTiberIsland.Aspecialmetaltoolisusedtoshaveahugeblockofice,which,snowlike,ispackedintoaglass.Adrizzleofthesyrupofyourchoice—amamrena,orsourcherry,ismyfavorite—andthat’s that.Usuallyservedwithbothaspoonandastraw, itcanalsobetoppedwithfreshfruit.

gelatoversusicecream

What is the difference between gelato and ice cream? The answer: nothing.Gelato is simply the Italianword for theEnglish ice cream, plain and simple.AretheredifferencesbetweentheItalianandtheAmericanproduct?Certainly!Butasfarasthewordgoes,youricecreamismygelato.Andviceversa.One of the key differences in howboth frozen desserts aremade has to do

with the machines used. In Italy the machines move more slowly and soincorporatemuchlessairintothefinishedscoop.Theresultisadenser,thicker,andsmoother-feelingfrozentreat.AnotherfactoristhehigherbutterfatcontentofAmericanicecream.SoifyouthinkthatgelatoinItalytastesmoreintense,you’reright.TheadditionalairnotonlymakesthetasteintheStateslessintense,thehigherbutterfatcontentalsocoatsyour tongue,givingyour tastebuds lessexposuretoflavor.

{ chapter20 }

learningtoloveromanpastries

Ihaveaconfession tomake. It tookmeavery long time tocozyup toeatingpastriesinRome.WhenIlivedinParis,notadaywouldgobywithoutastopforanéclairorapainauchocolat.ButhereinRome,fromthetimeIfirstlivedherewhenIwastwelveyearsold,displaysofRomanpastries,oreventhedessertpartofmenus,justneverheldmyattention.And, ifyouthinkabout it,whenyoucometoRome, isyourfirst thought to

eatpastries?No,it’spizzaorpasta,orsomeotherformofsavorycarbohydrate.Andwhenitcomestothesweetsideofthings,I’msureyouaremorelikelytoGoogle“bestgelatoinRome”than“bestcornetti.”Right?Tomymind,thepastriesalwayslookedtobetryingtoohard.Deep-friedand

filledwithpastrycream?Deep-friedandtoppedwithpowderedsugar?Orattheother end of the spectrum, hard dry cookies that could only begin to becomeattractiveafterbeingdunked inacupof teaorglassof sweetwine,orboth. Iwas never even tempted to try anything, so completely unappetizing did theyseem.But all that changed one rainy evening in Rome. I was walking through

Trasteverewithafriendwhowaslivingherefortheyearwhileworkingonhisdissertationat theAmericanAcademy.SincehehadbeenworkingonBaroquearchitecture for years (dissertations take a long time to write), he knew thealleywaysofRomeprettywell.WewereheadedtotheonetheaterinRomethatshowedEnglishlanguagefilmsatthetime,thePasquino.Knownmostlyforitsretractableroof,which theywouldopenduring thesummer, itwas inallotherrespects a typical Italian cinema.And so, like all other cinemas in Italy therewerenocandystandsorpopcornforsale in thelobby,whichmeantmyfriendwantedtograbasnackbeforewewentin.Eventhoughitwaspouringdownrain,andwewerestepsfromthecinema,he

force-marchedusallacrossPiazzaSantaMaria inTrastevere toasmallpastryshop on an even smaller alley. I’d never been there before since the dusty

windows never looked that promising. But he kept going on about getting abignèdiSanGiuseppebecausethiswasthelastdayhecouldgetone.BignèdiSan Giuseppe are made only in the days leading up to the festival of SaintJoseph,onMarch19.SinceitwasMarch18thiswasgoingtobehisverylastchancetoenjoythistreat.Andsowesqueezedintothesmallshopandhegleefullyorderedoneofthe

deep-fried,cream-filledpastriesIhadbeenavoiding.Itevenhadamaraschinocherryonthetop,forgod’ssake.ButhisjoyseemedsocompleteashebitintotheunwieldybignèthatIdecidedthatmaybelookscouldbedeceiving.Sincehewasn’tsharinganyofhis,Ibrokedownandboughtmyown.Andstandinginthedim corner of this dusty pastry shop I finally got it. Although the pastrywasfried,itwasnotgreasyatall.Andthecreamthatfilledthecenterwaseggy,butnot overly rich. And what seemed at first glance like a massive amount ofsweetnesstofinishwasgobbledupbeforeIknewit.From this point on I made it pretty much my new hobby to try all those

pastries Ihadbeenavoidingforso long.Fried,cream-filled, ricotta-stuffed—itwasallgood.IwasparticularlyfascinatedbythemanyholidaytreatsIhadbeenmissingoutonallthoseyears.Thisiswhenthepastryshopsgointohighgear,preparing seasonal treats for Christmas, Easter, Carnevale, and varied saint’snamedays.IfRomeisnotparticularlyknownforitsinventivesweets,Sicilycertainlyis.

And, in fact, some of my favorite places to head for a pastry fix trace theiroriginsbacktoPalermo.Dagnino has got to be one of the strangest and most wonderful places in

Rome.ThisSicilianpastryshopisabsolutelystuckinatimewarpthattakesyoubacktothelate’60s.Thesettingisinasortofunderpass/mallthatrunsbeneathamodernbuildingfromonestreettoanother,ablockfromPiazzaRepubblica.Ifyoudidn’tknowitwasthere,there’snowayyouwouldstumbleuponit.WhydoIloveitsomuch?Firstofall,theabove-mentionedtime-warpthing.

The interiorshave all theoriginal decoration and furnishings: banquet seating,vintagemurals,marblefloors,andcloth-coveredwoodentables.I also love the colors. On a cold and windy February afternoon there is

something about thepastel tonesof bright pinkgelatodi campagna, themossgreencassata, andglisteningcandiedclementines that justmakesmehappy. Imean,whodoesn’tlovelookingatabrightandshinyrowofmarzipantomatoes?

Andthesoundtracktomyreveries?Apianist(Ikidyounot)playingawayonashinygrandonSundayafternoons.Butbacktothepastries,whicharewhatbringmehereinthefirstplace.While

IusuallygoforoneoftheSicilianspecialties—aminicassataoracannoli—I’mjustaslikelytoloaduponwhateverseasonalholidaysweetsareonoffer.Iftheyhaveanysortoffriedpastrystuffedwithsweetenedricotta,justbuyit,andaskquestionslaterEvery neighborhood inRome used to have at least onepasticceria, a place

thatwouldturnoutcakesandpastriesdailythatwouldbeboughtupprettymuchby people living in the neighborhood.When I firstmoved toRome, ourswaslocatedrightonthecornerofViaBaccinaandViadeiSerpenti.PasticceriaLaLicata had been there since 1965 and was run by a couple from theneighborhood.ThisiswhereIorderedSophieandEmma’sfirstbirthdaycakes,andwherewealwaysstoppedonthewaybackfromtheparkforasweettreat.Sadly,oncethemotherdied,theplaceclosed.Onedaughterandsonnowrun

averysuccessfulbardownthestreet.Buttheonesonwhowasthepastrychefjustcouldn’tmakeagoofit.RisingrentsinthecenterofRomemeantthathehadtolookforaspacefartheroutoftown.Andso,likemanyotherpastryshopsin the center ofRome, ours closeddown. (The space is nowa fast-food sushishop.)Thankfullytherearestillafewoftheseold-fashioned,traditionalplacesleftin

someofRome’smoreresidentialneighborhoods.Andsincetheyaresofewand

farbetweenthesedays, theonesthatareleftareincrediblypopularandhaveahugefollowingoffans.Regoliisoneofthese.Ican’tseemtowalkwithinaten-blockradiusofthis

pastry shopwithoutmaking a beeline for one of their incredibly rich, cream-stuffed,flakydelights.Regoliisafamily-runpastryshopthatspecializesinrich,cream-filledpastries

that aren’t always part of the Roman repertoire. The bavarese may be mydownfall.Ican’tresistthetwoflakylayersofpastrythatholdtogetheravirtualslabofheavenlycream.Thefagottinoallaricottaisasimilardelight,switchinginchocolate-studdedricottaforthecream.Ifyouareinvitedtoadinner,nothingcanbeatarrivingwithoneofRegoli’s

famous cakes. Their ricotta tart is one of the best in Rome. Seasonal treatsinclude the chestnut-filled monte bianco and the cream-filled individual tartstoppedwithwildstrawberries.OneofmyfavoritebakeriesinRomeisbarelymorethanacounterinadusty

shop.AlthoughitsofficialnameisBoccione,everyonejustcallsitIlFornodelGhetto, or the “JewishBakery.” I’ve beengoing there since Iwas twelve andlived down the street, and the burned sugary smell will lead you there fromanywhereintheneighborhood.The sisters who stand guard behind the counter, usually bickering among

themselves, bake only about eight things, some changing with the Jewishholidays.Theirspecialtythough—andwhatpeoplewaitinlinefor—isthepizzaebraica,amixofdriedfruitandnutsbarelyheldtogetherwithaslightlysweetdough.

eatingpastriesinrome:oldschool

PasticceriaSicilianaSvizzeraPiazzaPioXI10,39-06-637-4947 Sicily meets Switzerland in this neighborhood classic, up and behind the

Vatican.Don’tmisstheminicassate.Ifyouhappenbyforbreakfast,don’tmisstheirDanese, their version of the icedDanish.Andmake sure you get one oftheirelaboratecream-filledcakes(that’swhereSwitzerlandmeetsSicily)togo.

DagninoViaEmanueleOrlando75,39-06-481-8660AnotherSicilianimport,thisshophaspastriesthatareassweetastheowners

aresurly.Butdon’tletthegruffmannerdissuadeyou.Sicilyisthethinghere,sogocannoli, cassata, andanythingwithalmonds.And forCarnevaledon’tmisstheir sfincie di SanGiuseppe, amassive choux pastry stuffedwith sweetenedwhippedricotta.

RegoliViadelloStatuto60Handsdown,oneofthebestpastryshopsinRome.(Seediscussionshere.)

InnocentiViadelleLuce21 This hard-to-find cookie shop is located on one of the back alleys of

Trastevere.Beforetheneighborhoodbecameknownfor its touristynightlife, itwas thecenter forsmall-scaleproductions like Innocenti, foundedmore thanahundredyearsago.Thewhite-capped ladiesmixflour, sugar,andahandfulofotheringredientstocomeupwithmorethan50kindsofmouthwateringbiscuits.

eatingpastriesinrome:newschool

AndreadeBellisPiazzadelParadiso56 Andrea de Bellis, who used to provide pastries for some of Rome’s best

restaurants, has finally opened his own shop near Campo de’ Fiori. Rich andelaboratemoderncakesandpastries.

CristallidiZuccheroViaSanTeodoro88,39-06-699-20945 Cristalli di Zucchero has become one of the city’s most popular stops to

indulge in sophisticatedpastries.Don’texpectanything likeaRoman,orevenItalian,experiencehere.TheexquisitepastriesdefinitelycomeoutofaFrenchandnorthernEuropeantradition.Butthecreativetwistsmaketheircreationsalltheirown.Ialwaysstopbyonmywaytothefarmers’marketnextdoor.

BoccioneViadelPorticod’Ottavia1The“JewishBakery.”

recipes

When it comes to Italianpastries, I always leave thecooking toprofessionals.I’veneverattemptedanythingnearcreatingacannoli,frappè,orcassata.ThereisoneItalianpastry,though,thatIthinkIdobetterthananyItalian:thecrostata.AcrostataisthemostbasicandrusticofItaliantarts,andyoucanfindthemforsaleinalmostanybakery.Thethingis,Ithinktheyareallprettyhorrible.Theyarealmostalwaysmadewithmargarine insteadof realbutter,andso thecrustendsuptastinglikecardboard.AndeventhehomemadecrostataI’vehadaresostingy when it comes to butter that they are just dry and almost alwaysdisappointing.Mysecret, ifyouhaven’talreadyguessed, isbutter,andgoodbutter. Italian

butter is the one thing I almost never buy, since it often has a slightly gameytastetoit.Instead,IpreferimportedbutterfromDenmark,France,orGermany.Thetraditionalfillingforacrostataisjam,suchasthecrostatadimarmalata

below,butIoftenmakeonethatisfilledwithsweetenedricotta.

crostatadimarmalata

Makesone10-inchcrostata

CrostataCrust1cup(110grams)all-purposeflour½cup(60grams)wholewheatflour7tablespoons(110grams)unsaltedbutter,softened2eggyolks,atroomtemperature½cup(100grams)sugarPinchofsalt

FillingOnejarofjam(about1cup)⅓cupchoppednuts(optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 10-inch tart panwith a removablebottomwithparchmentpaper.Putthefloursintoalargebowl,andmakeawellincenter.Addthebutter,egg

yolks,sugar,andsalttothewell.Mixthewetingredientsinthewellwithyourfingers,thenslowlystartmixingintheflour.Justuseyourhand,andeventuallytheheelofyourhand,tomushitalltogetheruntilitformsaball.Thisonlytakesafewminutes.Letthedoughrestfor10minutes,thenpushitoutintothepreparedtartpan.

