When in Rome - Eat As the Romans Do
Rome is a city that is full of culture, history, glamour, and beautiful landscapes. When you visit this glorious city, you will experience sights that you and your family won't soon forget. When you holiday or city-break in Rome, you want to experience their food as well. Before leaving, tantalize your taste buds with the abundance of local foods and dishes.
Most people know about Rome's main attractions: The Vatican, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Villa Borghese are just a few of the breathtaking views and landscapes that await you.
What many people don't know is that there are many local dishes that will suit even the most discerning of tastes. One hasn't truly experienced Rome unless they have tried some of the local cuisine.
Typical starters are served first in order to tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more. Fried Stuffed Zucchini Flowers are a delectable blend of herbs and spices, ricotta cheese and Zucchini, with a light breading and pan-fried to perfection.
Fresh Italian parsley, sage, oregano and basil combine to leave your taste buds tingling. Roman Panzerotti is another starter that will quickly become a favorite. Panzerotti These fried pockets of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese will melt in your mouth.
One of the most popular starters is the Roman style fried rice balls. These are rice balls filled with ham, cheese and tomato sauce; then they are lightly coated in egg and bread crumbs.
Rome's Jewish Fried Artichokes are one of the oldest recipes, dating back to Imperial times. You'll love the taste of the leaves' nutty crunchiness and they actually look like sunflowers!
Once you've finished with the starters, you're ready for the main dishes. Bucatini Matricana is a zesty pasta dish made with tomato sauce and pancetta.
Fresh ingredients like peppers and olive oil will leave you wanting more. Roman Gnocchi is a favorite among locals and features ingredients like fresh eggs, cheese, tomato sauce and flour.
These dumplings serve as an alternative to soup or pasta. If you love pasta, you'll love Spagetti Carbonara; this is a classic dish that combines pasta with bacon and eggs. For something a bit zestier, try the Penne All'Arrabiata. The sauce is made with garlic, red chili and tomatoes, which is served over a bed of pasta and topped with fresh parsley.
Your meal does not end there however; there are still more courses to eat. Roman-style lamb is known as seconds and consists of lamb chops, garlic and anchovies.
It may seem an odd mix of ingredients, but once combined it is definitely something to get excited over. Saltimbocca Alla Romana is another second's dish you won't soon forget. This dish consists of veal cutlets sage and prosciutto.
Once you're done with seconds, you're finally ready for the sweets. With some similarities to North America's fruitcake, Pangiallo Romano is a traditional dish of dried fruits and nuts. It is typically enjoyed around the Christmas holidays. Roman Maritozzi sweet rolls made with raisins and pine seeds.
