{"id":3354,"date":"2025-03-06T13:04:26","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T13:04:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/?p=3354"},"modified":"2025-03-13T10:19:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T10:19:44","slug":"rome-ricotta-and-l-amatriciana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/rome-ricotta-and-l-amatriciana\/","title":{"rendered":"Rome, Ricotta and L ‘Amatriciana"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A year has passed already since I last visited Rome.<\/p>\n

Rome became our first home in Italy, literally and metaphorically. It still feels like home to me, and I strongly believe that the D\u00e9gustateur <\/em>feels the same way. Over the years I\u2019ve ambled, walked or rushed across so many corners of its historic centre, that now, when I return, I navigate with ease in the ever so busy heart of town.<\/p>\n

The reason for my frequent trips to Rome, after having moved to Venice, Florence and subsequently to London, was a small medical treatment I had started, and chose to continue until it\u2019s finish with the same trusted group of people. It actually turned into so much fun and grew into a strong bond over the years. I also managed to spend some time with my dear friends, eat my favourite street food: suppl\u00ec al telefono <\/em>and pizza rossa,<\/em> followed by a slice of the ricotta and visciole<\/em> tart from pasticceria Boccione<\/em> in the Ghetto (yes, this famous tart is sold per slice now, previously you had to buy a quarter or a half if it – never a problem for us).<\/p>\n

Apparently there has been an unofficial division between who goes to Forno Campo de\u2019 Fiori<\/em> or Antico Forno Roscioli<\/em>, meaning that you are either go to one or another. I\u2019ve never belonged to any of them, but I\u2019ve always shopped for pizza rossa – thin, crunchy and utterly divine – at Forno Roscioli.<\/em> If, however, I\u2019m in the mood for sitting down and resting my legs for a moment, I head to Forno Monforte<\/em> in Via del Pellegrino. There I just love having a slice of pizza rossa with olives and salty anchovies, all washed down with a glass of chilled franciacorta<\/em>, bliss. The simplest things are often the most exquisite.<\/p>\n

Breakfast in Rome I\u2019d treat as a proper affair: countless coffees here and there, la veneziana<\/em> – a yeasted bun with cream, and\/or cornetto alla crema<\/em>. Guilty pleasures that I never felt guilty about. In fact, when time allowed, I literally walked and walked around Rome for hours, and needed a good dose of energy for it. I would stroll to The Orange Trees Garden (Giardino degli Aranci<\/em>) on the Aventine Hill, to breathe a moment of calmness and inhale the delicate scent of orange trees; up to Gianicolo Hill for unparalleled views over the city; to the Basilica di San Pietro; Roman Forum – either before breakfast or in the evening, that\u2019s always been my ritual; I\u2019d walk to Ponte Milvio, Galleria Borghese and so many more places or spots of sweet memories that I hold.<\/p>\n

I would always stop in a church, a different one each time, to light a candle – a tradition that the D\u00e9gustateur <\/em>and I cherish a lot, and I would always bring back a big bag of coffee beans from Sant\u2019 Eustachio Il Caff\u00e9,<\/em> of which I\u2019ve run out of already. You can call me unreasonable or even spoilt, preferably – please don\u2019t judge me, but I would travel to Rome just to stock up on my coffee bean supply.<\/p>\n

I can sincerely confess: there are days when I miss Rome acutely\u2026<\/p>\n

Pasta with Ricotta and Cinnamon<\/p>\n

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But there is one thing that I haven’t been very lucky with, the weather. Apart from the June heat most of my stays were covered by a blanket of an angry dark sky. If I didn\u2019t get a deluge then the days were mostly grey and humid, with frequent intervals of a drizzle or rain, yet again. I really mean it, so so unlucky. Well, gloomy weather lends itself so greatly to long lunches, which is what I did occasionally, as there was nothing else to do or a place to dry my clothes. On these occasions, to brighten my mood and soul, I decided to treat myself to something special and sit down properly, taking my time to savour every moment. I have a particularly fond memory of walking in late to Pierluigi<\/em> at Piazza de\u2019 Ricci.<\/em> Crunchy curly puntarelle<\/em> tossed in an anchovy dressing were a must, followed by a Roman minestra di broccoli e arzilla <\/em>(skate and Roman broccoli soup), all pleasingly paired with a glass of a cold and crisp glass of white wine from Castelli Romani.<\/p>\n

