Tasting Rome: Fresh Flavors and Forgotten Recipes from an Ancient City by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill

Author:Katie Parla and Kristina Gill [Parla, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Published: 2016-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

1 cup coarsely torn soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Leaves from 2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 salted anchovy, cleaned and filleted, then chopped

1 tablespoon capers, chopped

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the bread and vinegar and set aside until the vinegar has been fully absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, anchovy, and capers. Add olive oil slowly, stirring well to incorporate.

Serve also with Polpette di Bollito or Insalata di Nervetti.

FRINGE FOODS

ROMANS are borderline addicted to their city’s classic dishes. But that doesn’t mean they have the same voracity for all of them as they used to. Chalk it up to an evolving food culture, changing palates, and new hygiene laws, but a huge range of foods and ingredients that were once central to the Roman diet have faded to the fringes.

Take eels from the Tiber, for example. Romans consumed fresh catch from their river for thousands of years, but plummeting demand and concerns over pollution have destroyed the local fishing industry. Brothers Cesare and Alfredo Bergamini are the last eel fishermen left. Laws prohibit them from selling live eels, so their catch ends up in Naples, where enforcement of such laws is looser.

In 1992, selling pig’s blood, an important by-product of the winter slaughter season, was banned, ending a centuries-old tradition. Perishable innards and blood were the first parts to be consumed after an animal was killed; these items formed the basis of great feasts. Pig’s blood was even used in desserts, imparting a distinct flavor and texture.

In the wake of mad cow disease, veal brains and pajata (intestines) were banned in 2001. The cooked intestines of milk-fed veal were a beloved delicacy to some Romans, so a small black market emerged. A few restaurants and butchers sold pajata illegally, while others respected the legislation and used lamb intestines as a substitute. The ban on veal pajata was finally lifted in 2015, returning veal intestines to those who crave the flavors and textures most diners have banished to the fringe.

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