Food Lover's Odyssey

Rome with a View - Five Spots for Photo Ops in Rome

Pasta all' Amatriciana - A Roman Treat

Cacio e Pepe in a Parmigiano Bowl Inspired by Roma Sparita

Fettuccine ai Funghi and Autumn in Rome

Coda alla Vaccinara - Roman Style Oxtail Stew

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Technorati Tags: best carbonara in Rome, Da Danilo, dining in Rome, where to eat in Rome

November 29, 2011

Taste of Testaccio - Food Tour with Eating Italy in Rome

During my recent trip to Rome, Kenny from Eating Italy Food Tours in Rome invited me to join him on his food tour of the Testaccio neighborhood. Testaccio, the working-class, residential neighborhood south of Trastevere, was once home to the Roman slaughterhouses and is still the culinary heart of Rome's offal cuisine. There's more to Testaccio than offal, and many eateries serve up classic Roman dishes and delicacies, and traditional Italian ones.

On our walk, which included frequent stops at both culinary and historical landmarks in the area, Kenny filled our bellies with a variety of delicious tastings, guiding us through the details of each. Like a leisurely Italian lunch, he perfectly paced his servings of information, slowly dishing out anecdotes about the neighborhood, Roman cuisine, and Testaccio's culinary history. He also gave glimpses into the life and personalities of the people who run the eateries we visited.

Kenny, our tour guide

The Testaccio Market

Cesare the butcher chopping oxtail ~ Tomatoes from the Tomato Poet Carmello

Kenny, has been in Rome for 4 years and living in Testaccio for over a year. It's obvious that he's cracked the hard shell and found a soft center in many of the rough Roman vendors at the market. We were welcomed with smiles, ciao Kennys, and two tastings.

A tennis ball-sized round of soft & creamy mozzarella di bufala awaited each of us from the salami & cheese stand of Enzo & Lina, a couple married for over 40 years. Even more amazing, they've been working side-by-side at the market for 25 years. We also enjoyed a sampling of tomatoes from Carmelo, known as the tomato poet of the market. He knows all of his tomatoes inside and out and which is best for every kind of dish. He's also been known to give recipes for many, if not all, of his 45 different types of tomatoes.

Volpetti

The high-end gourmet shop is "ottimo," both is quality and price. The Volpetti family knows this, too. After sampling some of their salumi, prosciutto, cheese, pizza and oils, it's virtually impossible not to buy all of it. They're generous with the samples, too. Our formal tasting included percorino cheese with truffles and paper-thin slices of culatello (the much prized cured meat made from the hind of the pig). And, if someone gazed a little too longingly at anything else in the store, one of the men in white coats were quick to provide a sampling of it.

Tiramisu in a chocolate cup

For a little bit of sweet in between savory bites, we tasted a mini chocolate cup of tiramisu from the pastry shop that's been on via Marmorata for 50 years. Kenny also gave an impromptu course on ordering coffee in Italy.

Classic Roman Pasta Dishes at Flavio Velavevodetto

Rigatoni alla Carbonara & all' Amatriciana

Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe

Part of the Amphorae-Made Monte Testaccio from inside Flavio Velavevodetto

We tasted three classic Roman pasta dishes at the restaurant that's on every blogger in Rome's list of Top 10. The restaurant is built into Monte Testaccio, a 35-meter high hill built up by tossed away amphorae from Roman Empire times. You can see part of the hill and shards of the broken ceramics from the dining room.

Our pasta dishes, with wine, were enough to be lunch, so we took a bit of an eating break to visit the old Rome slaughterhouse and Monte Testaccio (in the first photo collage above). Kenny explained how the name quinto quarto came about and the Vatican's Canonical calendar which determined what foods were eaten when, and to some extent is still in effect today. Meatless Fridays and gnocchi Thursdays along with other day-of-the week meals were based on this calendar.

All that food and there were still two more tastings to go!

Suppli at Pizzeria 00100

Suppli Genovese & the Chalkboard Menu at Pizzeria 00100

Trapizzini with Coda alla Vaccinara

We stopped at another much-loved by Romans food shrine, Pizzeria 00100. Our tasting included suppli (fried rice balls) flavored with the Neapolitan Genovese sauce.

After the tour and since I was already in the area, I went back over to Pizzeria 00100 for one of their famous trapizzini. It's a blend of pizza and the little tramezzini sandwiches. They have several saucy filling options or you can order one vuoto (empty). Mine was filled with coda alla vaccinara (oxtail). The pizza had a thin crispy outer crust and was light and airy inside.

