Shopping in Rome with Washington Post
Do you remember that one dish that your mom made that would have you running to the table? For me, that was saltimbocca alla romana, heaven on my plate and in my mouth. Literally translating to “jump in the mouth Roman style”, saltimbocca are very thin veal strips garnished with sage and prosciutto and pan cooked in olive oil, butter and white wine.
My mom brought her saltimbocca to the next level: rottolati, tiny rolls of veal, prosciutto and powdered sage held together by a tooth pick, and they were my absolute favorite. I loved eating them, but more anything, I loved making them. Almost every Sunday afternoon, I’d be in the kitchen with my mom pounding the veal, lightly powdering in the sage, layering on a single strip of ultra thin prosciutto and then rolling each into tightly into involtini. Nothing more satisfying.
I keep of the family tradition, though my saltimbocca is not involtini, instead I prepare it flat. Join me in my video feature on Washington Post where I shop Campo de’ Fiori for ingredients and teach you how to make saltimbocca alla romana in my kitchen in Rome.
My favorite Roman restaurant
Hostaria Farnesina is a small, family-owned and run restaurant on the edge of Campo de’ Fiori and my go-to for saltimbocca alla romana. The menu focuses on traditional favorites including carbonara, gnocchi on Thursdays, oven-baked lamb, tripe, cicchoria and puntarelle. And of course, the amazing saltimbocca is delicious and divine carciofi alla romana (Roman artichokes). When you call for you reservation, tell them Darius and I sent you.
A big thank you to Massimo and Cristina at Campo de’ Fiori market, Ruggieri PIzzicheria and Maccelleria Campo de’ Fiori, we’ve been shopping with these amazing people for more than a decade, and they always make us smile.
