Roman Classics: Four Recipes

Rome stands for clear flavours, a few excellent ingredients and a cuisine that goes straight to the point. The four dishes below can all be prepared at home with moderate effort — and, thanks to pan, pot and cast iron, they work equally well in an outdoor kitchen or on a wood-fired oven.

Cacio e Pepe

The epitome of Roman simplicity: pasta, Pecorino and pepper — nothing more is needed when good technique turns them into a creamy emulsion.

Ingredients

• 400 g Spaghetti
• 200 g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
• 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
• Salt

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until al dente and reserve about one cup of the cooking water.
2. Toast the pepper briefly in a large pan over medium heat until fragrant.
3. Add a little of the hot pasta water to the pan, then whisk in the Pecorino gradually until a creamy sauce forms. Reduce the heat so the cheese does not seize.
4. Drain the spaghetti, add it to the pan and toss thoroughly. Add more cooking water as needed until the sauce shines and binds.
5. Serve immediately.

Tip for outdoor kitchen/wood-fired oven

A heavy pan (cast iron/stainless steel) holds heat well for toasting the pepper. Near a wood-fired oven, heat the pan indirectly so the cheese does not curdle later.

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Hearty, tomatoey and peppery: named after Amatrice, this pasta is a staple of many Roman trattorie. There are versions with and without onion; this one uses a little onion for sweetness and body.

Ingredients

• 400 g Bucatini
• 150 g Guanciale (cured pork cheek) or Pancetta, cut into strips
• 400 g peeled tomatoes (can)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 50 g Pecorino Romano, grated
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in the pan and render the guanciale until crisp. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, sweat the onion and chilli flakes until translucent.
3. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce reduces slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the bucatini in salted water until al dente. Reserve some of the cooking water.
5. Toss the pasta with the sauce until well combined. Bind with a little cooking water until the sauce clings to the pasta.
6. Fold in the guanciale and half the Pecorino, plate up and finish with the remaining Pecorino.

Tip for outdoor kitchen/wood-fired oven

Guanciale crisps particularly well in a preheated cast-iron pan — on the grill grate, the outdoor kitchen side burner or simply on the stove. Finish the sauce in the same pan afterwards.

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Tender veal, prosciutto and fresh sage — quickly pan-fried in butter and glazed with a splash of white wine. The name roughly means “jump into the mouth”.

Ingredients

• 4 veal escalopes
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 50 g butter
• 100 ml white wine
• Salt and pepper
• Toothpicks

Method

1. Pound the veal escalopes thinly and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Place a slice of prosciutto and two sage leaves on each escalope and secure with toothpicks.
3. Melt the butter in the pan and fry the escalopes until golden on both sides.
4. Keep the meat warm briefly. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce slightly.
5. Return the escalopes to the pan, turn them briefly in the sauce and serve immediately.

Tip for outdoor kitchen/wood-fired oven

Brown the escalopes in an ovenproof pan and finish them briefly in a hot wood-fired oven. This keeps them juicy while the sauce binds from the residual heat.

Carciofi alla Romana

Artichokes stuffed with garlic, mint and olive oil — a fragrant vegetable dish, good warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 4 large artichokes
• 2 lemons
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Water

Method

1. Remove the outer leaves and trim the tips. Trim the stem to about 5 cm and peel it. Immediately place the artichokes in lemon water.
2. Mix the garlic and mint with salt and pepper and stuff into the centre of the artichokes.
3. Set the artichokes in a pot, drizzle with olive oil and add enough water to come about halfway up the artichokes.
4. Cover and cook over medium heat for 30–40 minutes, until tender.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip for outdoor kitchen/wood-fired oven

Cook them in a cast-iron pot with a lid. Place the pot indirectly in the wood-fired oven so the liquid simmers gently and the artichokes become evenly tender.

Conclusion

Whether a creamy Cacio e Pepe, a savoury Amatriciana, tender Saltimbocca or aromatic artichokes, Roman Classics rely on a few excellent ingredients and precise technique. With a pan, a pot and a little know-how they succeed on the stove as well as in an outdoor kitchen or on a wood-fired oven.