Don’ttrytorollitout,justspreaditouttotheedgeswiththepalmofyourhandtoformanevencrust.Atthispointthecrustisreadyforanyjamfilling.Emptyoutthejar(about1

cup)ofjamintotheunbakedcrust.Spreaditoutwiththebackofaspoon.Topwiththenutsifusing.Placeonthemiddlerackoftheovenandbakeforabout25minutes.Letcoolcompletelybeforeserving.

ricotta,raspberry,andchocolatecrostata

Makesone10-inchcrostata

1recipeCrostataCrust(seepreviousrecipe)1½cupsfreshwhole-milkricotta¾cup(150grams)sugar1largeegg2cupsfreshraspberries1cupchoppedsemisweetdarkchocolateorchocolatechips

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 10-inch tart panwith a removablebottomwithparchmentpaper.Placethecrostatadoughinthepan,spreadingitoutwiththeheelofyourhand

untilitcoversthebottomofthepanandabitupthesides.Bakethecrustforabout15minutes,oruntilitstartstoturngolden.Remove

fromtheovenandletcool.Leavetheovenon.Whipthericottawithaforkuntilsmooth.Addthesugarandeggandstiruntil

incorporatedandsmooth.Foldintheberriesandchocolate.Fill the tartshellwith thericottamixture,returnit to theoven,andbakefor

about25minutes,oruntilset.Letcooltoroomtemperatureandserve.

{ chapter21 }

thebesttimeofday

Whenever I’m talkingwith friends or colleagues about how important it is tostartoffthedaywithagoodbreakfast,orthenecessityofkeepingthetraditionofa familydinneralive, I’mfullofpersonalstories, recipes,andexamples. Inmyownhome,I’vealwaysmadeanefforttogetthosetwomealsonthetable,nomattereveryone’shecticschedule.Iadmit,I’massanctimoniousasthenextpersonwhenitcomestoembracingthefamilymeal.Butwhen the discussion veers into the personal preference for breakfast or

dinner, I quiet down. Some of my friends talk about making pancakes orporridgefortheentirefamilyeverymorning,whileotherstalkaboutthejoysofmapping outweeklongmeal plans that enable them to get dinner on the tableeverysinglenight.Butme?Youwanttoknowwhatmyfavoritemealofthedayis?It’scocktail

hour.Iknow,you’rethinkingcocktailhourisn’treallyameal.ButinItaly,where

everychancetodrinkand/oreathasaritualattachedtoit,I’vecometothinkofaperitivotimeasthefourthmealoftheday,asimportantformysanity,health,andsociallifeasanyformalsit-downdinnerpartyorhealthylunch.OneofthegreatthingsaboutmealtimesinItalyisthattheyarealwayssocial

occasions. Families still gather around a table for lunch and dinner, and thewhole fast-food, on-the-run thing has never really caught on. Most Italianswouldnever thinkofeatingalone,unless therewasabsolutelynootheroptionavailable. Even the rapid-fire breakfast is a chance to stop by your favoritecoffeebaranddiscussthemostrecentgovernmentalfailurebeforeyoustartyourday.Whilepranzo (lunch)andcena (dinner)arechances tochatandcatchupon

the day’s events, themost social time of the day is, of course, aperitivo time.Aperitivo could be translated as “cocktail hour,” since it’s the time between a

workday and dinner, and usually involves drinking something. But while incountries like theUnitedStatesand theUK,alcohol,andgettingbuzzed, isanintegralpartoftheequation,alcoholisnotthemajoringredientinthisevent.Ittookmeawhiletounderstandthetruemeaningofaperitivo.Theworditself

shouldhavegivenmeaclue.Aperitivomeans,literally,“openingup.”AtfirstIthoughtitwasareferencetothestartofamealoraneveningout,but,no.Inthiscase the“openingup”refers to thedigestive tract.Sorry togetsospecificandphysiological when you were probably hoping for a cocktail recipe or two(which will come, don’t worry, further on), but first things first. Italians arealwaysconcernedabouttheirdigestion.IfyouaskRomanshowtheyaredoing,nine times out of ten the answer will involve some sort of report on theirstomachanditsworkings.Although having an aperitivo at a bar at the end of aworkdaywith friends

obviouslyhassocialappeal,therearealsotrue,quasi-medicalimplications.Yes,inthiscase,cocktailscanbegoodforyou.Thetraditionaldrinksimbibedatthistimeofday—Negronis,CampariSodas,Americanos—aremadewithbitters,andthe mixtures of various herbs are intended to get the gastric juices flowing,stimulate the appetite, and get you ready for dinner to come. Because, godforbid, youwouldn’t want to introduce your digestive tract to dinnerwith nowarning.Aperitiviareactuallyarelativelyrecent invention.ItwasAntonioBenedetto

CarpanowhosupposedlyinventedtheideaoftheaperitivoinTorinoin1786.Hecan probably trace his inspiration back to the Middle Ages and into theRenaissancewhenpeopleweremixingherbsandspicesintowinesformedicinalreasons (or, more likely, to improve the taste). But his vermouth, CarpanoAntico,wasoneofthefirstofthefortifiedwinestomixherbs,spices,andsugarwithwinetomarketaprepareddrinkmeantspecificallytoprecedeameal.Eventually,theglassofvermouthturnedintoslightlymoreelaboratecocktails

incorporatingnotonlyvermouth,butbittersandotherspirits.Afterawhilethewordaperitivo,whichreferredtothedrinkitself,alsocametomeantotheritualofmeetingforadrinkbeforeameal.Aswithall things,aperitivotimehasabunchofrulestofollow.Firstofall,

it’snotusuallyalonganddrawn-outaffair.Aswithcoffee,mostpeoplemeetforanaperitivoatabar,andstandatthecounterwhiletheyaredrinking.Thewholeideaofhavinganaperitivowasinventedassomethingtodobeforeameal.Andsooriginallytherewasminimalfoodinvolved.Justabowlfulofnutsorchipstoprovidethesaltycomponenttomakeyouthirsty,aswellasgivesomeballastfor

theminimalamountofalcohol.Traditionallythesnackwouldbesomethinglikealmonds or maybe a few olives. Weirdly, about fifteen years ago, processedsnacks startedmaking their appearance. Potato chipswere the least offensive,withmixedpretzelscominginaclosesecond.Infact,theseprepackagedmixesofpretzelsornutsaresotiedtotheideaofaperitivithattheyaredisplayedinaspecialsectioninsupermarketsnexttothebottlesofvermouthandCampari,farawayfromwineandotherspirits.Lately, though, things have been looking better on the food front. The first

aperitivibuffetsappearedinMilan.Forafixedpriceyouwouldgetonedrink,plusachancetofillupyoursmallplateatabuffetatthebar’scounter.TheideatookawhilebuthasnowcaughtonupanddownItaly,withmanybarsofferingprettygoodspreads.Althoughthey’renotsupposedtosubstituteforarealmeal,the buffets have become so substantial that they often can stand in for a lightdinner.Whattodrink?Remember,alcoholiccontentisnottheaimhere.Thepointis

to have a slightly alcoholic drink that will stimulate your appetite. So expectbitter. The main component of most of the traditional Italian aperitivi isCampari.At roughly25percent alcohol, it ismeant tobemixed, and isneverdrunkstraight.ThebrightredliqueurisprobablythemostfamousoftheItalianaperitivi. Invented in1860byGaspareCampari in thenorthof Italy, itsbrightcolororiginallycamefromthecrushedshellsofbeetles.Don’tworry,therecipehassincebeenchanged,butthecolorremains,asdoesthedistinctivebittertaste.

aglossaryofclassicitaliancocktails

CampariandSoda. AlthoughCampariisusedasabaseforothercocktails,itsmostpopularformisintheprepackagedCampariSoda,whichcomesindarlingconicalbottles thatweredesignedbyfuturistFortunatoDeperoin1932.WhileI’mpartialtothelittlebottles(whichmakeperfectbudvases),IusuallyendupmixingmyownCampari soda toa strength slightlyhigher than thewimpy10percentthat’smarketed.

Americano.  Supposedly thiswasoneof the first cocktails served atGaspareCampari’s bar inMilan. Amix of Campari, red vermouth, and seltzer, it’s adrinkIhavelittleusefor,sinceitalwaysseemslikeawimpyNegroni.Butalotofmywimpyfriendspreferit.ItwasoriginallycalledaMilano/Torino,sincetheCampari is fromMilan and thevermouth fromTorino.At somepoint, aroundthe1900s,itwasnamedafterAmericans,whoseemedtoorderitalotwhileinEurope,drinkingitupduringProhibition.

Negroni. Iloveacocktailthatcomeswithagoodstory.Legendhasitthatin1919 in Florence Count Camillo Negroni came into a bar and asked thebartendertoaddalittlesomethingtohisAmericanotogiveitmoreofapunch(my kind of guy). An ounce of gin, instead of the soda water, did the trick.Variationsabound,withdifferentbittersbeingsubstitutedfor theCampari.Myfavorite is the Cyn-Cyn, where the artichoke-based Cynar provides the bitternote.What thedrink loses in itsbright redcolor ismadeupforby its slightly

smootherandsweetertaste.

NegroniSbagliato. NegroniSbagliatomeans“MistakenNegroni.”Inthiscasethebartendermakesthemistakeofswitchinginamuchlighterdoseofproseccoinplaceofthegin.See?It’skindoflikeaWeightWatchersNegroni—atleastthat’swhatItellmyself.

Spritz. ThespritzisaVenetianinventionthathasrecentlymadeitswaysouth.It is traditionally made with prosecco and some sort of bitter liqueur likeCampari,Aperol,or—ifyouhappentobeinVenice—Select.TheSpritzisnotoverly strong, and is extremely thirst quenching, which makes it the perfectsummertimecocktail.Also,thebrightcoloroftheCampariorAperolrendersthesettingsun,shiningthroughtherisingbubbles,almostpainfullypretty.

wheninrome…aperitivorules

•Bitterisbetter:ThereisareasonItaliansinventedtheNegroni,CampariSoda,andAperolSpritz.Theyallincludebitters,whichstimulatetheappetite.

•Gethappy:Manybarsnowofferspecialhappyhourbuffets.Forabout7to10euros,thepriceofacocktailincludesaplatefulofnibblesthatcansubstitutefordinner.

•Timing:Aperitivoisabefore-mealevent.Althoughmiddayaperitivicanhappenbetween12:00and1:00p.m.,mosthappenattheendoftheday,between6:00and8:00p.m.

drinkingwithaview

Inmymind,cocktailshaveoneperfectgarnish:aview.Onedefinitelyimprovestheother.WhileIliveinRome,andoftentakethecityforgranted,Irealizethatmostoftheworldcomeshereforvacation—andsoareprobablyexpectingviewswiththeirNegronis.Notsurprisingly,manyofthebestbird’s-eye-viewperchesare atop rooftop hotel bars. If you’re thinking that this kind of experience ispricey,you’reright.Whenitcomestotheseplaces,youaredefinitelypayingforthe real estate you are takingup.But since the best usually comewith a highlevel of service and pitch-perfect aperitivi—I’m sometimeswilling to pay theprice.

MinervaRoofGardenHotelMinerva,PiazzadellaMinerva69,39-06-695-201This has got to be oneof themost elegantlyRomandrink/viewcombos in

town:therooftopoftheGrandHoteldellaMinerva.LocatedsmacknexttothePantheon,thehotelbartakesupthebestcorneroftheterrace.Getthereby7:00p.m.andsettleinforthespectacleofaRomansunset.

BarLaTerazzaHotelEden,ViaLudovisi49,39-06-478-121WhileNegronis are not that hard tomake (equal parts gin, vermouth, and

Campari),IsweartogodtheyjusttastebetterwhentherosylightofanOctobersunset in Rome comes streaming through them.Andwhen the view is of thesunset over Roman gardens, and the Negronis are perfectly made, served inheavyglasstumblersbyawhite-jacketedwaiter,well,it’shardtogetanybetterthanthat.Perfectlymadelittlecanapésareincluded.

HotelForumViaTorde’Conti25–30,39-06-679-2446LocatedjustattheedgeoftheMontineighborhood,theHotelForumrisesup

justwhereViaCavour ends at Fori Imperiali. The smallish cocktail terrace isreached by taking the elevator up to the top floor, walking through therestaurant, and up a narrow flight of stairs.Once reached, the pocket-size barlooks out over the Forum, and toward the Palatine andCampidoglio hills.Asswallowsswingby,orderaNegronioraBellini,orevenaginandtonic,beforeyouheadonfordinner.

well-madecocktailsYou can get an Italian aperitivo at almost any bar. But if you’re looking forsomethingabitmorecreativeanddefinitelywellcrafted,herearesomeplacestostart.

