Page 385 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italy

INTRODUCING ROME AND LAZIO  383

La Dolce Vita
For those with a taste for
“the sweet life”, nuts, fruits and
versatile ricotta cheese are
often combined in mouth-
wateringly delicious sweets.
Ice cream is an art form in
Rome, where some parlours
offer over 100 flavours of
homemade gelati. Types vary
from the classic crema and
frutta to grattachecca (water
ice), from semifreddo (a half-
frozen sponge pudding, similar
Sumptuous Roman pizzas, sizzling hot from the wood-fired oven to tiramisù in consistency) to
granita (ice shavings flavoured
the first McDonald’s in Rome conservative estimate, there is with fruit syrups). Glorious gelato
in 1986 that the Slow Food one type of pasta for every day is one of the great pleasures
movement started in Piedmont of the year, many of which here, to be enjoyed at any
(see p178), but more typical have wonderfully descriptive time of the day – or night.
Roman fast food includes or poetic names, such as capelli
bruschetta (“lightly burned d’angelo (angel’s hair), or ziti ON THE MENU
bread” in Roman dialect) (bridegrooms), whose shape is
rubbed with garlic, sea salt best left to the imagination. Abbacchio alla cacciatora
and olive oil and topped with Lamb cooked with anchovies,
a selection of intense flavours. garlic, Castelli Romani wine,
There’s also authentic thin and rosemary and olive oil.
crispy pizza romana from Coda alla vaccinara Oxtail
wood-fired ovens, often braised in herbs, tomato and
served al taglio – by the slice. celery.
Fave al guanciale Young
spring broad (fava) beans
Pasta, Pasta simmered in olive oil with
Pasta is still the mainstay of the pig’s cheek and onion.
Roman meal, especially Filetti di baccalà Salt cod
spaghetti. Spaghetti alla fillets in batter – once a Jewish
carbonara, made with pancetta speciality, now a feature of
(cured bacon) or guanciale Roman cuisine.
(pig’s cheek), egg yolks and Spigola alla romana Sea bass
cheese, is a classic Roman dish, with porcini mushrooms (ceps),
as is spaghetti alle vongole, with An array of mouthwatering gelati in Roman-style.
garlic and clams. At a a Roman ice-cream parlour

Spaghetti alle vongole The Saltimbocca alla romana Veal Torta di ricotta Ricotta
classic Italian pasta is here slices are rolled with prosciutto cheese is baked in a tart with
served with a sauce made of and sage. Saltimbocca means sugar, lemon, brandy, eggs
baby clams and tomatoes. “jump in the mouth”. and cinnamon.

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