By the time I finished my meal the restaurant was quietening down, all the crescendo and gentle hum of the voices and cutlery vanished, and that is when the waiters and myself got into a long conversation. Nobody rushed anything. Just the three of us left chatting, laughing, exchanging experiences, discussing where and why one would like to live in the future and what the expectations of the Romans for the upcoming Giubileo<\/em> were (that is yet to be verified). A few ciambelline al vino<\/em> to round my meal off before collecting my travel bag, say and kiss goodbye and head to the airport.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m a person who cooks when I yearn for a place. I almost start to smell and feel that particular part of the world, a particular moment, ingredients, as if it was present.
\nWe\u2019ve had here in London so many dry and sunny days that you can notice Spring everywhere. Technically it\u2019s still Winter, but the sunny glow of the daffodils contrasted by clear blue skies insinuates something else. My longing for Rome and the whisper of Spring had guided me towards something fresh and fragrant, something peppered with mint and the best lemons I can possibly find. About a week or so ago I spotted a wonderfully creamy, piercing white cow\u2019s milk ricotta in my local Natoora grocery shop, so I bought it – already having in mind what to magic up with it.
\nIn Rome and Lazio most of the recipes will call for a sheep\u2019s ricotta, which is traditional and creamier in texture. But in London, the availability of the ingredients is a different matter, and I was fully satisfied with what I found. And just like that, I made us two different ricotta pasta dishes on two consecutive days. I even decided to make the tagliatelle<\/em> pasta from scratch. I have a second pasta rolling machine in my London kitchen, but don’t use it as often as I would like to. Homemade or shop bought, I\u2019m sharing here with you a couple of the world\u2019s easiest, toss it and season kind of ricotta pasta dishes, as well as a delicious reminder of L\u2019 Amatriciana <\/em>– guanciale<\/em> and tomato sauce – tossed with bucatini<\/em>, finished with a grating of Pecorino Romano, something for colder days, because it\u2019s still winter after all !<\/p>\n

Tagliatelle con Ricotta, Menta e Limone<\/p>\n

1. Tagliatelle with Ricotta, Lemon and Mint \/ Tagliatelle con Ricotta, Menta e Limone<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This simple plate of food was born amongst the shepherds where ricotta predominates and freshly picked mint has always been available.
\nI\u2019ve enriched this humble dish with freshly grated fragrant lemon zest and a handful of grated parmesan.<\/p>\n

Serves 4:<\/em><\/p>\n

– 380-400 g of tagliatelle egg pasta
\n– 300-350 g of fresh ricotta (use sheep\u2019s ricotta if possible otherwise the best cow\u2019s ricotta you can find)
\n– a handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
\n– 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan
\n– salt
\n– freshly ground black pepper
\n– grated lemon zest of one lemon, unwaxed<\/p>\n

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the instructions on the packaging.
\nIn the meantime stir the ricotta with the mint, grated parmesan and lemon zest. Whilst the pasta is boiling take two tablespoons of the water from the pot and mix it with the lemony ricotta, just to loosen it a little.
\nAdjust the seasoning with some salt and black pepper.<\/p>\n

Drain the pasta (once it has cooked al dente) and fold it into the ricotta and mint sauce.
\nCheck for salt and pepper and season again if needed.<\/p>\n

Serve immediately decorating with some grated lemon zest.<\/p>\n

Pasta con Ricotta e Cannella<\/p>\n

2. Maccheroni with Ricotta and Cinnamon<\/p>\n

I came across this recipe in Ada Boni\u2019s \u201cLa Cucina Romana\u201d<\/em>, which I bought during one of last visits to Rome. I love it not only because of its simplicity but because it reminds me of the Polish sour white cheese dumplings, which back home we\u2019ve always eaten with melted butter, cinnamon and sugar.<\/p>\n

