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Rome – Page 2 – GT Food & Travel
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GT Food & Travel

Tag: Rome

  • 10 Most Memorable Meals, 2011

    10 Most Memorable Meals, 2011

    When food historian, blogger and travel writer, Katie Parla asked me what my “best bite in Rome” was in 2011, it got me thinking about the many amazing dishes I’ve eaten over the past year. Eating is an emotional experience, it’s not only about the blissful food but the friends and family who sit at the table with me and the memories created.

    Here’s my list of the 10 most memorable meals that I enjoyed outside of home cooked delicacies (that’s an entire list in itself!). All are separate but equal. Enjoy and warm wishes for a New Year filled with good food, drink and lots of love!

    Antica Marina Osteria
    via Pardo, 29, zona Pescheria, Catania-Sicily
    Tel. +39 095 348197

    Seafood antipasti and tagliolini ai ricci di mare (pasta with sea urchin sauce).

    Trattoria da Salvo
    Piazza Kalsa, Palermo-Sicily
    +39 3343351329

    Grilled fish platter

    Glass Hostaria
    Vicolo del Cinque, 58, Rome
    tel: +39 0658335903

    Ravioli filled with liquid 60-month aged parmesan topped with white truffle shavings.

    Il Ristorante della Locanda Gulfi
    C. da Patria – 97012 Chiaramonte Gulfi, Ragusa-Sicily
    Tel. +39 0932928081

    Squid stuffed with ground pistacchio nuts from Bronte and breadcrumbs.

    I Porchettoni in Pigneto
    Via del Pignetto 68 – Rome
    +39 3888723723

    See blog and photos by Katie Parla.  My favorite dishes are the porchetta and the super creamy burrata cheese.

    Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo
    Via dei Tribunali, 32, Naples
    tel. +39 081446643

    Pizza topped with mozzarella cheese, tomato, fresh basil and anchovies.

    Da Benito
    Via dei Falegnami, 14, Rome

    Picchiapò a typical poor-man’s dish (beef boiled over a low flame for 3 – 4 hours with onions, carrots, celery and peeled tomatoes) and cicoria ripassata (chicory sauteed with olive oil, garlic and hot red pepper).

    Momofuku Noodle Bar
    171 1st Avenue, NY, NY

    Smoked brisket with Korean rice cakes, Tuscan kale and fried egg.

    Riverpark
    450 E 29th St. NY, NY 
    tel. +1 212.729.9790

    Sweet potato ravioli with blood oranges, hazelnuts and tarragon.

    Anna’s Taqueria
    Davis Square, 236A Elm Street
    Somerville, MA
    +1 617-666-3900

    Pulled pork burrito with all the fixings.

     

     

     

     

     

     


  • Antico Forno ai Serpenti – Pane Pizza Biscotti

    Antico Forno ai Serpenti – Pane Pizza Biscotti

    There’s a definite food buzz around Rione Monti punctuated by a few notable openings in the last week.I visited the newly opened “Antico Forno ai Serpenti” and had a chance to interview owner Alessandro Santomauro and talk with Sergio Conti who oversees all baking and bread making. I also spent some time in the kitchen and behind the counter getting to know the staff and sampling many fresh out of the oven goodies.  

    Below is our interview.  I hope you’ll enjoy it!

    Why did you open the forno (bakery)?

    It’s a longstanding personal passion of mine, I’m a lawyer by training and I’ll continue practicing. After deciding to open the forno, my challenge was to find a bread maker/baker who could create the high quality traditional products that I envisioned and an architect to restore the space.  Luckily, I met the Conti family who agreed to work with me in this venture.

    Can you tell me about the Conti family and their role here? 

    The Conti family are very well known and talented in the art of bread and pastry making. They own the “Antico Forno di Trastevere”.  Sergio Conti is onsite daily testing and retesting his family recipes making sure our customers receive consistent delicious baked goods while his sister, Elisabetta, supervises the counter.

    Why did you choose the name “Antico Forno ai Serpenti”?

    It is the name of the original forno which dates back to around 1860. The sign on Via Parnisperna speaks of a time past, of the old forno, so we decided to keep the name but create a interior space that is visibly different. The forno is chameleonic; you can enjoy cornetti (crossaint) for breakfast, lasagna for lunch or a quick after-work aperitivo.

    Why did you choose to design the interior in a 1930s style?

    We wanted to create something different from the common forno format that you see around Rome, to take a risk. We worked with our architect to bring the air of a French brasserie to the space. We personally chose the Carrara marble for the walls and Gialla di Sienna marble for the bench seating. The iron barstools were designed by an artisan in the neighborhood. 

    Which goods do you consider to be your signature products?

