Roman Cuisine: A Deep Dive

The food in this stunning City is as eternal as its ruins and back alleys. Having lived in Rome for many years, I have always appreciated the simplicity of its key dishes. Most of them depend on pristine local ingredients, be it guanciale—pig cheek—or great Pecorino Romano cheese.

It’s also refreshing that the classics rarely change here. Monuments remain, as do the older ladies that sit in the shade they cast on hot days. In a recent trip to Rome, I had a chance to experience some great local food at the new First Musica Hotel. The hotel is part of the Pavilions Hotels & Resorts group and has a divine location on the Prati side of the Tiber River.

Prati is both a fun, low-key neighborhood and it has great views of the highlights of Rome across the River.

Rome is also an extra-fun place to experience wine pairings because the Capitol doesn’t only focus on its region’s wines: but also gives play to many other areas and their native grapes. The following questions were posed to chef Matteo Cavoli. All answers have been edited and condensed for brevity.

Liza B. Zimmerman: How would you define Roman food?

Traditional Roman cuisine is based on popular foods and its main ingredients were based poorer, simple ingredients. There is a focus on meats, fresh vegetables, and pasta, while also incorporating a lot of fried foods, as well.

L.B.Z.: Is it just a handful of classic dishes?

Basically yes, the range of Roman recipes it is not as wide as in other regions of Italy, such as Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany.

L.B.Z.: Do recipes need to be limited to a handful of pristine ingredients?

Correct, in general, it’s important to base recipes on a limited number of ingredients in order for those ingredients to shine in the final dish. It’s important to get the freshest, most flavorful ingredients.

L.B.Z.: Does Roman food need to be paired with local wines?

No

L.B.Z.: Or can it be paired with wines from various regions (particularly because Rome is an international City and the region’s wines aren’t as notable as those from many other areas)?

It can be paired with wines from all over Italy.

L.B.Z.: What would be some of your general go to wines for the Roman classic dishes (Jewish artichokes, carbonara, amatriciana etc.)?

These dishes can be paired with a beautiful Cesanese, a typical vino from Lazio or as an alternative, a Syrah.

L.B.Z.: Do dishes with tomato-based sauce need to be paired with reds?

Not necessarily, they can also be paired with a lovely white Pecorino or Ribolla Gialla.

L.B.Z.: Do roses work given the heat in Rome much of the year?

Yes, the market for rose is growing year after year. The Rosato Negroamaro from Puglia is a very popular wine right now.

L.B.Z.: What would be your ideal pairing for each of these classic dishes?

Fritti: typical fried treats (fiori, carciofi) Grechetto from Lazio or Umbria

Carbonara Cesanese del Piglio ( Lazio )

Cacio e Pepe Chardonnay from Lazio or Umbria

Saltimbocca Cesanese del Piglio ( Lazio )

Amatriciana Pinot Nero (North Central Italy)

Straccetti (beef slices with greens or mushrooms) Dolcetto Alba Piemonte

Dishes made with frattaglie Sagrantino Monte Falco ( Umbria )

L.B.Z.: How does the addition of anchovies change the wine pairing?

Dishes with anchovies need more fruity wines like Sauvignon or Gewürztraminer.

L.B.Z.: So, what is the logic behind not adding cheese, if you so desire, to a seafood dish?

Cheese can hide the flavor of the fish so we don’t add it to a seafood dish.

L.B.Z.: Same question for why you don’t cut the pasta in half if the strands are long while you are eating it?

The beautiful thing about long pasta is how to handle it while eating, which means that you can roll it up nicely around the fork and have a delicious bite, rather than cutting it up.

L.B.Z.: Is there an official maximum number of ingredients that can be in a traditional Italian dish?

For me, the maximum number of ingredients in a traditional Italian dish is four to five at the most. Italian cuisine is based on fresh ingredients so each one brings great flavor and interest to the dish.