Gelato at Giolitti a Testaccio -

You gotta love a food tour that ends with gelato!

Along with the tour and tastings, Kenny provided all guests with a booklet listing his favorite restaurants, and pizza, gelato & food shops throughout Rome. Another added bonus to the tour was that I met a great bunch of fellow food lovers. A few of us met later that evening for another delicious Roman dining experience.

For Roman food lovers, culinary geeks, and offal afficianados like me, Testaccio is our first stop on any trip to Rome. For other visitors, who spend the bulk of their research and time on those other trivial aspects of Rome; you know, those things like historical sights, its ruins, churches, or its art, Testaccio and its culinary delights could easily be missed. With this tour, one doesn't have to miss out nor have to do any research to get a good overview of Testaccio, and visit many of its culinary treasures. Thanks Kenny for inviting me along!

A big thank you also to new friends, Larry and Jessica, whom I met on Kenny's tour, for allowing me to use their photos. All the photos from Flavio al Velavevodetto and the one of the suppli are courtesy of Larry and Jessica.

Eating Italy Food Tours in Rome

Email: info@eatingitalyfoodtours.com
Phone (from the U.S & Canada): 800-838-3006
Phone (from Europe): 0800-411-8881

*This post is part of Wanderfood Wednesdays. Head on over there to read about food and travel from around the world.

Roman Pasta Dishes and Ten Places to Eat Them in Rome

Da Danilo - Delicious Dining in Rome

Rome with a View - Five Spots for Photo Ops in Rome

Pasta all' Amatriciana - A Roman Treat

Cacio e Pepe in a Parmigiano Bowl Inspired by Roma Sparita

Coda alla Vaccinara - Roman Style Oxtail Stew

Pasta alla Genovese and Other Classic Neapolitan Sauces at Citta del Gusto

Tasting Venice - A Food Tour with Venetian Monica Cesarato

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Technorati Tags: Culinary trip in Rome, Flavio al Valavevodetto, Food Tours in Rome, gelato in Rome, Italian pastries, Mount Testaccio, pizza al taglio, Roman Food, Roman suppli, Tasting Testaccio, Testaccio Slaughterhouse, volpetti

October 21, 2010

Potato Gnocchi for Gnocchi Giovedi

When I see gnocchi fatta in casa (home made) on a menu in Italy, it’s almost certain that I’m going to order it. Although they do freeze well, I think potato gnocchi taste best the day they are made. At many of the trattorie around Rome, Thursday’s are the day for potato gnocchi made in house , also known as Gnocchi Giovedi (Thursday). For gnocchi lovers in Rome this can be a weekly festa.

Today, being Thursday, I’m throwing my own little Gnocchi Giovedi party and have made a batch of gnocchi. These doll-sized fists or “knuckles” can be tricky to make and can easily become heavy, tough, or mushy. Too much water left in the potato, too much flour in the dough, a tough dough from overworking it, or mushy gnocchi from overcooking them are main causes of bad gnocchi. If made well, though, they are petite potato pillows that hug, in between each ridge, a little bit of sauce.

Gnocchi go well with many other sauces. In Rome, you’ll usually find them in a simple tomato sauce or a ragu. In Liguria gnocchi al pesto is most popular. In the Campania area around Sorrento, they’re served alla Sorrentina. In Italian coastal towns, I’ve seen them served with clams in a light sauce from the clam juice. They also go well with a simple brown butter and sage sauce or a heavier creamy cheese sauce.

Although any day can be a gnocchi day, I’m celebrating Gnocchi Giovedi today with a plate of gnocchi and my mom’s meat ragu.

Potato Gnocchi

(Makes about 2 pounds of gnocchi)

28 ounces (3-4) russet potatoes

About 1 1/3 cups flour, plus more for rolling out the gnocchi

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 egg

Heat the oven to 350°F

Bake the potatoes, whole and in their skin, for 60-70 minutes, until fork tender. As soon as the potatoes come out of the oven, halve them, scoop out the center, and put through a food ricer. Spread the riced potatoes in a single layer onto a working surface and let cool completely, about 25 minutes. Once the potatoes have cooled, sprinkle 1 cup of the flour and the salt over the potatoes. Gather the mixture together to form a well. Add the egg into the middle of the well, and lightly knead the mixture together just until all ingredients are combined and it forms a ball. If the gnocchi are too wet, add the rest of the flour a tablespoon at a time only until the dough comes together and doesn’t stick to your fingers easily. (This should take no more than 2-3 minutes.) It’s important not to overwork the dough, as this will make the gnocchi heavy and tough.

