There is eating in Italy, then there is eating in Rome. They are very particular about which pasta works best with what sauce, which cheese tastes best and how the vegetables should be prepared.
So after you have finished sightseeing and a Frascati wine tour here are some delectable foodie treats for your belly and your Instagram.
Suppli
The snack of all snacks. You can typically find suppli on street food vendors, but it is accessible just about everywhere. This crumb covered fried ball of risotto is heaving with taste. A
nd which you might think it would be stodgy they are pretty light and perfectly crunchy. The middle has a treat too. Usually warm gooey mozzarella and tomato ragu. They are only a couple of Euros usually, and more than worth it.
Gelato
If you have a sweet tooth, then chances are you are going to love real gelato. There are a few flavours that are very much a classic. Stracciatella, Bacio, Panna, Pesca and Zabajone.
However, you can now experience a whole new world of gelato. There are modern fusion flavours in almost all gelato bars. You’ll likely see chocolate and tobacco, carrot cake, coffee, gorgonzola and pear, and even herbs flavours.
Porchetta
Imagine the juiciest, tender and well-spiced pork you’ve ever had in your life. With the crispest and well-salted skin. It can be served hot, cold chunks or slices in sandwiches or alone. You can get this from pretty much any deli in Rome, but if you want to try what might be known as the best, then Arriccia is where you should be heading. You may find delis in other areas that have the sign “Porchetta d’Arriccia” so you can get the good stuff right there.
Carbonara
Creamy, packed with flavour, simple and something worth arguing over. Well, in fact, carbonara is a source of debate. Some say that the dish was a post-war delight when America soldiers added bacon and eggs to pasta, others say it was for the coal miners (Carbonari). You might also hear the argument that it should only contain Parmigiano Reggiano, and others say it should be pecorino romano, some say both. And should it be guanciale, which is pork cheek, or pancetta?!
All of these questions are interesting, as they give insight into the history and culture of Rome. But really, this creamy dish is pretty much perfect whichever way you get it.
Pizza
Yes, it is a massive cliche but eating pizza in Italy is a must. But you should remember that every region has a different way to prep and top their pizza. Napoli has a crispy but slightly thicker base,
Rome is super thin and usually charred to perfection. Most places will serve pizza of some kind, and in general, you can’t go wrong.
And finally, if you are looking for a range of treats then when the menu arrives, you look for fritti. Fritti is a range of friend snacks like suppli, fried zucchini flowers, mozzarella balls and more.