BarnumCaféViadelPellegrino87,39-06-647-60483Thecomfortablyfunkyandcozybarislocatedjuststepsawayfromthemore

touristyCampode’Fiorinightscene.Butinsteadofhawkingfruit-flavoredshotsto junior-year-abroad students, Barnum’s is well stocked with high-qualityingredientsandbartenderswhoknowhowtomixthem.

CaffèPropagandaViaClaudia15LocatedjustafewblocksawayfromtheColosseum,CaffèPropagandafeels

likeaNewYorkmeetsPariskindofbistro.Thebarupfrontislarge,perfectlydesigned,andoneofthebestplacesintheneighborhoodtogetanythingfromaclassicmartini(notaneasythingtofindinRome)toapitch-perfectNegroni.

BarLocarnoViadellaPenna22,39-06-361-0841 From spring through summer their shady courtyard is a relaxing place to

settleinforadrinkandsomesnacks.Inwintertimenothingbeatssittingbytheiropen working fireplace in their art nouveau salon. It seems a bit pricey—14eurosforacocktail—butthisincludesaplateoffingerfood,whichcanalmostmakeameal.Coconut-batteredshrimp,minimeatballs,andseafoodsaladarealldelicious

recipes

While it’s relatively easy toget awell-madeNegroni,Americano,orSpritz atalmost any bar in Rome, going beyond these well-loved classics can behazardous.Althoughthingsarestartingtochange,andafewskilledmixologistsarespreadingtheirgospel,it’smuchmorecommontocomeacrossbadlymadeMojitosandMargaritaswhenventuringbeyondanythingCamparibased,whichis why I took a good hard look at the Italian liquor cabinet and began toexperimentathome.IwantedtodevelopcocktailsthatwereinformednotonlybytheclassicingredientssuchasCampariandvermouth,butalsobyotherweirdandwonderfulbottles.Rose-infusedliquorfromPuglia,artichoke-packedCynar,thedozensofuniqueamarithataremadethroughoutItaly.But I alsowanted towork in the fresh and seasonal tastes and textures that

define Italy. The green smell of basil, ripe tomatoes from Naples, and brinyolivesfromGaeta.Rosemaryandthyme,orangesandlemons,eventruffleswerefairgame.

themostardiniServes1

Igrewupinafamilythatmythologizedbollitomisto.Itwasoneofthosedishesthat we constantly talked about, and planned on having whenever a festiveoccasionpresenteditself.NewYear’swasalwaysasurebet.RecentlyIwasdaydreamingaboutbollito.ButthenIrealizedthatwhatIwas

actually craving were the traditional condiments that accompany the boiledmeats,salsaverdeandfruttamostarda.Salsaverde,aheavenlymixofparsley,garlic,andlemon,takessomepreparation.Butfruttamostarda?Iactuallyhadajar of that in the fridge, and realized I didn’t need the bollito as an excuse tocrackthelid.And then themiracleoccurred.Orwas it anepiphany?Whatever.As Iwas

diggingintothespicy,syrupygoodnessofthemostardaIhadathought:cocktailingredient!

Iuseflavoredsyrupsall the timeforcocktails.AndhereIwaswitha jarofsweetandspicysyrupstuddedwith jewel-likepiecesoffruit justaskingmetomixitintosomething.OK,Iknowalotofyououttheredon’tlikeitwhenthewordmartini isbastardized.SoI’mnotcallingthisamartini,butacompletelydifferentname:Mostardini.ThatOK?

2½ouncesvodka½ouncesweetwhitevermouth1½tablespoonsfruttamostardasyrup

Ice3smallpiecesfruttamostarda

Pour the vodka into a shaker. Add the vermouth and syrup. Add ice and stir(don’tshake)untilwellchilled.Strainintoachilledmartiniglass.Garnishwithpiecesoffruttamostardaskeweredontoatoothpick.

martinisporco

Serves1

Igothroughphases.Therewasmyquiltingphase.Therewasmyknittingphase.Andlastspring,mydirtymartiniphase.ForsomereasonthatwastheonlythingIwantedtodrink.Vodka,ahintofextra-dryvermouth,andabitofbrinefromthe olive jar. For a while, I Frenched things up, switching in Lillet for theMartini&Rossi.Butthefinaltouch,always:threepimento-stuffedgreenolives.Pimento-stuffed green olives? By far the most industrially produced

condimentinmyfridge.ItdawnedonmethatmaybeIdidn’thavetousethesehard little pitted nubbins from who knows where. (And what’s with those“pimentos”?) I had at least five other kinds of olives on hand, bought at thefarmers’market,sowhynottrytousethose?Idecidedtoskipthewholebrinething. But I figured to get a true olive taste going (which is what you want,right?),allIhadtodowasmuddlethehelloutofthelittlethings.Themartini turnedout just how I imagined it tasting.The rich, strong taste

thatweallloveinItalianolivescameshiningthrough.Idon’tthinkanyonewilldescribe thecloudy,olive-infusedvodkaaspretty. (Youcertainlycan’tpictureDonDrapersippingone.)Buttheolivesonthetoothpickthathadsatinmydrinkforahalfanhour?Divine.

2largegood-qualityItalianolivesinbrine,withthepits4smallblackoven-driedolives,withthepits2½ouncesvodka1tablespoonMartini&Rossiextra-dryvermouthIce

Carefullypittheolives,bothkinds,tryingnottodestroythem.Inashaker,place1brinedoliveand2blackolivesandaddthevodka.Muddle

well,mashingup thoseolives as best you can.Add thevermouth and ice andstir, tochill.Slip the remainingolivesontoa toothpick,andplace inamartiniglass(chilledifyoulike).Carefullypourthecontentsoftheshakerintotheglass,usingafinesieveto

keepouttheolivebits.

positanoginandtonic

Serves1

TherearealotofreasonsthatGillianandIarefriends.AlthoughwemetthroughTwitter, we are now neighbors in Rome and, of course, proximity breedsfriendship. And while we share interests like blogging, food, travel, andoffspring,our friendship isbasedonsomethingmuchdeeper.Yes, I’m talkingaboutcocktails.SowhenGillianhostedme inPositanorecently,ofcourseshemade sure cocktails were on the itinerary.While I’m usually the one mixingthingsup,Iloveitwhenfriendstakeover.Besidesitbeingenjoyable,Ialwayslearnsomethingnew.Gilliandidnotdisappoint.Shetookthebasicideaofaginandtonic,andturneditintosomethingveryPositano-ish.Lemonsofcourse,butalsoa lotof freshbasilandslicesofcoolcucumber.Theadditionofsupersizeicecubeswasanice touch,especially ina land thatusually frownson ice.SowastheincredibleviewoftheAmalficoast,whichis,I’msorrytosay,theoneelementofthisdrinkyouarenotgoingtobeabletorecreateathome.

1lemonwedge1slicecucumber3freshbasilleaves2ouncesgin(Hendrick’sisbest)IceTonicwater1slicecucumberandsprigofbasilforgarnish

Inarocksglass,muddlethelemon,cucumber,andbasil.Addthegin.Addiceand topwith tonicwater.Stir,garnishwitha sliceofcucumberandasprigofbasil,andserve,preferablywhilelookingoutoverthePositanobay.

whattoeat

I’vetakenthewholeideaoftheaperitivobuffettoheart.IlovetheideaoflayingoutanentiretablefuloffoodI’vepreparedaheadoftime,sothateveryonecanjusteatastheysipattheirNegronis.Asisdoneatthebuffetsfoundinmostbars,Itendtowardthecarbohydratesideofthings(allthebettertoabsorbthedrinks).Bruschettaaremyfavoritecanvastoworkwith.Whenyousay“bruschetta”(or,asmymothersays,“brushetta”),mostpeopleimmediatelythinktomatoes.AndIagree,it’shardtobeatgrilledbreadtoppedwithAugusttomatoes,andmaybeabitofsaltandoliveoil.Butbruschettacanbesomuchmore.Anything,infact.Onabaseoftoastedbread,Icanprettymuchlayeronalmostanythingfrom

cheesetovegetablestocuredmeats.

bruschettawithzucchiniandpancetta

Makes6bruschette

½cupcubedpancetta3mediumzucchini,dicedSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper6slicescrustyItalianbread,cutabout½inchthick1garlicclove,peeledExtra-virginoliveoil,fordrizzling

Placeamediumfryingpanovermediumheat.Addthepancettaandcook,untilit has rendered its fat and become crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove thepancetta from the fat and transfer it to a small bowl—not a paper towel.Youwanttoretainallthatgoodporkfat!Add the zucchini to the rendered fat in the pan and stir. Sprinklewith salt

(howmuchwilldependonhowsaltyyourpancetta is)andpepper.Cookoverhighheatuntilbrownedand tender.Return thepancetta,with its juices, to thepanandstirtodistribute.Toastthebread,overanopenfireifpossible.Ifnot,thenovertheflamesof

yourstovetop,orinatoaster.Whilethebreadisstillhot,rubitwiththegarliccloveanddrizzlewithabitof

oliveoil.Dividethezucchinimixtureamongtheslicesofbreadandserve.

asparagusricottabruschetta

Makes4bruschette

1smallbunchwildasparagus(orpencil-thinasparagus)2tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil1smallgarlicclove,choppedSalt6stalkssteamedasparagus⅓cupfreshwhole-milkricottaFreshlygroundblackpepper4slicescrustyItalianbread

Cutthewildasparagusinto1-inchpieces.Heat1tablespoonoftheoliveoilinasmallpanoverlowheat.Addthegarlic

and cook for 1 minute. Add the wild asparagus, and cook just until tenderenoughtoeat,about4minutesorso.Seasonwithsalttotaste.Setaside.

Inasmallfoodprocessor,blendthesteamedasparagus,ricotta,theremaining1tablespoonofoliveoil,andsaltandpeppertotaste.Toastthebread.Divide thericottamixtureevenlyamongthebreadslices.Topeachwith the

wildasparagus.Although the asparagus version of this recipe is fantastic, feel free to

experiment. I’m thinking peas, fava beans, zucchini, and even green beans

wouldbedelicious.(Andno,Mom,leftoversaladisnotgoingtowork.)

favaandpecorinobruschetta

Makes6bruschette

AtraditionalmealforMay1(LaborDayinItaly)includesfreshfavabeansandpecorinocheese.It’saverysocialkindofsnack,sinceeveryonepeelstheirownfava beans, nibbling on them raw,while they alternatewith bits of cheese. Ittastesgreat,andapileoffavabeansonthetableisadmittedlygorgeous.ButIalwaysfinditabittoorusticacombotoserveatarealmeal.Plus,I’malwaysthinkingthattheremustbeawaytoincorporateabitofsaltandoliveoil,whichI feelaremissing.SoIdecided to take the ideaofspringtime faveepecorino,andturnitintoabruschetta.Awordaboutthepecorino:Pecorino issimplytheItalianwordfor“sheep’s

milk cheese,” which covers quite a range of textures and tastes. PecorinoRomanocanbesharpandsalty,whilePecorinoToscanoisdefinitelymorenuttytasting.InthisdishIusedaratherfreshcheesethatIhadpickedupearlierinthedayatthelocalcaseificio.Soifpossible,youwanttofindacheesethatisonthesofter side,not toohard.Moreor less the same textureas the raw favabeans,andnotoverlyaged.

2pounds(1kilo)favabeansintheirpods3tablespoonsextra-virginoliveoil,plusmorefordrizzlingSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper6slicescrustyItalianbread1garlicclove(optional)1cupcubedpecorinocheese(seeheadnote)

Removethefavabeansfromtheirshells,butleavetheouterskinonthebeans.Roughlychopwithamezzalunaorknife.Placethebeansinabowl,tosswiththe3tablespoonsofoliveoil,andseason

withsaltandpepper.Toastthebread,overafireifpossible.Rubthetoastedbreadwithapieceofpeeledgarlicifdesired.Drizzlelightly

witholiveoilandsprinklewithsalt.Topeachslicewithsomeof thechoppedfavabeansandthensomeof thecubedpecorino.Drizzlewithabitmoreoliveoil,andtopwithmorefreshlygroundblackpepper.