Divide the dough into six pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope about 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Give each piece a quick roll into a ball. Create ridges in the gnocchi by rolling them onto a fork (If you have a wooden “gnocchi board,” use this instead.) Cook them right away or freeze them. (If you’re freezing them, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place into the freezer. Once they are individually frozen, you can place them together or on top of each other in a bag or container.)

When you’re ready to cook them, bring about 8 cups of well-salted water to a boil. Gently place the gnocchi, only a few at a time, into the boiling water. It’s important to keep the water at a boiling temperature; otherwise, the gnocchi will sink to the bottom of the pan and stay there too long, absorbing too much water. As soon as the gnocchi float to the surface remove them from the pot and drain off the water. Serve with your preferred sauce. Buon Appetito!

NOTE: Traditionally the potatoes for gnocchi are boiled in water, some leave the skin on (to prevent water from getting inside), some don’t. I’ve made them all three ways and have found that their texture is the lightest when the potatoes are roasted.

Mamma’s Meat Ragu

(makes about 1 quart)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

About 1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, diced

1/2 carrot, finely diced

7 cloves of garlic, finely diced

1 can (15 oz/170 g) diced tomatoes

1 small can (6 oz/415 g) tomato paste

2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning (oregano, parsley, basil)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 cup (105 ml) red wine

1 large can (28oz/794g) crushed tomatoes

About 3 cups (625 ml) chicken stock

1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Brown the ground beef in a heavy-bottom saucepot. Remove and drain off any excess water; set aside. Heat the olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrot and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes (if you want a little spice to the sauce). Cook about 1 minute to toast. Turn the heat to high and add the red wine to deglaze, scraping any bits from the bottom. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower to just a simmer. Cook uncovered on simmer for 3-4 hours, stirring about every 30 minutes. (The heat should be set at a simmer so that the sauce bubbles only every few seconds.) Serve with pasta.

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What sauce do you prefer with your gnocchi? When in Rome, where do you go for Gnocchi Giovedi?

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Da Danilo - Delicious Dining in Rome

Pugliese Pasta and Making Pasta by Hand: A Lesson with Nonna Vata

Pasta all' Amatriciana

Cacio e Pepe Pasta in a Parmesan Bowl - Inspired by Roma Sparita

Artichoke and Spinach Ravioli in a Brown Butter Sauce

Crimini Mushroom Ravioli in a Lemon Cream Sauce

Caramel Gelato and Favorite Gelato Spots in Rome

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina - A Taste of Sorrento (Guest Post at Napoli Unplugged)

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Technorati Tags: best places for gnocchi in Rome, gnocchi thursday in Rome, potato gnocchi recipe, what to eat in Rome

September 23, 2010

The Dish from Rome: Braised Oxtail - Coda alla Vaccinara

Much of the food of Rome is based on cucina povera. Offal, the quinto quarto, is a huge part of this cuisine. The quinto, “fifth” quarter of the animal, includes the "lesser" cuts and the innards. Rich folks took the premier cuts of meat. The poor, making due with what was left, cooked the hell out of these pieces, establishing the cuisine of Rome, that still thrives today.

They caressed the flavors from these tough unwanted pieces into dishes as rich as Rome’s history, with layers of flavors running as deep as the ancient cities lying below Rome. Coda alla Vaccinara (braised oxtail) is one of these dishes. The tail is slowly cooked, tenderizing the meat, and releasing flavors from the tailbone that give the dish an intense meatiness.

One August afternoon, I chatted with the chef at Capo di Ferro in Trastevere about La Coda. I had their version, served as a rich ragu with rigatoni. I became an instant fan. Over an after-lunch limoncello, the chef told me how he makes it, emphasizing that a main ingredient is patience. The dish requires four hours to cook and a lot of stirring,” he warned. Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so a truly Roman dish should take some time.

This recipe is adapted from Capo di Ferro’s Rigatoni alla Vaccinara. It's delicious by itself, but also a great ragu for pasta.

Roman-Style Braised Oxtail

(serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections

1 tablespoon salt

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1/2 carrot, cubed

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

1/2 cup red wine

28 ounces tomatoes, peeled and chopped

About 3 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves

In a heavy-bottom saucepot, heat the olive oil. Season the oxtail pieces with salt, browning each side of the pieces. Remove; set aside. Add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan. Sweat the onions until they are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the carrots, cooking until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and garlic. Cook 3 minutes more. Add the oxtail pieces back to the pot. Deglaze with the wine over high heat, cooking about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes; bring to a boil. Continue boiling to cook off some of the tomato water. Add the beef stock just to cover the meat, then the pepper and cloves. Bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to simmer, cover with a circle of parchment paper, and cook for 4 hours (stirring occasionally).

