Homes in Rome: useful informations for your roman vacation

THE CUISINE

Roman cuisine is amongst the tastiest in Italy. The more authentic dishes are prepared with simple "poor" ingredients; pasta, tripe, entrails, dried cod "baccalà", broad beans, artichokes, brains and ox tail, however there is no shortage of rich dishes such as spring lamb, kid, roast pork and various seafood dishes. Usually lunch begins with an appetizer "antipasto": smallgoods, marinated or pickled vegetables, olives, bruschetta and shell fish. There winning force are the first courses: spaghetti alla carbonara, bucatini all'amatriciana, penne with chilli tomato sauce, gnocchi alla romana, spaghetti with garlic and oil, fettuccine with butter or tomato sauce.

Country style soups are part of traditional roman cuisine: pasta and bean soup, chick pea soup, lentil soup, as well as potato gnocchi with tomato sauce.

Main courses are meat or fish dishes: beef stew, spring lamb, oven roasted kid, chicken with capsicums, spring lamb alla cacciatora, stewed tripe with tomato and mint, ox tail "alla vaccinara", dried cod in a light sauce or fried with batter, ciriole, stewed squid with peas.

Fresh cheeses include: ricotta and mozzarella. Dessert: fresh fruit or fruit salad, gelati, sweet buns, "mostaccioli" (honey and nut biscuits), "pangiallo" (dried fruit and nut slice), "cavallucci" (almond cookies), and ricotta torte.

Amongst the wines, whites from the roman castles area stand out: Frascati, Monteporzio, Marino, Albano, Lanuvio, Genzano and Velletri. Malvasia from Grottaferrata, is particularly valuable. Amongst the reds: Cesanese d'Olevano produced in the roman castles area, Baccanale from Campagnano, Torre Ercolana, Colle Picchioni and Velletris' special reserve reds.
(Click on the red button for a restourant list)