{ chapter22 }

countinginitalian

I have a hard timewith numbers. I was never any good atmath, I’m alwaysmessingupondates,andifyoutellmeyourphonenumberIwillforgetitinthetime it takes to grab a pen. This also probably explains why I’m not a greatbaker.BakingtakesaprecisionandattentiontoquantitiesandweightsthatIjustdon’thave.MovingtoItalydidn’thelpmuch.I’mstillatalosswhensomeonetellsmeit

is22degreesCelsius. Is thathotorcold?Do Ineeda sweateroracoat? I’vefinallymemorizedthat350degreesFahrenheitis180degreesCelsius,butonlybecauseI’vehadtolookitup457,000timesoverthelasttwentyyears.AndIhavetoadmitthatthereareafewothermeasurementsI’velearnedover

myyearsofcookinginItalythathavegonealongwaytowardcuringmyhabittooverbuy.100gramsseemstobeaprettysteadyindicatorofportionsize:100gramsofpastaperperson;100gramsofmeat.BecausenothingisprepackagedwhenIgotothemarketinItaly,IalwayshavetospecifyexactlyhowmuchI’dliketohave.Ilearnedthisthehardway.WhenIwouldfinallymanagetogettothefrontof

thelineatthevegetablestand,Iwouldveryclearlyaskforsomeapples.Onlytohave the fruttivendolo look atmewith raised eyebrows. So I would repeat itagain, thatI’dlikesomeapples,please.Finallyshewouldtakepityonmeandask, “Quante mele?” (“How many apples?”) “Oh, four or five!” I’d reply,thinkingthatbynowwe’dclearedeverythingup,but,no.Shewantedevenmorespecificity.“Mezzo kilo?” (“Half a kilo?”)Likehowwas I supposed toknowhowmuchtheapplesweighed?Wasn’tshetheonewiththescale?ForawhileIthoughtitwasjustmymother-in-law,whoisparticularlyfixated

onnumbers.Wheneverwechattedonthephone,ourmaintopicofconversationwouldbe,ofcourse,whatIwascooking.IfItoldherthatIwashavingadinnerparty andwasmaking, say, a pork roast, her first questionwould be for howmanypeople.Thenshewouldsortofmumbletoherselfandsaysomethinglike

“Allora,deveprendereunarrostodi3.6kili.”(“So,youhavetogetaporkroastof 3.6 kilos.”) It was always very specific, and always involved some sort ofmathequationthatwasamysterytome.WhenItookthetimetolistentoeveryoneelsethough,notjustatthefruitand

vegetable stand, but also at the bakery, the butcher’s, and the fish store, Irealizedthateveryonewasbeingveryspecificaboutmeasurements.Eventually,afteryearsofhearingtheseformulasoverandover,Ifinallygot

thehangofit.Icouldnowshoplikeapro,figuringoutnotonlyhowmuchmeatandpastatobuyandprepare,buteverythingdowntothelastleafoflettuce.Whichiswhy,Ilearned,Italiansdon’tusuallyhaveleftovers.Thereisnosuch

thingasadoggiebagwhenyougotoanItalianrestaurant.Theportionsthatareso carefully measured out in the kitchen are exactly the portions that can beeasilyeatenbyonepersonatonemeal.WhenmyItalianfriendsseemyhoardofTupperware,whichfallsonmyheadfromthecabinetabovethesinkeverytimeIopenit,theyhavenoideawhatitisfor.Thestrangethingis,though,allthisattentiontoprecisemeasurementswhen

shoppingforfoodgetsthrownoutthewindowtheminuteyouasksomeoneforarecipe. My mother-in-law, who is so precise in measuring out the mainingredient of her dish—be it pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetable—is completelyvagueinrecountingrecipes.“Cimettaunpodiolio…youputalittleoliveoilinthepan...”beginsmostoftherecipesI’veeverlearnedfromher.ButifIaskherexactlyhowmuchoil,it’sasifI’mspeakinganotherlanguage.“Didn’tyouhearme?A little.”As if that is some sort of standardmeasurement not to beconfusedwithmolto(alot)orpochissimo(very,verylittle).Italian cookbooks even have a technical abbreviation for this tendency to

vagueness:QB.IttookmethelongesttimetorealizethatQB,whenaddedontoan ingredient,meantquantobasta, asmuchasyouneed.And really, itmakesperfectsense.Becausewhoknowshowmuchoilyoumayneedorwantinanygivenrecipe?Orsalt,forthatmatter.Orjustaboutanythingelse.Aswithmostthings Italian, everyone has his or her own opinion, and when it comes tocooking,toeachhisown.

recipes

Italiansareverygoodatmakingjustenoughfoodforthemealathand.RarelydotheygowayoverboardwithTupperwarecontainersfullofleftoverscloggingthefridgeafterameal.Butonthatrareoccasionwhentheydohaveabitofpastaleftoverfromafamilymeal,itoftenmakesitswayintothisrusticfrittata,whichispureheaven.Although you can certainly make this frittata with pasta that already has a

sauceonit,Iloveitmadewhenthenoodlesarebarelydressedwithabitofoliveoil.ThatwayIcanaddhandfulsofParmigianoandpecorino,foraverycheesyand chewy dish. The trick ismaking the pasta the star of the show,with justenougheggstobinditalltogether.And while frittatas can be eaten piping hot, I like this one served at room

temperature, as domost Italians. Although I have served this up as themaincourseforadinnerpartyonSunday,thisdishmadefromleftoverpastaisevenbetterasaleftoveritself.Athickslicebetweentwopiecesofbreadistheperfectbeachpicnicfoodorevenbreakfastthenextday.

frittatadipasta

Makesone10-inchfrittata;serves4to5

3cupscookedpastaExtra-virginoliveoil,asneeded6largeeggs¾cupgratedParmigiano-Reggianocheese½cupcubedagedsheep’smilkcheese½cupchoppedfreshflat-leafparsleySaltFreshlygroundblackpepper

Ifyoudon’thaveanyleftoverpasta,cookanddrainthepastaandtossitwithatablespoonorsoofoliveoil.Cracktheeggsintoalargemixingbowl,andstirwithaforktobreakup.Add

thecheesesandstirwelltomix.Addthepastaandparsley,seasonwithsaltandpepper,andstirtocombine.Heata10-inch(60-cm)nonstickfryingpanwithenougholiveoiltocoatthe

bottominathinlayer.Addtheeggandpastamixture,anduseawoodenspoontospreaditevenlyoverthepan.Coverwithaflatlid,andletcookoverlowheatuntilset,about10minutes.If

thetopisstillrunny,holdthepanandlidcarefullytogetherandflipitover.Thenslidethefrittatabackintothehotpantofinishcookingthetop,whichisnowthebottom.Youcanservethishot,butit’sevenbetteratroomtemperature.Inanycase,

letitrestatleast5minutesbeforecuttingintowedgesandserving.

picchiapò

Serves5

WhileItaliansdon’tusuallyhaveleftovers,thereisatraditionincucinapoveraof making one ingredient last over several meals. For instance, coda allavaccinara isoxtailcookedin tomatosauce.Theoxtailwillbe themaincourseforonemeal,while therichbeef-flavoredsaucewillbeservedontopofpastathenextday.Thesameistrueofboiledbeef.Abigpieceofbeefwouldbeusedtomakebrodo.Notonlywouldthebrodobeusedtocookpastainforonemeal,butalsothebeefcouldoftenthenbestretchedforatleastanothertwomeals.TheRoman version of bollito helper is called picchiapò. If you think the namepicchiapò sounds strange, it does. No one is quite sure how this dish got itsname.But it is certainly fun to say “pee-ke-ya-po,”not tomention thedish isgoodtoeat.Irealizethatleftoverboiledbeefisn’tsomethingthatalotofpeoplehaveto

dealwith.Althoughtraditionalpicchiapòcallsforboiledbeef,I’mthinkingthatthisrecipewouldworkforanykindofleftovermeatyoumayhave.Yes,eventhatturkeyyoustuckinthefreezerlastNovember.

1pound(½kilo)leftoverboiledbeef1largewhiteonion2celerystalksExtra-virginoliveoil,asneeded2cupscannedtomatoesSaltFreshlygroundblackpepper

Pulltheboiledbeefintobite-sizepieces.Cuttheonioninhalf,andsliceitintothinrings.Slicetheceleryonthediagonalinto¼-inchslices.In a pan large enough to hold everything,warm the oil overmedium heat.

Reducetheheattolow,addtheonionandcelery,andcook,stirring,forabout25minutes.Youwant them to soften, but not brown.Add the tomatoes. Increasetheheattomedium,andcookforanother10minutes.Stirinthebeef,cover,andsimmerfor20minutes.Seasonwiththesaltandpepper.Servewithmashedpotatoes,oraloafofcrustybreadtosopupallthejuices.

{ chapter23 }

howtoeatpizzalikearoman

OneofmyveryfirstmemoriesofbeinginRomeinvolvespizza.Whenwemoved to Rome aftermy parents’whirlwind decision,my father

hadn’tmadeanyplansbeyondreservingacoupleofhotelroomsthroughatravelagentheknewinSt.Louis.Aswepiledoutofthetaxifromtheairport,onthattorridAugustday, even I could tell that thiswasnot theRomemy fatherhadbeen describing tome andmy sisters during the twoweeks leading up to ourtrip. Set somewhere on the outskirts ofRome, in somemodernneighborhood,the Caesar Augustus Hotel was, within five minutes of our stepping into ourstiflingroom,declared“theCaesarDisgustus”bymeandmysisters,allcrankyandjet-laggedfromourfirsttransatlantictrip.Wesoonpassedoutfromjetlagandexhaustion.Iwasthefirsttowakeup.In

my disoriented state I couldn’t quite remember where I was, but I knew onething: Iwasstarved.Whilemymotherand two littlesisterswerestill sleepingsoundly,myfathersawmestartingtostirandcameoverquietlyandwhisperedinmyear:“Doyouwanttogogetapizzasandwich?”Thiswasmyfirstinklingthatthingswerenotas“Disgustus”astheyseemed.

Even though Ididn’tknowwhat itwas, just the ideaofapizzasandwichwasenoughtomakemeviewthingsdifferently.AsIslippedonmyclogs(yes,thiswas the ’70s), and got ready to sneak out the doorwithmy father, I had onedoubt. What if he was making it up? My family had been known to inventimprobable foods to torture each other. I will forever remember the timemyparents took my sisters to a restaurant without me and they all came backswearing they had enjoyed huge plates of chocolate spaghetti. Could a pizzasandwich be something my dad just invented to keep me quiet for the fewmomentsittooktogetmeoutoftheroomsoIwouldn’twaketheothers?Wemadeourwayoutontothehotsidewalkandcrossedthestreettoacoffee

bar.Whenwewalked in I sawa glass case full of sandwiches.Noneof themlooked likeanypizzaIknew.Butmydadhadobviouslybecomesomesortof

expertduringthefewdayshehadspentinRomethepreviousmonth,sinceheknew just what to ask for. “Pizza bianca,” he said while pointing to a largesquaresandwich.Afterheatingitupinasandwichpress,thebarmanhandedittome,wrappedinapaper-thinnapkin.“See,”mydad explained, “here inRome they bake pizza doughplain, then

sliceitopentouseasasandwich.”Andinfact,itwaspizzadough,sliceddownthemiddleandstuffedwithwhatIsoonlearnedwasmortadella.ItwasmyfirsttasteofRomeandmyfirstrealizationthatthingsIknewbackhome,likepizzaor pasta, were to bemuchmore complicated and, of course, better andmoredelicious.SpaghettiOswouldsoonbereplacedbyspaghettialpomodoro,andIlearned that not all ravioli is breaded, deep-fried, and served with a dippingsauce(aSt.Louisspecialty,incaseyoudidn’tknow).Whilethe“pizzasandwich”frommyfirstmealinItalybecameamuch-loved

favorite over our two years living inRome, itwas only decades later,when Imovedback to Italy full timeasagraduatestudent inFlorence, that I realizedthatmy favoritewayof eatingpizzawaspeculiar toRome. InFlorence Iwasable toget spongy focaccia inanymannerofways,but Icouldnever seem torecapturethatcrispyetchewydoughIrememberedfromRome,stuffedwithathinsliceofporkymortadella.Asitturnsout,whatIthoughtwasjustacommonkindofsandwichwas,infact,aRomanspecialty:pizzaemortazza.Pizza, I learned, likeeverythingelse in Italy, is intensely regional.Even the

namesfordifferentkindsofdoughchangesfromregion toregion,andparsingout thedifferencesbetweenLigurian focaccia,Tuscanshciacciata,andRomanpizzabiancawasadeliciousconfusion.AlthoughNaplesisconsideredtobethebirthplaceofpizza,Romehasitsown

verydistinctiveanddeliciouspizzaculture.Butbeforedivingin,ithelpstohavesomesortofknowledgeofthedifferentkinds.

Pizza. WhenpeopleinRomesaytheyaregoingoutfordinnertohaveapizzatheymean round, single-serving pizzas. These aremade to order by speciallytrained pizzaioli in pizzerias, almost always in a wood-burning oven. Mostpizzerias are only open in the evenings, for dinner (although there are somenotableandrecentexceptionstothisrule).

Pizza al Taglio.  This is sheet pizza, sold mostly by the piece in smallstorefrontsthatspecializeinthistypeofpizza.It issoldbytheweightandhasvarioustoppings.Youcaneitherbuyittotakeawayor,morecommonly,eatitstandingupatacounter.

PizzaBianca. ThisisthewhitepizzadoughthatIbitintoonmyfirstmorninginRome. It iswhitedough,withadrizzleofoliveoil, thathasbeenbakedonhighheat.Itisoftensoldinbakeries,andismeanttobeeatenrightawaywhilehot,andisoneofRome’struestreetfoods.