    Pizza bianca (Roman style pizza usually topped with olive oil and salt and sold by weight), pizza rossa (Roman style pizza topped with tomato sauce) and traditional breads from the region of Lazio including cioriola romana (individual size bread) and lariano (loaves made from whole wheat, a natural yeast starter, simple yeast dough, salt and water). For sweets I would say cornetti, ciambellone (bundt cake) and brutti ma buoni (ugly but good gluten free) cookies. We’ll also be making panettone this weekend for the holiday season.  

    Can you talk to me a bit more about the products and recipes?

    We are in the opening operational phase so we’re testing and retesting recipes and looking for the best local products to use when available.  For example, we use prosciutto di Bassiano and DOP ricotta romana cheese which are both from the region of Lazio.  For our bread we’re talking with Mulino Marino which is based the region of Piedmont and is known for its top quality flour.

    Can you tell me about the bottled merchandise on display?

    We wanted to offer a line of stellar jarred dips, spreads and pastes that customers could enjoy with our breads at home.  We chose Ursini as our purveyor.  Ursini’s Pestati di Bacco line was developed to be paired with wines and is extremely interesting.  They are based in Abruzzo and like us are dedicated to artisan products.

    Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

    Yes, we want to deliver an all around positive experience to our clients; high quality products, outstanding and friendly customer service and a warm atmosphere.  We are like a big family here and welcome feedback and look forward to getting to know our customers.

    You can visit Antico Forno ai Serpenti on the corner of Via Parnisperna and Via dei Serpenti, Monday – Saturday from 7:00 am to 10:00pm and Sunday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Don’t miss a warm cornetto, pizza bianca and la mela in camicia (apple wrapped in flaky pastry dough pictured above) best straight out of the oven!

  • Hostaria da Settimio – My Neighborhood Trattoria

    Hostaria da Settimio – My Neighborhood Trattoria

    Last weekend, I had lunch at one of my go-to-spots, Hostaria da Settimio in Monteverde. I stumbled upon it in November 2009.  Honest prices, homey food and a welcoming owner make for a winning recipe.  Carla, the mayor of Settimio, bops from table to table reciting the menu, taking orders and chatting with the regulars. Extremely knowledgeable and passionate about cucina romana, she enjoys discussing traditional Roman food. In fact we were waxing poetic about animelle, rigatoni con la pajata and coda alla vaccinara, three of our mutually loved dishes.

    We snuck in without a reservation.  By 1:30 the dining room was packed. Starters include carciofi alla giudia (deep friend artichoke), suppli and salumi from Norcia. First courses include Roman pastas like cacio e pepe (pasta with grated pecorino romano cheese and black pepper), amatriciana and gricia (tomato-less amatriciana).

    We ordered cacio e pepe. There is something magical about this seemingly simple dish. When done well it is velvety, peppery and deliciously sharp.  Next, pappardelle al cinghiale (fresh pasta with a tomato-wild boar sauce); originally from Tuscany, it is the odd man out on the Roman pasta menu. The sweet, nutty and intense flavor reminds me of autumn; a comforting and hearty dish.

    Second courses include polpette (meatballs), abbacchio (lamb) and saltimbocca alla Romana.

    Side dishes include cicoria ripassata (chicory sauteed with olive oil, garlic and spicy red pepper), spinach and grilled seasonal vegetables. When in season, I order a salad of puntarelle (a type of chicory) as a side dish. The bitter green stalks are tossed in a dressing of anchovies, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. If you love anchovies like me, you’ll want to mop up every last fishy drop with a hunk of bread.

    Desserts include tiramisu, crostata (a tart usually filled with jam) and fresh fruit.

    Visit Settimio for Roman pasta specialties, a lively atmosphere and honest prices. Average cost per person including a starter, pasta or main dish, a bottle of water and wine is 20 – 25 euro.

     Hostaria da Settimio
    Via di val Tellina, 29
    06.58230701
    Open Tuesday – Sunday  for lunch & dinner

     

     

  • Rome Street Food

    Rome Street Food

    Rome Street Food…

    …Has No Right to Look This Good!

    Photo essay. Read on Cond Nast Traveler website.

  • Music, Symbols and Metaphors – An Exhibit by Elena Di Cesare

    Music, Symbols and Metaphors – An Exhibit by Elena Di Cesare

    Last Thursday, I attended the opening party of an art exhibit by an Italian-Australian artist, Elena Di Cesare (aka Archibaldi) at Contesta Rock Hair in Rione Monti. Elena is a close friend and incredibly inspiring and talented artist. I have been privy to watching her pieces evolve over the past 4 years from sketches of emperors, warriors and the empress to expressive and evocative prints.

