L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano Leaving the Norcineria, and exiting from Campo dei Fiori, make your way to a place which has become very f a m o u s o v e r t h e y e a r s . Antico Forno Roscioli has a well-beaten path to their front door and they are usually included in every food guide that is written on Rome. The word "forno" (oven) is a bakery, and in Rome you will see it written in large yellow letters above m a n y b a k e r i e s s o i t shouldn't be hard to miss. Antico Forno Roscioli is a dangerous place to visit, and I say that because stepping inside is really a feast for the eyes. While it is hard to look past the biscotti, pastries and various types of bread b e i n g s o l d h e r e , t h i s i s where I usually bring people to taste a favorite Italian street food. This is where you should taste authentic Roman-style pizza, which is bought by the slice. You can choose a few different t o p p i n g s b u t y o u s h o u l d really make sure you try a simple, classic margherita… or simpler still, the pizza rossa which is a Roman food staple! Once you've chosen what you would like to eat, and the amount you want (you will pay by weight), you are given a receipt. Take this to the cash register, pay, and then return to collect your tray of pizza. Take it outside and eat it standing, leaning against one of the benches or on one of two wooden delivery boxes that are attached to two bikes by the entrance. You should also really get some pizza bianca to taste, too. Don't make the mistake of calling it focaccia though. Pizza bianca is the Roman ver- sion, I suppose you could say, but it is not as high and is much crunchier than its Tuscan cousin, which is the higher, softer focaccia bread. P i z z a b i a n c a i s a d d i c t i v e though, and if you prefer a savory breakfast, try it hot f r o m t h e o v e n a n d f i l l e d with freshly sliced mortadel- l a ! T h i s i s a t r a d i t i o n a l Roman savory street food breakfast option, although obviously it can be eaten at any time of the day. After the bakery you will f i n d , n e a r b y , t h e J e w i s h quarter which is known as the Jewish Ghetto. Any of t h e r e s t a u r a n t s h e r e w i l l h a p p i l y l e t y o u e a t t h e f a m o u s a r t i c h o k e s t h a t Roman cuisine is known for. Order them both ways, the fried version from the tradi- tional Jewish kitchen (alla G i u d i a ) a n d t h e s t e a m e d R o m a n v e r s i o n ( a l l a Romana). You can sit down a n d o r d e r j u s t a p l a t e o f these at most of the restau- r a n t s h e r e , a n d I s u g g e s t pairing them with a glass of prosecco! (Why not – I'm sure it's lunch time by now). Leaving the Jewish neigh- borhood, head towards the Tiber River, il Tevere, and cross Rome's oldest bridge ( 6 2 b . c ) , P o n t e F a b r i c i o , o n t o t h e T i b e r I s l a n d . Cross over to the other side of the city and visit the lively n e i g h b o r h o o d o f Trastevere. Now would definitely be time for a gela- to, and my advice would be to seek out OTALEG, where y o u w i l l f i n d a u t h e n t i c homemade gelato with all the traditional favorites but also some very original fla- vors, like gorgonzola and caramelized figs. Flavors are seasonal though, so you will find different ones on offer e a c h w e e k . E a t i t a s y o u wander into the main piaz- za, Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, sit around the fountain to enjoy the gelato, and watch the world walk by. There are so many more foodie stops that I could rec- ommend and it is hard to n a r r o w i t d o w n t o a f e w . Obviously, for dinner you should have pasta and obvi- ously you will choose from one of the four pillars of tra- ditional Roman pastas: real C a r b o n a r a ( h i n t : z e r o c r e a m ) , A m a t r i c i a n a , Gricia, or Cacio e Pepe, a pasta I never knew existed until I moved to Rome after l i v i n g i n T u s c a n y f o r 1 5 years. And I almost forgot - Oops… don't forget the aper- itivo before dinner! Continued from page 20 LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE Traditional salame and fresh bread: a delicious snack (Photo: Salmassara/Dreamstime) Campo de Fiori, in Rome (Photo: Kasto80/Dreamstime)

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