EveryRomanhastheirfavoritepizzeria.Whiletheirchoicehasalottodowithtaste, of course, it also has as much to do with location. Just like having afavoriteneighborhoodbar,allRomanshavetheirfavoritecornerpizzajoint.This iswhere theyheadonaSundaynightwhenthefamilyfeels likegoing

outforaninexpensivemeal.Ortheplacewheretheystoponthewayhomefromworkduringtheweekforapizzatogo.And,infact,asyouwalkaroundabout8:00p.m. in a residential neighborhood,you’ll see folkswalkinghomewith aboxedpizza.Thesedependable,localplacesrarelygetwrittenupinguidebooksor blogs. Mostly because they aren’t doing anything beyond the norm: goodpizzascookedtoorderinawood-burningoven.Ihavetoadmittohavingablindspotwhenitcomestomyownneighborhood

pizzeria.Wedecidedtogothererecently,andIwasallsettocalluptoreserve.IgotoutmyiPhone,openedmyownappEatRome,onlytorealizethatIhadn’tincluded Alle Carrette. I’d included all the “artisan” trendy pizza places likeGattaMangiona,Sforno,andPizzarium. I’deven includedsomeneighborhoodplacesfromacrosstown,likeIvo’s,butnoAlleCarrette.There’s no reason, except that I take this verygoodpizzeria completely for

granted.It’sbeentheresinceImovedintotheneighborhoodtwentyyearsago,andalmostallthewaitersandcertainlythepizzaioloarestillthesame.They’vebeenfeedingmydaughterssincetheycouldfirstgnawonacrust.AlleCarrette is typicalofagoodlocalRomanpizzeria.Thedoughis left to

riseovernight,thenrolledoutsuperthin.Thewood-burningovenishugeanditshigh temperature means that they can turn out pizzas fast and furiously.Toppingsareforthemostparttraditional.You’renotgoingtofindanypumpkinorbalsamicreductionhere.Instead,thisiswhereIorderaCapriciosa,whichinRomemeans“pizzawithprosciutto,mushrooms,artichokehearts,olives,andahard-boiledegg.”Sophiealmostalwaysorders thehigh-endversionofapizzaMargherita, with mozzarella di bufala and pachino tomatoes, while Emmaorders theMarinara toppedwith rughetta.Domenico—being the southern boythatheis—goesforthecalzone.Although it seems counterintuitive to start out a pizzamealwith deep-fried

appetizers,calledfritti,thisisexactlywhatRomansdo.Abatter-dippedpieceofbaccalà,“saltcod,”isthemostcommon.Sinceit’smeanttobeeatenwithyour

hands,itisservedwithaprotectivepapernapkinsoyoudon’tburnyourfingerson the piping hot fish. In season,we’ll also order a plateful of fried zucchiniflowers,stuffedwithbitsofanchoviesandmozzarella.Almostnoonedrinkswinewithpizza.This is the time for something fizzy

and a tall glass of birra alla spina, usually Peroni or Moretti, is what mostpeopleorder.

wheninrome…eatingpizza

1.Thereisnosharing:Insit-downpizzeriaseachpersonorderstheirownsingle-serving-sizepizza.

2.Useaforkandknife:InRome,atsit-downpizzerias,thisisthewayit’sdone.

3.Oliosanto:Don’tgolookingforashakerofdriedredpepperflakesororegano.Theonlycondimentthat’savailableisoliosanto,abottleofhotpepper–infusedoliveoil.

4.Redversuswhite:Mostpizzeriaswilldividethemenuinhalf:biancoorrosso.Rossomeans“red,”andthepizzascomeswithtomatosauce.Biancomeans“white,”andthepizzascomewitheithermozzarellaornocheeseatall,butnevertomatosauce.

wheretoeatpizzainrome

Dinner:  Traditionally pizzerias in Rome are open only in the evenings.Althoughthisisstartingtochange,fornowmostofthebestpizzerias—newandold—aredinnertimeaffairs.WhenIgooutforpizzainRome,convenienceoftentrumps quality. Many of the best, most innovative pizzerias are located inneighborhoodsoutsideofthecenteroftown.Thatsaid,theyareworththeefforttogetthere.Butthenmylocalisnothingtoturnupyournoseat.

GattaMangionaViaOzanam30–32,39-06-534-6702ConsideredbymanytobethebestpizzeriainRome.ThisisaRomantakeon

Neapolitan.Located in the residentialMonteverde neighborhood, they do have amenu,

butbettertolookontheblackboardforthedailyspecials,whicharealsoonline,so you can arrive prepared. Toppings include things like creamyGorgonzola,pumpkin, herring, and balsamic reduction and the otherwith cherry tomatoes,cubesofprimosale,andpuntarelle.Startoutwithaselectionoftheirdailyfritti.

SfornoViaStatilioOttato114,39-06-715-46118Many swear thatSforno currentlymakes thebest pizza inRome.Theonly

reason some people never make it there is its out-of-the-way location in theTuscolananeighborhood.ButifyouareinRomeforthepizza,thenhoponthemetroorgrabataxi.LikemanyofthenewgenerationofboutiquepizzeriasinRome,Sfornohascrusts thatareon the thickandpuffyside,moreNeapolitanthanRoman.One of theirmost famous pizzas is TheGreenwich:mozzarella,Stilton,andaportreduction.IlovetheirCacioePepeprecutintoslices,withapeppermillinthecenterforlayingiton.

LaFucinaViaGiuseppeLunati25,39-06-559-3368 La Fucina is known for a few things, including the superb quality of their

pizzasandtheinventivetoppingstheylayeron.Butthesetwothingsdefinitelycomeataprice.LaFucina isalsoknownfor themore-than-usualcostof theirpizzas:22to34eurosperpizza.Itstartstomakemoresenseonceyougetthere.First of all, the pizzas are big, andmade to be split. And another completelyuniquethingaboutLaFucinaisthatyoudecideonseveralpizzasfortheentiretable, and then theownerdecides inwhichorder they shouldbe served.Theythen start to come to the table, one after the other, each taking its turn. Eachpizza is already sliced into eight neat and tidy servings. The toppings areinventive, seasonal, and usually involve copious amounts of vegetables andpork.LaFucinaislocatedoutsideofthehistoriccenterofRome.

PizzeriaLeoncinoViadelLeoncino28,39-06-686-7757It’shardtofindagoodpizzeriathat isopenforlunch.Also, theareainthe

centerofRome(betweenthePantheonandtheSpanishSteps)makesthisevenmoreofachallenge.Thisplaceisbothcentrallylocatedandopenatlunch.Itisverymuchanold-fashionedneighborhoodplace,itsspecialtypizzawithonions,beans,andsausage.

AlleCarretteViaMadonnadeiMonti95,39-06-679-2770Located inMonti, this is justa localpizzaplace,which isvery,verygood.

Expectapizzawitha thinRomancrust.Everyneighborhoodhasagoodpizzaplace; this is ours. They have recently started opening for lunch as well asdinner,andhaveaniceoutsideterraceinthesummer.

PizzaaTaglio: Thispizzabythesliceisavailablealldaylong,soit’sgreatforalate-morningsnackorapicnickindoflunch.

PizzariumViadellaMeloria43,39-06-3974-5416PizzariumhasbecomeameccaforfoodiesinRome,anditscreator,Gabriele

Bonci,theirgod.Thiswouldallbeprettyweirdsounding,exceptthatthepizzaheturnsoutisnothingshortofmiraculous.Thisisnotapizzeria,butapizzaaltaglio place. In other words, the pizzas come out in large trays, and you buyslicestoeatstandingup(oryoucantakeitout).Bonciissoreveredbecausehehas single-handedly reinvented this unique form of Roman street food. Hisreworking of the formula for creating the dough has resulted in a worldwidefollowing.Lightandairy,itsupportsauniquesymphonyoftoppings.

LaRenellaViadelMoro15,39-06-581-7265Knownfortheirlargeloavesofrusticbread,theyarealsothemakersofsome

ofthebest-lovedpizzabythesliceinTrastevere.Almostalwaysopen.

RoscioliViadeiChiavari34,39-06-686-4045 Themost famous bakery inRome?Many say so.Yes, fantastic bread, but

also amazing pizza by the slice, includingwhat some consider to be the bestpizzabiancaintown.

FornodiCampode’FioriPiazzaCampode’Fiori22,39-06-6880-6662Oneoftheoldestbakeriesintown.Fresh,hotpizzabiancaalldaylong,which

youcanwatchbeingmadethroughtheirstorefrontworkshopwindow.

recipes

gabrielebonci’spizza

Serves8

In 2011 I had the great good fortune to attend a series of pizza classes withGabriele Bonci. His pizza al taglio, sold at the pocket-size Pizzarium, hadbecomeanessentialmealonanyone’striptoRome.SinceGabrieleisdedicatedtospreadingthegospelofwell-madepizza,hedecidedtoteachhowtorecreatehispizzaathome in adomesticoven.The seriesofposts Iwroteonmyblogaboutmyexperiencesinthesefirstclasses,andsubsequentonesIattended,havebeen among my most popular. Here follows his original recipe, but for acomplete experience visit my Youtube channel, where you will begin tounderstand the unique way in which this Michelangelo of pizza handles hisdough.

8cups(2.2pounds/1kilo)tipo0ortipo1flour,preferablyBurratofromMulinoMarino2½teaspoons(7grams)activedryinstantyeast3⅓cups(700grams/700milliliters)water1tablespoonplus1teaspoon(20grams)fineseasalt3tablespoons(40grams/45milliliters)extra-virginoliveoil

Mixtheflour,yeast,andwaterinalargebowl,usingaspoon.Whenitisalmostmixed,andthelumpsaremostlygone,addthesalt,andthentheoil.Itwillseemverywet;don’tbescared;thewetterthedough,thebetter.Flipthedoughoutontoalightlyflouredsurfaceandkneaditgentlybyfolding

thedough in half, over itself, towardyou.Grab the doughby the two cornersfacingyou,andpickituplikeanenvelope,turnit90degrees,andplaceitbackon the flouredboard.Repeat thismotion a few times,without reallykneadingthedough.Foldandturn,foldandturn.Itwillseemverystickyatfirst,butwhen

yougetthehangofit,itgetseasier.Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and let it rest for another 15

minutes. Do this two or three more times. This is the step that Bonci calls“regenerating thedough.”Don’t overknead. In fact, don’t knead at all.By thethirdtime,thedoughwillbespringyandnotsticky.Thisprocesswilltakeaboutanhourorso.When this isdone, return thedough to thebowl, coververy tightly, and let

riseinthefridgefor24hours.Takethedoughoutofthefridgeandletitcometoroomtemperature.Preheat

theoventothehottestsettingithas:480°F(250°C).Lightlyflouraboardandfollowthesedirectionstogetyourdoughintoyour

oiledpan.The important thing isnot tobeviolentwith thedough! (MyfriendJudy got yelled at in class for being too violent.) In fact, the first daywe alloverworkedourdough,andendedupwithflatpizzasthatcookedunevenlyandeven burned (yes, that includes you, Judy). What you want to do is be verygentle,massagethedough,andseektoretainthepocketsofairthathaveformedovernight.Place one ball of dough, about 12 ounces (350 grams), onto the floured

surface. Using your fingertips, gently stretch out the dough into roughly theshapeofyour12x20-inchrectangularpan.Onceyouhaveformedyourroughshape,turnitsothatashortendisfacingyou.Stretchyourleftarmacrossthedough, diagonally, so that your left hand is gently touching the top of therectangle.Usingyourrighthand,carefullypickup the lowerright-handcorneroftherectangleandfolditoveryourleftarm.Asyouraiseyourleftarm,palmdown, swingyour rightarmunderneath to support the restof thedough,palmdown.Youshouldnowhavetheentirerectangledrapedacrossyour twoarms,palmsdown.Gentlywidenyourarmstostretchthedoughintoyourpan.Thisisoneofthosethingsthatsoundincrediblycomplicated(andit is,kind

of),butonceyoudoitafewtimesyougetthehangofit.Don’t worry about fancy toppings at this point.Master the dough first and

then you can worry about getting creative with toppings. For now, either topwithtomatoes:justimportedpelati,withabitofoliveoilandsaltadded,orelsejustwitholiveoilandsalt.Place thepanon the floorofyouroven.Eachovenwillbakedifferently,so

youhavetoexperiment.Ifyouhaveabakingstone,allthebetter.Itisimportanttogetyourovenashotaspossible.Afterthepizzahasbeenintheovenforabout15minutes,checktoseeifthe

bottomisbaking.Takeitoutandliftupthecrustandtakeapeekunderneath.Ifitseemslikeit’salmostdone,moveittothecenterrackandbakeuntilfinished,aboutanother10minutes.Takethepizzaoutoftheoven,removeitfromthepanimmediately,andletit

coolontherack.IMPORTANTNOTE:Boncikeptrepeating,overandoverandover,thatthe

recipewasreallyonlyabout10percentofthesuccess(orfailure)ofapizza.Itwas all in the handling of the dough—in themanipolazione. And in fact, thepizzaswemade the first evening, beforewe knewwhatwewere doing (withdoughthathadbeenmadeinadvancebythemasterhimself),cameoutflat,andsad and burned. But oncewe all learned the trick of handling the dough—orrather,nothandlingittoomuch—ourpizzaswerelightandfluffyandsomethingwe could be proud of.A big help in the entire process is, of course, taking acoursewithBonci himself. If you can’tmake it toRome, then visitmy blog,whereyou’ll findmanyvideos showinghim in action.Watch thevideos, thenwatchthemafewmoretimes.You’llgetiteventually.

toppingyourpizzaallabonci

Sotheprocedureisasfollows:• Makethedough.• Letitrise.• Laythedoughinthepan.• Drizzlewithoil,ortopwithaverythinlayeroftomatoes(seenote).• Bake.• Letcoolslightly.• Top!

