Arrivederci Roma!

Today marks the start of my final week in Rome. I have come to love it here and in particular, have really gotten used to the Italian diet. I would like to spend my last food blog dedicated to Rome on the dishes that I have tried and loved that are so near and dear to Rome. For those of you who have never been here, these are things you'll find on multiple menus around the city, and those traditional dishes that you really won't find anywhere else, at least not done well.

Penne alla arrabiata. This pasta dish, one of the first I tried in Rome, has a little bit of a kick to it. It's like pasta with a red sauce only the sauce has a bit of chili pepper in it. I hope I can find it at home!

Suppli! If there is one thing I wish I could stuff in my pocket and bring home with me it would be suppli. You can see my entire blog post about this blessed snack, but in short, it's rice, tomato sauce, and cheese all deep fried :) 

Porchetta! While it is really native of Ariccia, a small town just outside of Rome, this pork is really worth mentioning. The pig is deboned and then cooked with spices whole. It's best on a sandwich and its so tasty its even good cold! Num num num

Carbonara. If I had to pick one dish that was a major staple of Rome this would be it. We even learned how to make it in our cooking class! It's pasta with a special sauce made of egg yokes, cheese, and panchetta (bacon). It took me the longest time to finally order it off a menu but let me tell you, don't turn up your nose until you try it!

Roman artichokes. While I am not a big fan of artichokes as a rule, it's important to note that it's a big deal in Rome, literally on every menu, and they certainly know how to do it right. Your best bet is to visit a small neighborhood trattoria, and you're sure to get the best artichokes money can buy.

Bucatini all'amatrciana. It's a mouthful to order, yes, but if you like carbonara you'll LOVE this dish. Along the same lines, the sauce is made out of tomatoes, panchetta, and cheese. Where can you go wrong? I'm also convinced that panchetta just makes anything taste so wonderful that I will probably want to add it to just about any dish when I got home.

I wanted to write this blog today more for sentimental reasons than anything else. It's nice to have one comprehensive list of all the truly Roman things I've tried...and also a comprehensive list of all the things I'm really going to miss!

Leave the Gun.....Take the Cannoli

I spent the past few days visiting Sicily, more specifically the city of Palermo. In my final trip to Southern Italy, I have truly realized just how different the are is in culture, architecture, and food. I never usually like to eat the same thing twice, to give myself the opportunity to try lots of things, but in Sicily I did have to make an exception. That food worthy of an exception......the Cannoli.

Cannoli started as a Carnivale treat in Palermo and have now grown to be so popular that they are offered all year round. Many places outside of Palermo, including Rome, advertise "True Sicilian Cannoli" in effort to lure customers in with the "real deal". Cannoli have spread just like the Sicilians themselves and are now found all over the world, including in some bakeries around the USA. I must admit I've had them before at home and never found them so "to die for" that they were worth the hefty fee. Well in Sicily my friends it's a totally different story. Not only are they so good you can't pass a pastry shop by without picking one up, but they're also made here, and cheap! I found a small size one for just 70 cents and a large one with candied fruit for only 1,80! It's amazing what happens when you eat things where they originated. There are millions of recipes out there for cannoli. I can't tell you which is the best, because lets face it, the best thing to do is hop over to Sicily and try the real thing for yourself. However, I've found one here that seems fairly authentic and if nothing else teaches you to make the outer wafer parts well, so that you can fill them with whatever you please (sometimes as we all know the best way to make something you'll never replicate is to just use it to create something new yourself). Feast your eyes on my pictures below and then book your ticket to Palermo!