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Italian cuisine
Rome and its
region Latium
a concise guide
for diners & travelers
Cooking style of
Rome and Latium
The region of Latium is the home of Rome, where you'll find many restaurants offering sophisticated fare. However, the
native cooking style in the average home in the Latium region is direct and unpretentious.
Famous specialties
of Rome and Latium
 Abbacchio al Forno - Rosemary scented roast
suckling lamb that is particularly popular at Easter.
Cannelloni - A flat sheet of cooked pasta
spread with meat, cheese, or another filling, then rolled into a tube, topped with a sauce, and baked.
Carciofi alla Guidea - Literally, Artichokes
Jewish Style. The vegetable is deep fried and flattened out to resemble flowers.
Fettuccini al Burro - Also known as
Fettuccine Alfredo or alla Romana. Flat ribbon shaped pasta is tossed, generally, with cream, butter and
cheese, then given a good sprinkling of freshly ground peppercorns.
Gnocchi alla
Romana - Poached then baked
cork shaped dumplings made with semolina and/or potato flour. Top them with tomato meat sauce and grated cheese.
Pinzimonio - A simple but popular appetizer
consisting of a celery stick dipped in olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
Porchetta alla Romana - Suckling pig pieces
sauteed in olive oil and seasoned with white wine, garlic and herbs. (Romans and their surrounding neighbors also
love spit roasting the baby pig whole.)
Saltimbocca - Literally, Jumps into the Mouth.
Consists of thin Prosciutto and veal slices (the first laid upon the second) sauteed in butter and accented
with sage and white wine.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara - One standard
recipe calls for the pasta being tossed simply with a sauce comprising pancetta (a salted but unsmoked form of
bacon) and raw egg yolks. Other equally popular versions add ingredients such as cream, butter and cheese.
Spaghetti all' Amatriciana - Pasta topped with a
sauce incorporating bacon, pepper, onions, and sometimes tomatoes, among other ingredients.
Stracciatella - Rome's egg-drop
soup, consisting of a beaten egg stirred into a rich, hot chicken or beef broth and sprinkled with grated
cheese. Sometimes it is thickened with semolina.
Suppli al Telefono - Rice croquettes stuffed with
Mozzarella cheese (and, perhaps, other ingredients), then deep fried. When the balls are opened and pulled
apart, the cheese stretches out like telephone wires, hence the specialty's graphic name.
Stufatino alla Romano - A well
seasoned veal stew.
Zuppa Inglese - Literally, English
Soup, but really a rich, rum soaked, custard layered sponge cake covered with rum spiked whipped cream and candied
fruit. It is definitely Italian in origin.
Cheeses of
Latium
Important cheeses from the cook's point of view include Pecorino Romano (a ewe's milk
grating cheese) and the local versions of Cacio a Cavallo, Ricotta and Mozzarella.
Cooking ingredients of
Rome and Latium
Most of the available fruits and vegetables in the Latium region are generally outstanding, particularly the
artichokes, strawberries, watermelons, celery, peas, beans, and lettuce. Rosemary, mint and cloves are among
the most widely used herbs and spices.
Beverages of
Rome and
Latium
Wines are refreshing, but undistinguished and include the white Castelli Romani and the slightly better
Frascati. The Est! Est! Est! wine is amusing to discuss but not to drink. Espresso
houses abound in Rome and are enjoyed for their casual ambience.
Best city for gourmets
Rome is the top all around food city in Latium. Criteria include cooking, food markets, cooking
ingredients, cooking schools,
beverages, dining and restaurants.
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