Andtheaddedextra-coolbonusofthismethod?Youcanbakethecrustsaheadoftime,andfinishthemoffat thelastminuteforyourpizzaparty.Makesyouwanttotrythisathome,right?So, on to the toppings. Some of the toppings are added to the cooled, then

reheatedpizza,andleftasis,withoutatripbackintotheoven.Some,includingcheeses,makea tripback to theoven justuntil thecheesemelts, andare thenfinishedwithotheringredientsthatwillremainuncooked.It’salluptoyou.Thisiswhereyoucanletyourimaginationrunwild.ButevenBoncihassome

rules. For instance, never use more than three toppings. “That’s a balancedpizza,”hesays.“Anythingmorewouldbetoomuch.”The ingredients: Does it go without saying that you should use the best

possibletoppingsforyourpizza?Themozzarellashouldbethebestyoucanget,and if you can get a treccia (braid) this is the best consistency for pizza (lesswatery).Donotgotoallthistroubletomakethedough,onlytotopitwithlessthanextraordinaryingredients.Thisistheplacetouseyourgoatcheesecaciotta,thecoppayougotfromAbruzzo,thebabyspinachfromthefarmers’market.Anddothinkaboutcolors.Thereisareasoncertainfoodslookgoodtogether.

“Take mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil,” mused Bonci. “Sure, they look goodtogether, but they also perfectly balance creaminess, acidity, and freshness.Tastesfollowcolorsnaturally.”

Note:Thereisreasonbehindthismethod,ofcourse.Firstofall,thecrustisn’tburdenedwithheavytoppings,andsoremainscrisp,airy,andlight.Nowaterymozzarellaweighingthingsdown.Noetherealbitsofprosciuttogettingburned.

{ chapter24 }

learningtolovegrappa

I love having people over for dinner. I adore the entire process of shopping,cooking, and setting the table, and then enjoying the meal. But I get reallyexcitedattheendofthemeal,whenwegettotheafter-dinnerdrinks.“Anyonewantagrappa?”Andsureenough,atleastone(ifnotmost)ofmyguestssays,“No,Ihategrappa.”SoIbringoutthebottlesofamaro,limoncello(yuck!),andevencognac.ButIalsobringoutatleastthreebottlesofgrappa.Butnotjustanygrappa.It’sNoninograppaand,sincethebottlesaresodistinctive(muchclassierandelegantthananythingelseonthetable),theyarethefirstthingsthatgetmyguests’attention.“Well,OK…IguessI’ll trysome.”Andusually,all it takes isonesipand

theyaregrappaconverts.Asit turnsout, thegrappathey’vetriedupuntilnowhasalmostnothingtodowithwhatIserve.Icanunderstandtheirhesitation.Eventhoughmuchhaschangedintheworld

ofgrappainthelastdecadeorso,mostofthegrappaoutthereisstilldreck.ThatthereisevenanyattemptatproducingartisanallycraftedgrappasandaquavitsinItaly is almost entirely due to theNonino family,whom I had the pleasure ofgetting to know about twelve years agowhen Iwrote a feature about them. Ihavebeenahugesupporter(and,Iadmitit,drinker)eversince.Abitofbackground:Traditionally,grappawasaworkingman’sdrink,made

byfarmerswith the leftoverpomace(stemsandskins)afterwinemaking.Themusty-smellingpilewas fermentedand thendistilled intoanextremelystrong,highlyalcoholicdrinkthatprovidedmuch-neededcaloriesduringthewinter.Bythe1960stheNoninofamily,whostartedoutwithaportablestillthatthey

broughttofarms,wasproducingahigh-qualitygrappa.Theyhadupgradedtoamoreadvancedmethodintheirplant,buttheirgrappawasstillmadeusingthewinery’sleftovers.EnterGiannola,whomarriedBenitoNoninoanddecidedtocompletelyflipthegrappa-makingprocessonitshead.

Ratherthanusemixed-up,oldleftovers,shehadtheboldideatopickupthefreshlypressedpomacewithinhoursof itspressing, anddistill singlevarietalsusingadiscontinuousstill,whichwouldpreserve(shehoped)thearomaoftheoriginal grapes. Her husband, Benito, is the mastermind who devised themethod,butitwasGiannola’svisionandpassionthatresultedinthefirstsingle-grapegrappausingthePicolitwinegrape.Mostpeoplethoughttheywerecrazy,butoncetheytastedthebrewtheyweresmitten.TheNoninoshaddonewhatnoonehaddonebefore:produceagrappathatretainedtheperfumesandessenceoftheoriginalgrape.Over the last three decades the revolution that the Noninos started has

changed the way the world thinks of grappa. Their stylish bottles are widelyimitated,asaretheirsmooth-as-silkgrappasandaquavits.

amari

Sharingspaceinmybelovedliquorcabinetismycollectionofamari.LiketheirbitterrelativesCampariandAperol,whichareimbibedbeforeameal,amariarefullofherbsandspicesthataremeanttohelpthatdigestiveprocessonitswayattheendofthemeal.AndIhavetoadmit,it’smucheasiertoconvincemygueststo try some weird and wonderful amari than it is grappa. While grappa is adistilled spirit and has nothing more to soften its bang, amari usually have a“healthy”doseofsugartosoftentheedgesofthosebitterherbs.The first time I was offered an amaro I wasn’t sure I was understanding

correctly.ItwasattheendofalonglunchinFlorence.MyfriendMariettaandIhad justworkedourway throughantipasto,primo, secondo,anddolce.As thewaiterfinallylaiddownthebill,alongwithacomplimentaryplatefulofbiscotti,heasked,“Voiqualcosaperdigerere?”(“Wouldyoulikesomethingtohelpyoudigest?”)How completely strange, I thought, that thiswaiter, who had actually been

flirtingwithusbothoverthecourseofourthree-hourlunch,wasnowaskingifwe wanted an Alka-Seltzer, or maybe a laxative? I could understand how hemightbeconcernedafter theamountof foodandwineMarietta and Ihadputaway,butgoingsofarastoofferaremedybeforeitwasaskedfor?Andwhilewe were still at the table, nibbling on the cookies he had practically forceduponus?While I gave him a raised eyebrow,Marietta instead responded right away.

“UnAvernaperfavore.”Sincesheseemedtoknowwhatshewasdoing,andthewaiterwasstandingtherelookingatmeexpectantly,theonlythingIcouldsaywas“Anche’io.”(“Me,too.”)Thewaiter didn’t have far togo, turning to a small cart that I really hadn’t

noticedbefore.Aboutadozenbottlescontaineddarksyrupyliquid,whichonlyserved to make the brightly colored labels all the more garish. The waiterreachedintheback,pulledoutabottlewithanold-fashionedyellowlabel,andpoureduseachathimble-sizeglass.WhenMariettatoldthewaitershewouldhaveanAverna,shewasreferringto

thebrandofamarothatshewanted.Likeanythingelsehavingtodowithfoodanddrink in Italy,amarichange fromregion to region,andeveryonehas theirpreferred brand. Some are on the sweet side and others are shiver-inducingly

bitter.Averna,madeinSicily, isoneofthemostpopularsinceit’srightinthemiddlebetweenbitterandsweet.Althoughallamarilookprettymuchalike—darkbrowntoalmostblack—the

flavorprofilescouldn’tbemoredifferent.Thisisbecausetheyarealwaysmadefrom amixture of dozens ofwild herbs,which change from region to region.TherearehundredsofamariproducedalloverItaly,fromSicilytotheAlps,andeachhasasecretlyguardedformula.

wheninrome…amariandgrappa

Oftenattheendofamealtherestaurantwillofferyouanafter-dinnerdrink.Bebrave,bebold,andaskforanamaroorgrappaandleavethelimoncellotothetourists.Bringhomeabottle.Manyamariareneverexported,soifyoufindoneyoulike,buyabottletotakehome.ThereisusuallyasurprisinglygoodselectioninmostItaliansupermarkets.Notsurewhethertoendamealwithacoffeeorashotofgrappa?Doboth.Haveacaffècorettoandpourashotofgrappadirectlyintoyourcoffee.

wheretobuyamariandgrappainrome

ChirraViaTorino132Aplace Iknowalmost toowell. Iusuallyheadhere forotherwisedifficult-to-find-in-RomeimportedbottlesofthehardstufflikeMaker’sMarkwhenIwantanold-fashionedorsomethingotherthansupermarketvodkaforamartini.ButIalwaysendupfallingintoatranceinfrontofthehugeselectionofamari.Ijustlove the names and the designs ofKapriol,Casauria, andFlorio.The friendlystaffishelpful,andyoucanactuallytrysomeoftheamari,sincehalftheshopisabar.

AngeliniEnotecaViadelViminale62Aslightlyweirderplace.Itsdustywindowsarestackedwithahugecollectionofbottles;someempty,somejustoldanddusty,allinteresting.Lookingforabottleofnamelessredwinewitha label featuringMussolinior thePope?This is theplace to go. Angelini has been in business since 1880, as the current owner,Enrico, ismore than happy to explain. Itwas his grandfatherwho opened theshop,whenthebuildingwasbuilt,andtheyhavebeenhereeversince.Luckily,ifyouareinthemoodfordiscontinuedandhard-to-findregionalamari,someofthe stock has also been on the shelves for decades. Several dusty bottles ofAmaroKambusamustbeamongtheonlyleftaround.TheyweresittingnexttoanevendustierbottleofBraulioRiserva(whoknewamarievenhadriservas?)Angelini, with their more than 40 amari, seems to cover all the regions—includingsomethatIhaveafeelingarenolongerevenpartofItaly.

recipes

Inmyeffortstoconvertmyfriendstothewaysofgrappa,Isneakilyropetheminthroughgrappacocktails.I’vecreatedquiteafewovertheyears,makinguseofboththetruegrappas(madefromtheleesofwine)aswellasthedistillates.UEFragolinoCruisoneofmyfavoritestoplayaroundwith.Itismadefrom

theextremelyrareFragolinograpefromFriuli,andisafullgrapedistillate.Thismay be the most aromatic of all the UEs (grape distillates) with hints ofblueberryandwildstrawberries.

fragolinococktail

Serves1

2ouncesGrappaCruFragolino1ouncepomegranatejuice1teaspoonpomegranatemolassesIce

Placeallingredientsinacocktailshakerwithice,shakeuntilchilled,thenpourintoachilledmartiniglass.

grappafruitsalad

FreshseasonalfruitGranulatedsugarGrappa

Make your favorite fresh seasonal fruit salad. It’s nice if you have a mix ofcolors and textures. About an hour before serving, toss with 1 tablespoon ofsugarper2cupsfruit.Addabout2tablespoonsofgrappaforeachtablespoonofsugar(IusedtheCarasus,whichIhappenedtohaveonhand,butyoucoulduseMoscatodiNoninoGrappa,GrappaCruFragolino,orGrappaCruPicolit).Tossandletsitforanhour.

Note:Storinggrappa:Afteryearsof thinkingImustbedrinkinggrappainmysleep,Irealizedthatthehighalcoholcontent(from38to45percent)meantthatmypreciousgrappawasevaporatingaway.NowIalwaysstoreopenedbottleswithasmallsheetofplasticwrapbetweenthebottleneckandcork.

redcurrantandgrappacocktail

Serves1

Most people, when confronted with freshly made fruit juices at the farmers’market,wouldthink“healthybreakfastdrink.”Me?Mymindimmediatelyturnstococktails.

⅓cupfreshredcurrantjuice2ouncesgood-qualitygrappa1teaspoonfreshMeyerlemonjuiceIce

Placeall the ingredients in a cocktail shakerwith ice.Shakeuntilwell chilledandstrainintoaglass.

