Another classic of Roman cuisine, penne all’arrabbiata is a pasta dish prepared with a fiery hot sauce made with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and red chili peppers. As the Italian word arrabbiata literally means angry, this meal is often mistranslated as angry pasta – the name, in fact, refers to the pasta’s intense, spicy sauce, which packs such a punch that it can easily make you red in the face.
In the absence of penne, ziti rigati or rigatoni can also be used. Even though it is traditionally enjoyed as an entrée or primo piatto, this simple, yet flavorful pasta recipe certainly holds its own as more than a mere prelude to the main course.
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MOST ICONIC Penne all'arrabbiata
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pomodori col riso is a traditional dish originating from Rome. It's made with a combination of firm tomatoes, olive oil, rice, salt, and pepper. The tomatoes are hollowed out and the contents are set aside in a bowl. They are then stuffed with a combination of leftover tomatoes, rice, salt, olive oil, and pepper.
The tops are placed back on the tomatoes, which are baked in the oven until the rice mixture turns slightly brown and the dish is ready to be served. As an alternative, cubed potatoes can be placed around the tomatoes while they're being baked.
These crunchy, deep-fried artichokes are a classic Roman side dish that originated in the oldest Jewish community in all of Europe, Rome's Jewish ghetto — hence the moniker alla Giudía. First, artichokes are trimmed and peeled down to their tender hearts, then they are marinated for a few hours in lemon water, and finally seasoned with salt and pepper before being fried in olive oil until crispy.
The best variety of artichokes for preparing this dish are Romanesco artichokes. This cultivar from the coastal region northwest of Rome is harvested between February and April, making carciofi alla Giudía a springtime staple in numerous trattorias and eateries in the city's old Jewish quarter.
MOST ICONIC Carciofi alla Giudía
View moreIn Rome, this classic dish of braised artichokes—carciofi in Italian—reigns supreme over numerous other vegetable-based antipasti. Artichokes, preferably of the large, purple-headed Romanesco globe artichoke variety, are boiled whole in an aromatic white wine bath and flavored with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and mentuccia Romana, a type of calamint that grows wild throughout the Lazio region.
These amazingly tender, juicy, and flavorful Roman-style artichokes are standard springtime fare in every Italian household, and they can also be found in restaurants across the country.
MOST ICONIC Carciofi alla Romana
View moreConcia di zucchine is a traditional dish originating from Roman Jewish cuisine. The dish is usually made with a combination of Roman zucchini (characterized by a slightly bitter flavor), olive oil, parsley, mint, garlic, and white wine vinegar.
The zucchini is thinly sliced, fried in oil until golden, and sprinkled with salt. Next, the fried slices are layered in a baking dish and topped with chopped parsley, mint, a drizzle of olive oil, sliced garlic, and a sprinkle of white wine vinegar.
The process is repeated until the dish is full, and it's then chilled overnight. Concia di zucchine is typically served as an appetizer in the summer or as an accompaniment to meat and fish dishes.
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