Once the oxtail is tender, remove the pieces to a serving dish. Cover with aluminum foil; set aside. Strain the sauce, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all the juices. Skim all the fat off the top, and pour into a smaller saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, reducing by 1/4. Taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the oxtail and serve. Buon Appetito!

This post has been entered into the GranTourismo HomeAway Holiday Rentals Travel Blogging Competition.

Food in Rome: Taste of Testaccio is Offal

Pizza al Taglio at Bonci's Pizzarium in Rome

Pasta all' Amatriciana

Cacio e Pepe in a Parmigiano Bowl - Inspired by Roma Sparita

Fettuccine ai Funghi - Fettuccine with Mushrooms and Autumn in Rome

Caramel Gelato and Five Favorite Gelaterie in Rome

Rome with a View - Five Favorite Spots for Photo Ops in Rome

Technorati Tags: best restaurants in Rome, cucina povera, Grantourismo competition, offal dishes, Roman cuisine, Roman style braised oxtail, The dish in Rome Italy

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August 31, 2010

Pasta all' Amatriciana - A Roman Treat

Amatriciana sauce has five ingredients, not including salt and pepper. To make a good sauce, it’s all about the quality of these 5 ingredients. However, now I find myself back in the States trying to recreate my favorite Roman pasta with un-Roman ingredients. Even before I leave to buy the ingredients, I start my rant about the quality of products in the US vs. Italy. This happens every time I return from Italy. I start on the stores and their "sub par" products. The farmers' markets have good tomatoes, not quite as sweet as San Marzano, but I can manage. I live in a small suburb outside of San Francisco, so I have to drive a good 40 minutes to Berkeley, San Francisco, or the Napa Valley to find a good cheese shop and butcher, for the guanciale (cured pork jowl). After a long morning shopping, I return grumbling about how in every small town in Italy there is a butcher, salumeria, cheese shop, market etc. and here, “One has to drive over half an hour and sometimes to more than one town to get a measly five quasi-quality ingredients!” My tirade ends with, “I can’t live in this country, Ufff!” (Friends and family have come to ignore my "I miss Italy" rants.)

This is exactly what happened the day I decided to make amatriciana sauce. I returned in a huff after my 4-hour shopping spree. I snagged ingredients out of the bags. I sliced, chopped, grated, prepped and grumbled the entire time. Twenty minutes later, the dish was ready. After one, maybe two, bites I was no longer in the US. I was dining al fresco, on a white-clothed table with its legs wobbling on the ancient cobble-stoned street. I forgot all about my previous grumblings and devoured my pasta.

Like I said, it’s all about the ingredients, and with a little effort, I guess (grumble grumble) you can find them here in the US. What really makes this dish is the guanciale. Guanciale is cured pork jowl. You cannot substitute it, and it can’t be smoked—only cured. Some people, not Romans, use pancetta as a substitute, but the guanciale is sweeter, fatter, and has a more delicate and less salty taste than pancetta (cured pork belly). It melts as you heat it in the pan, and the rendered fat transports the jowl's unique flavor throughout the dish. Touching each piece of pasta and spoonful of sauce with it's sweet and salty magic. Substituting it, changes the dish altogether, and should be considered a mortal sin.

The sweetness of the tomatoes is also important. Because we are at the peak of tomato season, the tomatoes were sweet and flavorful. I would use canned, peeled tomatoes out of season. San Marzano are the best, and outrageously priced here. (Oh, am I still grumbling?) Purists would never add onion, but many places in Rome do. I like the flavor it adds to the dish, so I've added it here in this recipe.

A note on finding guanciale: I found mine at the Fatted Calf Charcuterie in Napa, James from Wandering Italy also recommends Dave the Butcher at Avedano’s in San Francisco. Michael Ruhlman recently posted, Artisan Butchers, on his blog and added a list of "artisan" butchers to the post from readers' comments (for those of you outside the Northern California area).

I hope you try making it at home, and take yourself straight to Rome. It also might make your return from Rome easier to tolerate.