{ chapter25 }

theeternalcity

When I first started my blog in 2009 it was for a very specific reason. Mypublishers told me that without a “platform” I couldn’t hope to reach anaudience to sellmy book.But the reason that Iwaswriting the blog changedvery quickly. Not only did no one want to read a blog that was purelypromotional, but also I didn’t have any funwriting it—and it showed. Somyshift fromwriting tosellabook towritingaboutwhat I’mpassionateabout—Rome—happened early on. That I chose to focus on food came naturally andwasnotsurprising.Whatwassurprising,though,wasthatturningthefocusofmyblogtowardthe

citywhere I live, and thought Iknewverywell, actuallychangedmypointofview.Likeanyoneelse,Inotonlytookmyhomeforgranted,butoftenignoredor just didn’t see what was right in front of me. A simple cookie shop inTrastevere,astopforpizzabianca,andeventhebarwhereIgoeverydayforamidmorningcappuccinobecamestartingpoints for storiesabout thecity that Ilove.When I first began writing my blog I was not intending to become a

photographer. Although my career had everything to do with gorgeousphotography(Ihavewrittensixofthosebig,beautifulcoffee-tablebooksaboutItaly), those imageswere taken by professional photographers. Even though Iwas the stylist, producer, and all-around image wrangler, it was not my eyebehindthe lens.But inmyefforts tomakemyblogmoreattractive, Inotonlybecame a better photographer, but also began to see beauty in places I neverlookedbefore.WhileIhadalwayslovedartichokes,oncetheywerecapturedintheframeofmylens,Irealizedhowgorgeoustheyreallywere.Andthediffusedlight coming through white umbrellas to illuminate a plate of puntarelle, thepastelcolorsofmyfavoritegelateria,andtheneonsignonmyneighborhoodbarwerethingsthatIcouldnownotonlycapture,butshare.

Butwhenitcametimetoturnawayfrommyblogandframemyexperiencesinbookform,anotherthinghappened.AsIwasreadingthroughthemorethan700blogpostsIhavewrittenoverthelastfiveyears,andthoughtaboutmylastfourdecadesinthiscity,Ibegantothinkabouttimeandchange.Yes,certainly,I had been changed by the city. But the city itself had both changed andremainedexactlythesame.Itis,aspeoplehavecalledit,“eternal.”Whilethingslikemorecars,moretourists,andmoreofjustabouteverything

havechangedthesleepycityIrememberfrommydayshereinthe1970s,Iamcontinuously surprised by just howmuch has remained the same. The waiterwhoservedmemyfirsttasteofcarbonaraisstillbringingmyplatetothetablewhenIheadbacktoafavoriterestaurant.Thesamechurchbellsstillwakemeatseveno’clockeachmorning.AndthesamebrightgreensmellofartichokesstillalmostbringsmetotearswhenIwalkintothemarketonarainyspringmorning.Butchangethereis,andnomoresoobviousaswhenitcomestofood.While

manyofmyfavoritehauntshaveclosed—butchers,pastamakers,andbakeries—other things have taken their place. A younger generation of Romans isopening new places that,while leaving some traditions behind, are embracingtheingredientsandspiritthatembodiesRome.I’m always a bit hesitant to declaremy love of change, especially in a city

where history is omnipresent. Sometimes I think it is my American way of

thinkingoverridinganysenseofbeingtrulyRomanthatI’vebynowacquired.Yes, I’m just as in lovewith the vine-coveredwalls, shaded restaurant tables,andoutdoormarketsasthenextperson.ButIalsoloveinnovationandthespiritbehindthenewgourmetpaniniplacearoundtheblock,thehipsterbarthatservescocktails, or the raw chocolate shop that just opened. I even love the totallyunlocal fruit salad that vendors in the market have decided to sell to touristsbecauseitshowsasenseofadaptingtowhateverthiscitybrings.Theotherday,whenIstoppedbymybutchertopickupthreeporkchopsfor

dinner,westartedtalkingaboutthechangesinourneighborhoodofMonti.Whatstartedoutasaconversationabout thevagariesofcellphones (hehates them)turnedintoafull-blowndiscussionaboutprogress.Sincehewasagainstmobilephones,Iexpectedhimtoalsostart inonthenewcocktailbardownthestreetand the fancyorganicmarketaround thecorner. Insteadhedeclared,“It reallybothers me when people start telling me how this neighborhood was betterbefore.Imean,look,whenIgrewupwewereeatingbread,water,andsugarfordinner.WhenIwent to takeabathIusedabucket.OnedayI’dwashmyleg,thennextmyarm.Peopletalkaboutthecharmofgoingshoppingforfoodeveryday,buyingjustwhatyouneedfromanopenmarket.Butyouwanttoknowthetruth?Weboughta¼literofoliveoiland300gramsofspaghettibecausethat’sallwecouldafford.Sure,Montiwasbeautifulbackthen.Butit’sstillbeautiful.It’sstillaneighborhood.It’sstillourneighborhood.Youcan’tcomplainaboutchange, you have to embrace it and go forward. Going forward? It’s alwaysbetterthangoingbackward.Everytime.”Somyblogandthisbookareworksinprogress.It’saboutmyRome,howI

came to love it, and how I now share it with others. True, Rome is alwayschanging, but it’s been changing for about two thousand years. And it’s stillhere.And,luckily,soamI.

index

TheindexthatappearedintheprintversionofthistitledoesnotmatchthepagesinyoureBook.PleaseusethesearchfunctiononyoureReadingdevicetosearchfortermsofinterest.

Foryourreference,thetermsthatappearintheprintindexarelistedbelow.

aAcquaalDue,Florenceaffogato(coffeedrink).Seealsocaffèagretti(vegetable)

AgriculturaNuovaAlbertoPicagelateria,Romealimentari(delicatessens),curedmeatsatAlleCarrette,Romealmondmilk.Seealsocaffè

icedcoffeewith

amarishopsselling

AmaroKambusaAmericano(cocktail)

amorpolentarecipefor

anchoviespastawithbutterandsaladofbroccoloromanescoandshoppingfor

AndreadeBellispasticceria,RomeAngeliniEnoteca,RomeAngelini,Enrico

antipastiaperitivotime.Seealsococktails

barrecommendationsforcocktails,classic,forcocktails,contemporary,forevolutionofrecipes,bruschetta,forrecipes,cocktail,foronrooftopbarsrules/tipsfor

ArchitecturalDigestArmandoalPantheon,Rome

offalatAromaticus,Romeartichoke(s)

aromaofchickenliversandcimaroliallagiudealasagnamonumentstopastawithpeas,mintpestoandpreparationofrecipesusingrisottowithallaromanasalad,raw,withtipsforrestaurant-servedvignarolawith

artichokelasagna

arugulasaladasparagus,bruschettawith

b

baconbar(s).Seealsococktails

aperitivotraditionatBarnumCaféCaffèPropagandacoffeeHotelForumLocarnoMinervaRoofGardenrooftopLaTerazza

BarLocarno,RomeBarnumCafé,RomeBarLaTerazza,HotelEden,RomeBatali,Mariobavarese(pastry)bean(s)

favashoppingforsoakingsoupandtunasalad

beer,ItalianBelli(ownerofLaTradizione)Benedetto-brandpastaBeppeeisuoiFormaggi,RomeBernasconi,RomebignèdiSanGiuseppe(pastry)

bloodsausageblutwurst(bloodsausage)BoccionePasticceria,Rome

bollitomistoBonAppétitBonci,GabrieleBoni,Adaboudinnoir(bloodsausage)

BraulioRiserva

breakfastamorpolentaforciambellarecipeforpasticcerieandpisciottarecipefor

broccoliearzilla

broccoloromanescoandanchovysalad

brunch,Italianlunchv.recommendedrestaurantsfor

bruschettaasparagusricottawithfavaandpecorinowithwildasparagusandpancettawithzucchiniandpancetta

bucatiniall’amatricianaBuontalenti,Bernardoburisto(stuffedpig’sstomach)

c

cacioepepepastaCaesarAugustusHotel,Romecaffè(coffee)

affogatoAmericanocappuccinocorrettodoppioespressogranitadiiced,withalmondmilkmacchiatomacchiato,lattemarocchinomonachellarecipesforshakerato

CaffèGreco,RomeCaffèPerù,RomeCaffèPropaganda,Romecaffèshakeratodrink

recipeforLaCampana,RomeCampari(drink)

andsodaCampari,GaspareCampode’Fiorimarket,Romecannoli(pastries)capers,shoppingfor

cappuccinodrinks

carbonaraspaghettialla

carciofiallagiudea(Jewishartichokes)carciofiallaromana(braisedartichokes)

recipeforCarpano,AntonioBenedettoCasadelCremolato,Rome

Casauriaamari

cassatapastriesCastroni,Rome

cauliflowerwithbloodsausageCavallieri-brandpasta

cavatelliwithtunaandlemonCesare,RomeleCesarine(homecooks)Checchinodal1887,Rome

cheesespecialtyshopsfor

Chester(familydog)

chickenliversandartichokes

chicoryandfavapuntarellesautéed

childrendietsofminestrinaforpastaconburroandpastinaforrecipesforzabaioneand

Chirra,Rome

ciabattarollsciambella,recipefor

ciriolarollsTheClassicItalianCookbook(Hazan)ClaudioTorcègelateria,Romecocktails.Seealsobar(s)

amariAmericanobeerandwithCamparifragolinograppamartinisporcothemostardiniNegroniNegroniSbagliatoPositanoginandtonicredcurrantandgrappashoppingforSpritz

coffeebar(s).SeealsocaffèCaffèGrecoErBarettoFioccodiNeveprotocolatrecommendationsforSant’EustachiotakeoutordersfromTazzad’Oro

colombeColonna,AntonelloComeilLattegelateria,Romeconciadizucchini(fried,marinatedzucchini)

Condirisocontorni(sidedishes)

broccoloromanescoandanchovysaladas,chicoryconciadizucchinisaladsandverdureripassataas

coratelladiabbacchioconcarciofi

Corrado(familyfriend)Costanza,RomeCraigClaiborne’sFavoritesfromtheNewYorkTimes

cremolatiCristallidiZuccheroPasticceria,Rome

crostatadimarmalata

crostata(continued)ricotta,raspberryandchocolate

cucinapovera(“poorcooking”)

curedmeatsbaconbloodsausageandbruschettawithwildasparagusandcauliflowerwithbloodsausageandcharacteristicsofgreenbeanswithsaladofguancialeimportingmortadellapancettaprosciuttorecipesusingrestaurantrecommendationsforroastedradicchioand

dDagnino,RomeDallaRosa,NoriDanese(pastry)Danilo,RomeDarFilettaro,RomedellaPorta,Giacomode’Medici,CatherineDepero,Fortunatodolce(desserts)D.O.L.,Rome

pantryitemsatspecialtyshoppingat

Domenico(husband)

e

EasterEataly,RomeEatFlorenceappEatRomeappEatVeniceappElizabethMinchilliinRome(blog)

photographyinEmma(daughter)

children’sdietsandEmporiodelleSpezie,Rome

pantryitemsatspecialtyshoppingat

EnotecaCorsi,RomeErBaretto,Romeespresso.Seealsocaffè

etiquettecoffee/coffeebargelatoatmarketspastapizzastreet-eatingattrattorie

extra-virginoliveoil,shoppingfor

f

FacebookFaella-brandpastafagioliconlecotiche(beanswithporkrind)fagottinoallaricotta(pastry)Fantucci(ownerofLaTradizione)Farmers’MarketatCircoMassimo,RomeFatamorganagelateria,Rome

favaandchicoryvignarolawith

FestadelCinemaIsolaTiberinaFestadell’Unita,RomeFestade’Noantri,Trastevere,Romefestivals,Italian

neighborhoodOttobrataMonticianaoutdoordiningat

fettuccineAlfredorecipefor

fettuccineBolognese

TheFinancialTimesFioccodiNeve,RomeFlavioVelavevodetto,Rome

Florioamari

focaccia

TheFoodNetworkFood&WineIlFornoCampode’Fiori,Rome

pizzaat

fragolinococktailsFrassica,Alessandro

frittatapaninidipasta

fritti(deep-friedappetizer)frulatti(smoothies)

fruttamostardaLaFucinapizzeria,Rome

gGabrieleBonci’spizza,recipeforGarafolo-brandpastaGattaMangionapizzeria,Romegelateria(e)

AlbertoPicaClaudioTorcèComeilLatteetiquetteatFatamorganaGracchirecommended

gelatoalternativestocoffeedrinkwithetiquetteandevolutionoficecreamv.originsoftipsfor

gentrificationGiggetto,Rome

artichokemonumentatGillian(friend)Giovale,Beppe(Giuseppe)Gourmet’sDiaryofaFoodieGracchigelateria,Romegranitadicaffè(coffeedrink).Seealsocaffè

grappaevolutionoffruitsaladrecipesusingshopssellingstoragetipsfor

GrattacheccaSoraMirellastand,Rome

greenbeanswithmortadellasaladguanciale(curedmeat)

hHazan,MarcellaHomeFoodAssociation,Italy

horsemeatHosteriaL’Orso80HotelEden,RomeHotelForum,RomeHotelMinerva,Rome

i

icecreamicedcoffeewithalmondmilk.Seealsocaffè

importingoffoodInnocentiPasticceria,Rome’Ino,Eataly,Rome’Ino,Florenceinsalatadiriso(ricesalad)insalatadizampi(vealsalad)

ItalianRenaissanceItalianRustic(Minchilli)Ivo’spizzeria,Rome

jJewishGhetto,Rome

artichokedishesofJodi(sister)

