Top 10 BEST Roman dishes and traditional plates

1. Pasta Carbonara. Her majesty the pasta Carbonara is one of the most famous pasta in the world. Unfortunately chefs in many countries add weird ingredients such as white cream, ham and sometimes peas. We don’t have an original recipe but the ingredients are quite clear, they are  only 3: egg, guanciale and pecorino cheese. The pasta Carbonara is not an ancient plate and the origin is not really 100% Italian. In fact it was made during the second world War with the ingredients that American soldiers brought: egg, bacon and cheese but the Romans gave an Italian touch adding guanciale and pecorino cheese. Someone uses long pasta, very famous is the spaghetti Carbonara but our beloved Carbonara in Rome is with rigatoni, in which you can taste the creamy sauce made only with egg-yolk. 

2. Porchetta. The panino with porchetta is a classic street food you can buy from the paninari, the truck-seller always present at concerts and events. The roasted pork is mixed with many herbs and then roasted for many hours. The most famous porchetta is from Ariccia, one of the 16 villages of the Roman castles. During the month of September Ariccia organises also the Porchetta Festival. 

3. Jewish style fried artichoke. The artichoke is a typical Roman product. In April the Artichoke festival takes place in Ladispoli, a village 30 minutes from Rome. You can have it “alla romana” (filled with mint, parsley and garlic) or fried. The fried artichoke is a speciality from the Jewish ghetto in Rome, one of the few authentic Roman districts left. 

4. Tonnarello Cacio e Pepe. Only pecorino cheese and pepper which are mixed in a creamy sauce. Better if you have home-made fresh long pasta. Ideal are the tonnarelli. 

5. Bucatini all’amatriciana. Another first course with pecorino cheese on top. In this case we have also tomato sauce and guanciale, the crispy pork cheek. The name Amatriciana is coming from Amatrice, a little village on the mountain near Rieti. Unfortunately the village was strongly damaged during the earthquake in 2016.

6. Saltimbocca alla romana. If you mix veal escalope with ham and sage you can get delicious saltimbocca. 

7. Gricia. Imagine a Carbonara without egg or an Amatriciana without the tomato sauce. The important ingredient is always the salty and strong sheep cheese. 

8. Trippa alla romana. The tripe is a traditional Roman dish as well as many other interior parts of the animals. In fact in the past the so called “quinto quarto” were given by the rich people to the poor people. The families used to eat leaver (coratella), tripe, pajata, the tail and many more. Nowadays families don’t cook them so often but the old Trattoria and osterias in Rome still have them in their menus. The tripe is very chewy and served with a delicious tomato sauce. Mandatory is to do the scarpetta, clean the tomato sauce with a piece of bread. 

9. Abbacchio. The lamb is another Roman deliciousness.  You will find the so called abbacchio  only in Rome, all the rest of Italy call it agnello. You can find it in the popular Trattorias in Trastevere, Testaccio and Garbatella.

10. Coda alla vaccinara. The tail is nowadays getting its fame again in the Roman Trattorias. Even if it is considered a poor part of the animal today the prices for a coda at the market raised. The coda is prepared with a very long cooking and served with tomato sauce. Don’t forget to do the scarpetta.