    Her basic concept, influenced by the writings of Sufi master, Hazrat Inayat Khan, is that true art is created when an artist connects with the divine through her work, achieving beauty that only can emerge when an artist forgets herself in the vision of a universal whole. Elena explains how dots/points are the source of everything created by nature and that the dot is the elemental essence of all that we want to represent and communicate, especially in the field of art.

    Many friends and fans attended the event. The most discussed pieces of the night were “Guerriero” and “Giovane Guerriero”. My personal favorites are “Guerriero” and “The Empress”. In “The Empress”, her head is tilted subtly back and her gaze is directed toward the night sky. Her body is decorated with tattoos. She is fearless; she is beauty; she is enlightened.

    The exhibit is on display at Contesta Rock Hair until the December 5.

    Contesta Rock Hair
    Via degli Zingari 9
    tel. +39 06 478237
    Open: Tuesday, Friday & Saturday from 9 – 19:30; Wednesday & Thursday from 10:00 – 22:00

     

     

     

     

  • Making Pizza with Bonci at Tricolore

    Making Pizza with Bonci at Tricolore

    I’ve been waiting months to take Gabriele Bonci’s pizza course at Tricolore. Since the rush of bloggers, foodies and groupies partook in this Roman Pizza Guru’s initial lessons back in January, many of the kinks of this 2 day, 170 euro course have been worked out. Special thanks to writers like Katie Parla for giving their feedback about the first classes.

    I attended the two-day course on May 26/27 with my friend, Kathy. I was hooked within the first 5 minutes of the lesson when Bonci said “Cibo è sociale” (food is social). It sums up the way I feel about food and cooking, an experience to be shared, enjoyed and cherished. He teaches you to think like a chef rather than follow a recipe. While a basic recipe is necessary for the dough, it is not the end all be all, there are a number of factors that must be considered including the weather, type of flour, yeast, rising time, etc…See “Elizabeth Minchilli In Rome” blog for a detailed explanation of how to make Bonci’s famous crust.

     

    We learned how to make Pizza al Taglio (pizza by the slice) from the master himself. Pizza by the slice is Roman street food at its best. We quickly learned how it can be recreated in large rectangular pans in our electric ovens at home. On the first day, we made our own dough with a recipe adapted for home use and made pizza bianca from Bonci’s dough. On the second day, we made pizza from our dough which had rested and expanded overnight. Toppings included red onions, peppers, fresh cherry tomatoes, pancetta with shaved pecorino cheese, spinach and mortadella…heavenly.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The highlight of each night for me was the creative dishes encrusted in pizza dough. On the first day, Bonci encased two chickens stuffed with peppers, lemons and herbs in pizza crust. On day two, he wrapped pork loin topped with pancetta, orange, apples and prunes in his famous dough and a mixture of rabbit with olives in a bowl shaped crust. At the end of each class we eagerly watched as he removed the steaming top to reveal the succulent dish inside. The chicken was quickly carved, plated and adorned with a lemon sauce while the pork was served with an orange prune salsa. Each was accompanied with a piece of the delectable savory crust. I can’t wait to make these at home to share with friends!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    If you’re in Rome, be sure to indulge in Bonci’s pizza and bread at his pizzeria “Pizzarium” , Rome’s most prized pizza by the slice shop.  Address: Via della Meloria, 43; telephone 06 39745416; Cipro metro stop.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Easter Egg Explosion

    Easter Egg Explosion

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Easter is right around the corner. Bakers and bread makers are churning out colombe, casatiello (easter bread made with pieces of salame, pecorino cheese and eggs) and la pastiera napoletana. Artisans work round-the-clock cranking out chocolate creations.

    Like all food, Italians take chocolate  seriously, especially at Pasqua (Easter).  Mini eggs, fish and chicken-shaped  goodies wrapped in pink, silver and gold  foil flood shop windows. Classic hollow  chocolate eggs come in every size and  contain surprise toys.  Many Italians  bring  specially selected gifts to their  choice chocolate maker to be encased in  massive chocolate eggs.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I can’t help but be mesmerized. Enjoy!

     

     

    If you find yourself  in Rome around       Easter, here’s are are two places where   you can get the good stuff:

     

     

     

    Moriondo & Gariglio

    Via del Pie’ di Marmo, 21/22  – 06 699 0856

    You know it’s Easter time when you walk by Rome’s oldest and finest chocolatier. There is a line out the door. All chocolate and Easter confections are crafted on-site.  Order your custom chocolate Easter eggs here.

    SAID

    Via Tiburtina 135 – 06.446 9204

    This antique chocolate factory was founded in 1923 in the university area of San Lorenzo. Whether you grab a seat in the café to sample some Easter treats or take a carton of hollow chocolate eggs to go, you won’t be disappointed.  The eggs coated in hazelnut and ground cocoa bits are delightful.

     

     

     

     

     


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