JoyofCooking

k

Kapriolamari

l

lamboffalofroast

Lanificio,Romelasagna,artichokelattedimandorla.Seealsocaffèlattemacchiato.Seealsocaffèlatterie(milkstores)

leftoverslinguineallimone(withlemonandcream)liver(offal)Lotti,Rome

lunchbrunchv.bucatiniall’amatricianaforpastaalfornoforrestaurantrecommendationsfor

mMacino,VincenzoMarietta(friend)market(s)

foralcoholCampode’FioriCircoMassimoetiquetteofevolutionoflatterieminestroneingredientsandNuovoMercatoEsquilinopreparationoffoodsatrecipesforitemsfromrecommendedTestaccioTrionfalevignarolaingredientsand

marocchino(coffeedrink).SeealsocaffèMartelli-brandpastamartinisporco(cocktail)Mattatoio,Rome(slaughterhouse)measurements,recipe

Michelangelo

MinchillimeatballsMinervaRoofGarden,HotelMinerva,Rome

minestradipasta

minestrinasoupminestronesoup,recipeformonachella(coffeedrink).Seealsocaffèmonuments,Roman

eatingnear

TheMoosewoodCookbookmorcilla(bloodsausage)

MorettibeerMoriondoeGariglio,RomeAlMoro,Romemortadella(curedmeat)Moses(sculpture)themostardini(cocktail)

nNatalizi,RomeNegroni(cocktail)

SbagliatoNegroni,CountCamilloNerone,Rome

TheNewYorkerNonino,BenitoNonino,GiannolaNorcineriaViola,RomeNuovoMercatoEsquilino,Rome

o

offallambliveroxtailandpajata(veal)rabbitrecipesforrestaurantrecommendationsforinTestaccio,Rometripe

olives,shoppingforOpenColonna,Rome

orecchietteconcimedirapa

ossobucorecipefor

osteria-styledrestaurants.Seealsorestaurant(s);trattoria(e)OttobrataMonticianafestival,Rome

outdoordiningetiquetteforatfestivalsatFlavioVelavevodettoatGiggettoatIlFornoCampode’FioriatPanificioBonciatPierluigiatrestaurantsatRoscioli

oxtail

ppajata(vealoffal)paladinono(grandfather’sballs)pancetta(curedmeat)Panella,RomePanificioBonciandPizzarium,RomePanificioBonci,Rome

paniniAmericanizationofbreadsforfillingsforprosciuttoandfigrestaurantrecommendationsfortraditional

paninodifrittata,recipefor

pantryitemrecommendationsforrecipesusingstorerecommendationsfor

Paola(HomeFoodmember)Parisi,PaoloPascucci,Rome

pastaall’arrabbiataartichokelasagnawithartichokes,peas,andmintpestobucatiniall’amatricianaconburrowithbutterandanchoviescacioepepecannedcarbonaraetiquetteforfettuccineAlfredofettuccineBolognesealfornofreshv.driedfrittatadiallagriciaorecchietteportionsizesforravioli,toastedrestaurantrecommendationsforrigatoniallapajatawithsardinesandroastedtomatoesshoppingforspaghettiallacarbonaraspaghettiallevongolespaghettialpomodoroSwisschardgnuditaglioliniallimone

pasticceria(pastryshop)AndreadeBellisBoccione

BoccioneCristallidiZuccheroDagninoInnocentiLaLicataLottiNataliziPanellaRegoliSicilianaSvizzeraVanni

PasticceriaLaLicata,RomePasticceriaSicilianaSvizzera,Rome

pastina

pastriesforbreakfastcrostatadimarmalatacrostatawithricotta,raspberryandchocolatepasticcerierecommendedforrecipesfor

peaspastawithartichoke,mintpestoandvignarolawith

Perilli,Romeantipastiatlunchesatoffalat

PeronibeerPiazzadellaMadonnadeiMonti,RomePiazzaPioXI,Romepicchiapò,recipeforPierluigi,RomePiperno,Rome

lunchesatpisciotta,recipefor

pizzaappetizersforbianca(white)calzonesandCapriciosaetiquette/tipsforGabrieleBonci’srecipeforMargheritaMarinaraemortazzadipasquadepatatepizzeriarecommendationsforrecipesregionalvarietiesofaltaglio(bytheslice)toppingsfor

pizzabianca(whitepizza)paninimadewithrecipeforrecommendedpizzeriasforstreet-eatingand

Pizzariumpizzeria,RomePizzeriaLeoncino,Romepizzeria,Rome

AlleCarretteIlFornoCampode’FioriLaFucinaGattaMangionaIvo’sLeoncinoPizzarium

PizzariumLaRenellaRosciolibakeryandSforno

Plummer,BrianPompiere,Rome“poorcooking”(cucinapovera)pork,cured

baconbloodsausageandbruschettawithwildasparagusandcauliflowerwithbloodsausageandcharacteristicsofgreenbeanswithsaladofguancialeimportingmortadellapancettaprosciuttorecipesusingrestaurantrecommendationsforroastedradicchioand

portionsizesleftoversandofpasta

positanoginandtonic(cocktail)primicourse(meal)Procopecafé,ParisProcopioDeiColtelli,Francescoprosciutto(curedmeat)

andfigpanino

puntarellesalad

r

rabbitvignarola

ragùravioli,toasted

rawartichokesaladrecipe(s).Seealsococktails

foramorpolentaforartichokelasagnaforartichokesalad,rawforbeanandtunasaladbreakfastforbruschettawithasparagusandricottaforbruschettawithfavaandpecorinoforbruschettawithwildasparagusandpancettaforbruschettawithzucchiniandpancettaforbucatiniall’amatricianaforcacioepepepastaforcaffèshakeratoforcarbonarapastaforcarciofiallaromanaforcauliflowerwithbloodsausageforcavatelliwithtunaandlemonforchickenliversandartichokesforciambellaforcoffeedrinksforcoratelladiabbacchioconcarciofiusingcreamandbutterforcrostatadimarmalataforfagioliconlecoticheforfavaandchicoryforfettuccineAlfredoforfrittatadipastaforfunghiporcini,Umberto’sforGabrieleBonci’spizzaforgrappafruitsaladforgreenbeanswithmortadellasalad

forgreenbeanswithmortadellasaladforicedcoffeewithalmondmilkinsalatadirisousingleftoversmarketitemmeasurementsusedinforMinchillimeatballsforminestronesoupfororecchietteconcimedirapaforossobucoforpaninodifrittataforpastaalfornoforpastaconburroforpastawithartichokes,peas,andmintpestoforpastawithbutterandanchoviesforpastawithsardinesandroastedtomatoesforpicchiapòforpisciottaforpizzadepatateforprosciuttoandfigpaninoforricotta,raspberry,andchocolatecrostataforrisottowithartichokesforroastedradicchioandcuredporkforsaltimboccaseasonalforSwisschardgnudifortaglioliniallimoneforverdureripassataforvignarolaforvignarola,rabbitforzabaione

redcurrantandgrappacocktailRegoliPasticceria,RomeLaRenellapizzeria,Romerestaurant(s).Seealsobar(s);coffeebar(s);gelateria(e);pasticceria;ristorante;trattoria(e)

ArmandoalPantheonBarnumCaféBernasconiCaffèPerùLaCampanaCasadelCremolatoCesareChecchinodal1887contorniinCostanzaDaniloDarFilettaroEnotecaCorsietiquetteatfavoritefestivalsandFlavioVelavevodettoIlFornoCampode’FioriGiggettoHosteriaL’Orso80’Ino,EatalyLanificioLottiAlMoroNeroneOpenColonnaosteria-styled

osteria-styledoutdoordiningatPanificioBonciPanificioBonciandPizzariumPascuccipastaasfocusofPerilliPierluigiPipernoRistoranteNinoristorante-styledRosciolisaladetiquetteinSettimioSoraMargheritaTavernadeiForiImperialiToninoTrapizzinoTrattoriaMontitrattoria-styledTricoloretypesofVanniZiaRosetta

ribolita

ricerisottosalad

ricotta,raspberry,andchocolatecrostata

rigatoniallapajata

risottoallaMilanese

risottowithartichokesristorante.Seealsorestaurant(s);trattoria(e)

LaCampanafavoriteAlMoroPipernoPompiere

RistoranteNino,Rome

roastedradicchioandcuredporkRobin(sister)Rome,Italy.Seealsospecificcategories

aperitivotraditioninartichokes’prominenceinbreakfastsinbrunchinchildren’sdietsincuredmeatsofespresso/coffeeinetiquetteinevolutionofgentrificationingrappaconsumptioninHomeFoodassociationinJewishGhettoinlunchinmarketsofoffalasspecialtyofoutdoor-dininginpaniniinpantriesofpasta’simportanceinpasticcerieinpastriesinpizzainrooftopbarsofspecialtystoresinstreet-eatingintourism’simpactontrattorieof

Rosa(mother-in-law)

Rosa(mother-in-law)RoscioliBakery,Rome

rosettarollsRustichelli-brandpasta

s

sagrecelebrationSaintJoseph,festivalof

saladartichoke,rawarugulabeanandtunawithbroccoloromanescoandanchoviesgrappafruitgreenbeanswithmortadellaaftermealspuntarelledirisoverdev.mistodizampi

SalonedelGusto,Torino

saltimboccarecipefor

SanMarzanotomatoesSant’Eustachio,Rome

sardinespastawithroastedtomatoesandshoppingfor

seasonaleatingsecondicourse(meal)Settimio,RomesfinciediSanGiuseppe(pastry)sformatodispinaci(spinachsoufflé)Sfornopizzeria,Rome

shciacciatadoughshopping.Seealsospecificshoppingcategories

forgrappa/amariatmarketsforpantryitemsatspecialtystores

SlowFoodmovementSophie(daughter)

children’sdietsand

sopressataSoraMargherita,Rome

soupminestronezuppa

spaghettiallacarbonara

spaghettiallevongole

spaghettialpomodoro

SpaghettiOs

specialtystoresAromaticusBeppeeisuoiFormaggiD.O.L.EmporiodelleSpezieevolutionofMoriondoeGariglioNorcineriaViolarecommendedLaTradizioneVolpetti

Spritz(cocktail)Stecchiotti,Piero

streeteatingetiquetteforatfestivalsrestaurantsand

Swisschardgnudi

t

taglioliniallimonerecipefor

IlTalismanodellaFelicita(Boni)

tartarugarollsTastefair,FlorenceTavernadeiForiImperiali,RomeTazzad’Oro,RomeTestaccioMarket,RomeTestaccioneighborhood,Rome

offalintiramisùtomatoes,shoppingfor

tomatosaucestrong

Tonino,RomeTorcè,ClaudioTown&CountryLaTradizione,Rometramezzini(sandwich)Trapizzino,Rometrattoria(e).Seealsorestaurant(s)

antipastiatcacioepepeandCostanzaDarFilettaroEnotecaCorsietiquetteatevolutionofHosteriaL’Orso80MontiNeronerecipesassociatedwithrecommendedSettimioSoraMargheritaToninowinedispensersat

TrattoriaMonti,RomeTricolore,RomeTrionfaleMarket,Rometripe(offal)

tunarecipesusingshoppingforventresca

Twitter

u

UEFragolinoCrugrappaUmberto’sfunghiporcini

USDA

vVanni,Romevegetable(s)

antipastiartichokesasparagusbroccolocauliflowerchicorypeaspreservedsaladsandtipsfororderingzucchini

ventrescatunaverdure(vegetabledishes)

ripassata

vignarolarabbitrecipefor

Volpetti,ClaudioVolpetti,EmilioVolpetti,Rome

w

WorldWarI

WorldWarII

z

zabaioneZiaRosetta,Rome

zucchiniconciadi(fried,marinated)fritti(fried)ripieni(stuffed)romanescovarietyof

zuppa(soup)difagioli

alsobyelizabethminchilli

ItalianRustic

PrivateTuscany

VillasontheItalianLakes

RestoringaHomeinItaly

PrivateRome

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contents

acknowledgments1.thecitythatfeedsme2.asweetstarttoeveryromanday3.shoppinginthemarketsofrome4.pleasedonoteatwithintenfeetofanymonument5.notone-stopshopping6.howtoordercoffeelikearoman7.theleaningtowerofartichokes8.“mipiacelacicoria!”—theromanpassionforvegetables9.howtoeatpastalikearoman

10.stockingmypantry11.bringinghomethepancetta12.eatingthewholeanimal13.trattoriabehavior14.howtofeedaromandogandraisearomanbaby15.topaninoornottopanino?thatistheromanquestion16.cookinglikemama17.sundaylunch—thebestmealoftheweek18.rome’sperfectrestaurant(atleastforme)19.howtoeatgelatolikearoman20.learningtoloveromanpastries21.thebesttimeofday22.countinginitalian23.howtoeatpizzalikearoman

24.learningtolovegrappa25.theeternalcityindexalsobyelizabethminchilli

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