Celebrating the flavourful, simple cuisine of Rome
Celebrating the fresh specialties of Rome
Get ready to be transported to Rome. Two new cookbooks celebrate the food of the Eternal City — in all its sublime simplicity, seasonality and spirit of resourcefulness.
Fans of classic Roman dishes such as carbonara, pizza bianca, and supplì (rice croquettes) will find much to love in these distinct collections.
Tasting Rome (Clarkson Potter, 2016), co-authored by Americans Katie Parla and Kristina Gill, is an ode to the food of their adopted city with classic and contemporary recipes.
Whether it’s famed pizza maker Gabriele Bonci’s pizza al contrario (upside-down pizza) or chef Flavio Di Maio’s rigatoni alla carbonara, the city’s chefs are as central to the story as the food.
“Obviously there’s the deliciousness factor, but what I think is really important is connecting people to the person who makes carbonara. It’s not just a dish: it’s a series of choices that the cook makes and puts in front of you,” Parla says. Rachel Roddy’s My Kitchen in Rome (Grand Central Life & Style, 2016), is a personal collection of recipes and notes on Italian cooking from the former Londoner’s kitchen. “It’s such a celebration,” Roddy says of Roman food. “I’m awestruck by (its simplicity). It’s really straightforward — very few ingredients are brought together quite cleverly and simply. Food here is almost elemental.”
RIGATONI ALLA CARBONARA DI FLAVIO DI MAIO
Excerpted from Tasting Rome by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill Serves: 4-6 1 tsp (5 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 7 oz (200 g) guanciale, cut into approximately 1-by-½-inch (2.5-by-1.25-cm) strips Sea salt 1 lb (450 g) rigatoni 4 large eggs 1½ cups (375 mL) grated Pecorino Romano Freshly ground black pepper
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the guanciale. Cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. 2. Remove from the heat and allow the guanciale and its rendered fat to cool in the pan. If desired, remove some of the rendered fat and discard. 3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt the water. When the salt has dissolved, add the pasta and cook until al dente. 4. While the pasta is cooking, in a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, 1 cup (250 mL) of the Pecorino Romano, a pinch of pepper, and ¼ cup (60 mL) water. Add the egg mixture to the pan with the cooked guanciale. 5. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add the pasta to the pan and stir continuously over low heat, slowly heating the egg mixture, but taking care not to scramble it. When the egg begins to adhere to the pasta and to the sides of the pan, turn off the heat. 6. Plate and sprinkle each portion with some of the remaining Pecorino Romano and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. 7. Note: You want the sauce to be loose enough to thoroughly coat the pasta, but not too runny. The trick to carbonara is to apply enough heat to the egg mixture to thicken it but not enough to make the egg scramble. When cooking the egg mixture in a pan, avoid non-stick materials and select a pan that conducts heat evenly.
SPINACI IN PADELLA CON PINOLI E UVA SULTANA (SPINACH WITH PINE NUTS AND RAISINS)
Excerpted from My Kitchen in Rome by Rachel Roddy
Serves: 4-6 as a side dish or 2 as a main course
¼ cup (60 mL) raisins or golden raisins About 1 lb (450 g) leaf spinach 2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (22.5 mL) butter ¼ cup (60 mL) pine nuts Salt
1. Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes. Rinse the spinach well in 2 changes of cold water, discard any wilted or bruised leaves, and trim away any thick, woody stalks.
2. Put the spinach in a large pan with nothing but the water that clings to the leaves, cover the pan, and cook over low heat until the spinach has collapsed and is tender. This should take 4-6 minutes, depending on the freshness and age of the spinach.
3. Remove and drain the spinach in a colander. Once it is cool enough, squeeze it to eliminate any excess liquid. Peel and gently crush the garlic cloves with the back of a knife.
4. In a large frying or sauté pan, cook the garlic gently in the olive oil over medium-low heat until it is fragrant and lightly golden, then remove it.
5. Add the butter, let it foam slightly, then add the pine nuts and turn them in the oil before adding the spinach and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the leaves glisten.
6. Drain the raisins and add them to the pan, turn ingredients a couple of more times, and serve.
POLLO O CONIGLIO ALLA CACCIATORA (CHICKEN OR RABBIT, HUNTERS’ STYLE)
Excerpted from My Kitchen in Rome by Rachel Roddy Serves: 4 3¼-4½ lb (1½-2 kg) chicken or rabbit 5 tbsp. (75 mL) olive oil 2 garlic cloves 1 chili pepper or 1 tsp. (5 mL) red pepper flakes A sprig of rosemary 1 cup (250 mL) white wine, plus extra if needed Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp (15 mL) red wine vinegar A handful of pitted black olives
1. Cut the chicken or rabbit into 12 pieces (I ask my butcher to do this). In a deep sauté pan or casserole dish with a lid that’s large enough to fit the meat in a snug single layer, warm the olive oil over medium heat. 2. Add the meat pieces, skin-side down, and cook until the skin forms a golden crust, then turn them over and do the same on the other side. This will take about 20 minutes. 3. While the meat is browning, very finely chop the garlic, chili and leaves from the rosemary sprig. Once the meat has browned, sprinkle in the chopped garlic, chili, and rosemary, pour over the white wine, season with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to low. 4. Cook the meat, turning from time to time, until the thighs feel very tender when prodded with a fork and the meat is surrounded by a thick gravy. This will take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 ¼ hours, depending on the meat. If the pan seems dry, add a little more wine. In the last minutes of cooking, add the vinegar and olives, stir, and divide among warmed dishes.