Pasta all’ Amatriciana

(Makes 4 servings)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces (225 g) Guanciale (cured pork jowl – do not use smoked)

1/2 medium-sized onion, diced

About 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Half of a chili pepper, finely diced or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup white wine

24 ounces peeled tomatoes, chopped or hand-crushed

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 pound dried pasta (bucatini, spaghetti, penne, rigatoni)

Bring about 6 cups of well-salted water to a boil.

Add the olive oil and guanciale. Cook on medium heat about 5 minutes, until the fat starts to melt and the meat becomes translucent. Remove the guanciale and drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onions and salt. Sweat the onions until they are translucent, about 3 minutes, adding the chili pepper and freshly ground black pepper one minute before they are done. Add the white wine, and deglaze on high heat until the alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, then simmer on low until you have a pretty thick sauce, about 10 minutes. (If the sauce gets too thick, add a few tablespoons of the pasta water to loosen it.) Add the guanciale and heat through. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

While the sauce is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes for dry pasta. Drain the pasta (saving the pasta water in case you need it to loosen the sauce) and add the pasta to the sauce. Toss the sauce and the pasta together for 1 to 2 minutes over the heat. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Add more cheese to garnish. Buon Appetito!

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Crimini Mushroom Ravioli with Lemon Cream Sauce

Slow-Cooked Meat Ragu to Honor Mom

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Technorati Tags: guanciale, italian food, italy, pasta all amatriciana, pasta recipes, roman pasta, rome

August 24, 2010

Cacio e Pepe Inspired by Roma Sparita

I just returned from five weeks of eating my way through Italy….again. My last stop was Rome, one of my favorite food cities. I planned every pasta, secondo, snack and gelato I’d eat before my train pulled into Rome’s Termini station.

Wherever I’m eating in Italy, but especially Rome, I’m the eager diner with 21 questions about how the dish is made, ingredients, temperatures, etc. When the place is less crowded and a family-run business, they love my enthusiasm for the food and answer all questions with a smile. When it’s crowded, well, the waiters blow by my table before I can say, “scusi.” My mission this trip: Eat enough and ask loads of questions, so I could recreate my favorite Roman pasta dishes. After many questions and great conversations, I was ready to get cooking.

Not only that, when I got home, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation’s was in Rome. While many of you were watching the fight scene and trying to read along with the subtitles (you know who you are), I had my eyes firmly fixed on the happenings in the kitchen.

Cacio e Pepe (Cheese and Pepper) is a classic dish. It’s the simplest Roman pasta to make – you need pasta water, Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly ground pepper, and maybe a little butter. When in Rome, you should try it, at least once. Ask any Roman where to go for some of the best Cacio e Pepe, and they’ll tell you Roma Sparita. To make things even better, we had a back-kitchen pass to see the chef make it on No Reservations Rome.

The recipe below is inspired by Roma Sparita’s version of Cacio e Pepe, right down to serving it in the Parmigiano bowl. Purists beware - butter is in this recipe. It’s not in the classical version, but the chef at Roma Sparita put it in. (He added it before the pepper.) I’m sure the butter helps to more easily create the creaminess of the cheese “sauce,” not really a sauce but a cheesy coating. The quantities below are based on what I saw (a handful here, a ladle there); the results - a silky, salty and cheesey coating on each strand of pasta. With each forkful, the flecks of pepper cling to the cheese and add some heat.

This week, and maybe much of next, is dedicated to Rome. The blog won’t be in black and white (maybe I’ll pay a short homage to Bourdain and Fellini), and you won’t hear me talk about any angst, alienation, or existential B.S. Here, on the blog, instead I'll be celebrating all that I love about the Eternal City - recreating what I ate, and dishing about some of my favorite finds (food and otherwise).

Cacio e Pepe alla Roma Sparita

(Serves 2 people)

Half pound spaghetti

About 6 cups well-salted boiling water

For the “sauce”:

About 1 1/2 cups (2 large ladles) boiling pasta water

1 tablespoon freshly, coarsely grated pepper, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons butter

1 3/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

For the Parmesan bowl:

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Regiano cheese

To make the Parmesan bowl, spread a very thin layer of the cheese onto a slightly warmed non-stick pan in the form of a circle, about six inches in diameter. (The cheese should slowly start to melt when you place it into the pan.) Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Using a spatula, slide the cheese circle out of the pan and onto a turned over bowl. (To create a pretty bowl like that at Roma Sparita, it’s best to use a mold/bowl that’s not higher than 2 inches, letting the excess fan out with creases at the edges.) Use tongs to press the cheese, only while it’s hot, down or out, as you like. Cool while you make the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to the directions for that brand. When the pasta is not quite cooked, about 3 minutes before you would normally take it out of the water, add the boiling pasta water, the butter and the pepper to a hot saute pan. Add the drained pasta to the pan and toss through the water mixture until the pasta absorbs almost all of the water. Remove from the heat, and add the grated cheese to the pasta. Quickly stir the cheese into the pasta. Place into the Parmesan cup and garnish with more grated cheese and freshly grated pepper, to taste. Buon Appetito!