Serves 4:<\/em>
\n– 380-400 of maccheroni<\/em> or other short kinds of pasta
\n– 300 g of fresh ricotta (use sheep\u2019s ricotta if possible otherwise the best cow\u2019s ricotta you can find)
\n– 3-4 teaspoons of sugar
\n– 1 1\/2 – 2 teaspoons of cinnamon<\/p>\n

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the instructions on the packaging.
\nIn the meantime stir the ricotta with the sugar and cinnamon until well combined and creamy.
\nWhilst the pasta is boiling take two tablespoons of the salted water from the pot and mix it with the ricotta, just to loosen it a little. Taste and adjust for sugar and cinnamon to your liking.<\/p>\n

Drain the pasta (once it has cooked al dente) and fold it into the ricotta and cinnamon sauce.
\nServe immediately.<\/p>\n

Bucatini all’Amatriciana<\/p>\n

3. Bucatini all\u2019 Amatriciana<\/em><\/p>\n

Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the centre. It\u2019s common throughout Lazio and it cooks slightly quicker due to the hollow centre.
\nIf you are worried about any stains on your white shirt, just cook mezzemaniche<\/em> or rigatoni<\/em> (a short kind of pasta with ridges) instead.<\/p>\n

L\u2019Amatriciana<\/em> is our favourite pasta dish (I got converted) and I play with the recipe every single time I make it. It all depends on the guanciale I\u2019m able to find and the availability of fresh tomatoes. If those are out of season then tinned pelati<\/em> are used. I encourage you to do the same, because the end result will differ slightly based on the above factors, as well as the Pecorino Romano cheese.
\nFor my latest home-made Amatriciana for instance, I upped the ratio of the guanciale to the the tinned tomatoes. I simply found the guanciale too mild so I used 200 g of it in order to get good satisfying and profound flavours, exactly as we like it.<\/p>\n

Serves 4:<\/em><\/p>\n

– 320 – 400 g of bucatini<\/em> or rigatoni<\/em> pasta
\n– 500 – 600 g of peeled and crushed by hand fresh tomatoes (or use two tins of pelati<\/em> tomatoes instead)
\n– 150-200 g of guanciale <\/em>cut into lardons * (hard rind cut off)
\n– half a glass of white wine
\n– 1 small chilli pepper (initially use only half of it as a test, the whole one might be too hot for you)
\n– a good 100 g of grated pecorino cheese (pecorino from Amatrice or Pecorino Romano) to finish<\/p>\n

Guanciale<\/em>* is a cured pork meat carved from the jaw up to the cheek (la guancia). Pancetta is not really an immediate substitute, however you can always use it if guanciale is hard to get.<\/p>\n

Heat up a large pan on a medium heat and add the guanciale lardons. Gently fry for a good few minutes until the lardons turn golden in colour and some of the guanciale fat has melted.
\nPour in the white wine and cook all together until the wine has almost evaporated.
\nNow add the tomatoes and the deseeded chilli pepper. Carry on cooking (initially without the lid) on a low heat for about 40-50 minutes stirring occasionally.<\/p>\n

Bring a large pot of water to the boil (you may not want to salt the water as the pecorino cheese is already fairly salty) add the pasta and cook until al dente (according to the timing given on the packaging). Reserve a cup of the water from cooking the pasta to dilute the sauce if needed.<\/p>\n

Once the pasta turns al dente, drain it and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well and carry on cooking for a minute or so. Add some of the reserved water if you find the sauce too thick. Discard the chilli pepper and stir in some of the grated pecorino.<\/p>\n

Serve immediately finishing it off with more of the grated pecorino on top.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A year has passed already since I last visited Rome. Rome became our first home in Italy, literally and metaphorically. It still feels like home to me, and I strongly believe that the D\u00e9gustateur feels the same way. Over the years I\u2019ve ambled, walked or rushed across so many corners of its historic centre, that … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Rome, Ricotta and L ‘Amatriciana”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13,3],"tags":[49,57,61,528,529,530,531],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3354"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3397,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3354\/revisions\/3397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haimangiato.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}