Introduction

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Alessandra. I am a sommelier, born and raised in Rome, Lazio. I’ve lived in the UK and in France for a few years and recently moved back to Italy. I have always had a strong passion for food and wine, and I like to travel and taste local cuisines. 

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Regional Cuisine

What are some of the iconic dishes that your region is known for?
The first dishes that come to mind are pasta Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Maritozzo con panna. But there are plenty more, maybe slightly less popular but equally iconic, like Abbacchio Scottadito, Rigatoni con la Pajata, Tripe, Beans with Pork Rind, and Crostata di Ricotta e Visciole. 

Are there unique or traditional ingredients used in the cuisine of your region that are not commonly found in other regions?
Wild chicory, Puntarelle, Pecorino Romano, Porchetta

How does the cuisine of your region change with the seasons?
As for Italian cuisine in general, the seasons always tend to influence the daily recipes. It’s a matter of the main ingredients available, but also the need for richer and heartier meals when it’s colder. Lazio cuisine is simple and based on genuine and seasonal ingredients, so it goes from recipes based on legumes and meat in the winter (beans with pork rinds, Roman-style tripe, Acquacotta, Abbacchio…) to lighter and fresher ones based on fish and shellfish in the summer (spaghetti with clams, Tiella di Gaeta, fried cod…).

For someone visiting your region for the first time, what dishes or food experiences would you recommend they try?
Clearly, you need to taste the staples of Roman cuisine, the various pasta Carbonara, Amatriciana, Gricia and Cacio e Pepe. Also, Lazio is a region full of food festivals (Sagre) that are not to be missed. Most of them take place in the summer, but there are also some very interesting ones in the spring and fall. Anyone visiting the region should not miss the opportunity to try local products and cuisine, among the locals, at one of these festivals.

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Daily Life and Eating Habits

Can you share what you eat on a typical day?
Breakfast is coffee and something sweet, a slice of homemade cake, a croissant, or simply a slice of bread with honey or jam. Lunch is normally pasta or risotto, possibly with vegetables, followed by salad. I don’t have time often for a formal seated aperitivo, but if I can I love to have some olives and spritz or a non alcoholic aperitif while cooking dinner. Dinner changes daily. I don’t eat much meat, so it normally is fish, eggs, veggie substitutes, and occasionally homemade pizza. 

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Family and Traditions

Can you share any fond memories or traditions related to food from your childhood or growing up?
When I was little, I often spent the summer at my grandparents’ village in the countryside and at the end of the summer it was tradition to prepare tomato puree (passata) for the whole year. Those moments are burned into my memory, not only because the taste of that puree was so sweet and unforgettable but because the whole family would gather for the occasion and work together. It was really fun!

What does Pranzo della Domenica(Sunday lunch) look like in your home?
What dishes are typically served?
Sunday lunch for me is a classic family lunch, with grandparents and uncles when I was little, and with brothers and nephews now. It starts around 1pm and finishes around 2.30-3pm (depending on the number of guests). They are moments of confusion, chatting, and sharing. We eat lasagna or roast chicken or lamb. We open a few bottles of wine and finish with a slice of tart or a nice portion of tiramisu. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t happen every Sunday (unfortunately) but when work and distances allow it, it’s a moment to cherish for the rest of the week.

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Festive Meals

What dishes or desserts are eaten during Christmas time in your region?
Deep fried vegetables and cod fillets, and generally fish and seafood for Christmas Eve. Stracciatella soup, Cannelloni, lasagna, pigeon, lamb, Puntarelle salad on Christmas day. The typical sweets of the holiday season are Pangiallo, Tozzetti, Panpepato, and almond crunch (Croccante).

We’d love to know all about your Christmas Day traditions—what does the meal include, and how is the day celebrated?
Christmas is a family day. It starts slowly (because you are always tired after Christmas Eve dinner) and there is always a lot to do to prepare the meal and the table. Some go to church, others work in the kitchen. There is a lot of chatting (and sometimes arguing) and a lot of eating. Usually, it starts with some light appetizers to nibble on while waiting for everyone to arrive, then you eat tortellini, followed by roast chicken or pork with potatoes. At a certain point, the children get bored and leave the table to return only when it is time for dessert, for a slice of Panettone and Pandoro. Once the table is cleared, the fun begins (for those who are not too tired!), with bingo and card games (Seven and a Half, Merchant at the Fair…).

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A Recipe to Remember

If possible, could you share a recipe with us?

Puntarelle alla romana (Roman-style Puntarelle salad)

Puntarelle alla Romana is a typical dish of Lazio, part of the food tradition in the winter period. Personally, I love them, and having lived abroad for a long time, they were one of the dishes I always craved during my visits for the Christmas holidays.

Puntarelle are the sprouts found in the center of the Catalogna chicory. They are crunchy and have a slightly bitter taste. The Roman-style Puntarelle salad is a super simple dish. It has a bit of bitter aftertaste and a pungent kick coming from the dressing. 

The biggest difficulty is cleaning the puntarelle, but in season, they are now available in packages already cleaned. Before preparing them, a little trick is to leave them to soak for an hour in cold water to curl them. The dressing consists of an emulsion of anchovies, garlic, oil and vinegar, salt, and pepper. The important thing is to crush both the garlic and the anchovies to create a well-mixed dressing.

For 2 people:

400 grams of puntarelle

2 anchovy fillets

5 grams of vinegar

15 grams of oil

a small clove of garlic