Food in Rome: Taste of Testaccio is Offal

Caramel Gelato and Favorite Gelaterie in Rome

Pugliese Pasta and Making Pasta by Hand: A Lesson with Nonna Vata

Pasta all' Amatriciana

Potato Gnocchi for Gnocchi Giovedi in Rome

Artichoke and Spinach Ravioli in Brown Butter Sauce

Rome with a View - Five Favorite Spots for Photo Ops in Rome

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Technorati Tags: cacio e pepe, Italian food, Roma Sparita, roman pasta

January 27, 2010

Food in Rome - Taste of Testaccio is Offal

Testaccio, the pungent, blue-collar neighborhood, is in the heart of Rome and the birthplace of the rugged Roman Cuisine known as the quinto quarto (fifth quarter). From 1890-1975 Testaccio was home to the slaughterhouses of Rome. Here the meat was taken apart in quarters. Distribution went like this: Prime quarter went to nobility, second quarter to the clergy, third quarter to the bourgeoisie, fourth to soldiers. The “fifth quarter” of offal makes up about one-forth of the carcass’s weight. These rejected nasty bits of heads, tails, hearts, lungs, glands, intestines, feet, and esophagus went to the average Giuseppe of Rome. Slaughterhouse workers also took parts of the quinto quarto home as part of their pay. The name quinto quarto was born along with an entire cuisine around offal.

After 1975, the scent of blood left with the slaughterhouse closures, and the neighborhood started changing. Nightclubs and discotheques moved into the buildings vacated by the slaughterhouses. Testaccio now has laborers, young families, and the upwardly mobile mingling together. The old restaurants are still there and still serving quinto quarto specialties.

I'm not in the Andrew Zimmern or Anthony Bourdain category when it comes to adventurous eating, but I did try the pajata, animelle, trippa and coda. I am now a firm believer that all stews and ragu should be made with coda. I chickened out when it came time to bite into milza (maybe the next trip). I found that venturing even a little out of your eating comfort zone not only opens your mind and palate, but it also brings strange stares or welcoming smiles to the waiters' faces. They're just not used to hearing these dishes ordered from a pale-skinned redhead in obviously foreing- accented Italian.

Here’s a bit of menu translation to help you navigate your way through the quinto quarto menu:

Zampi or zampetti - feet

La pajata – intestines from a suckling lamb (either stewed in tomato sauce and served with rigatoni or grilled

Testarelle – head (usually roasted)

Trippa – stomach (usally stewed in tomato sauce)

Coratella – heart, lung, esophagus (sautéed with the purple globe artichokes of Rome---because those artichokes make everything good)

Coda – tail (makes a dense and meaty stew or pasta sauce)

Animelle – Sweatbreads (usually grilled)

Milza – spleen (usually grilled or stewed)

Cervello – brain

Fegato – liver

Zinna - cow teets

Tripe in a Tomato Sauce

While you can find the traditional offal dishes of Rome throughout the city, the eateries in Testaccio specialize in traditional quinto quarto cuisine.

Checchino Dal 1887 (via di Monte Testaccio 30) Still in its original location in Mt. Testaccio. Mr. "Checchino" opened while they were building the slaughterhouses. He was very sly and got a license to cook food just in time for the hungry workers’ arrival. He cooked the food they were used to eating. This third-generation restaurant still serves up some of the best offal in Rome and has an exquisite wine cellar and sommeliers to perfectly pair wine with your offal choice.

Agustarello a Testaccio (via Giovanni Branca 98) Another traditional Testaccio trattoria, it's decades old and filled with locals, and specializes in Roman offal cuisine.

Da Bucatino and Felice a Testaccio, which I've mentioned for their pasta dishes, also have tasty offal choices on their menus.

Coda alla Vaccinara

(Next topic on the Food in Rome will be on the sweeter side. Gelaterie of Rome and a recipe)

Pasta all' Amatriciana - A Roman Treat

Cacio e Pepe in a Parmigiano Bowl - Inspired by Roma Sparita

Artichoke and Spinach Ravioli in a Brown Butter Sauce

Coda alla Vaccinara - Roman Style Oxtail Stew