heart of Lazio is Rome, the Eternal City, with its breathtaking architectural and artistic wonders and diverse population. Although the lure of Rome can be strong, Lazio also offers an extraordinary variety of landscapes: wide beaches, great pine woods, mountains, gentle hills and expansive plains. Etruscan ruins, picturesque hill towns, monasteries built by St. Francis, caves and gorges, and even volcanoes are just a few of the many facets of this beautiful region.

Traditional cooking in Lazio reflects the meals of shepherds and farmers, which were made from a few ingredients, prepared simply. It’s no surprise that tender, milk-fed lamb is a favorite dish, usually baked and served with seasonal vegetables. And when you reach Rome, the cuisine emerges as a savory tapestry, incorporating the traditions of Lazio with an amalgam of flavors, textures and ingredients from outlying areas, including Umbria and Abruzzo, as well as from the Jewish quarter of the city. The peas, beans, celery, artichokes, and lettuces found in Roman markets are exceptional, perhaps because of the sun-drenched, volcanic soil of the region. And no description of the gastronomy of Rome would be complete without a mention of the city’s countless bars, cafes and restaurants, where Romans can be found morning, noon, and night, sipping their daily cappuccino, or eating and drinking with family and friends.

Specialty Foods of Lazio

Carciofi, or artichokes, are enormously popular in Italy – some 90 varieties are grown – and especially prized in Rome. Many varieties are offered in the markets, including the large, thornless Romanesco, slim Cantanese and the tender Vioetta. In Rome, they are flattened and fried twice for carciofi alla giudia (Jewish style) an ancient recipe that was born in the Roman ghetto. Carciofi alla Romana, artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs, parsley, anchovies, salt and pepper, is another famous Roman dish.

Some of Italy’s best-known pasta dishes originated in Lazio. Bucatini all’Amatriciana, with its sauce of pancetta, tomatoes, and chili pepper, was born in Amatrice, a little village on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo, but the Romans have claimed it for their own.  Romans, whose passion for pasta is legendary, also take credit for inventing  Spaghetti alla Puttanesca (streetwalker’s spaghetti, so named for the local prostitutes who were said to enjoy its nourishing qualities), which includes garlic, tomatoes, capers, olives, herbs, and anchovies; and S paghetti alla Carbonara, made with bacon, eggs, butter, and cheese. 

Tiramisu, which means “pick me up,” may not have originated in Rome, but it is an adopted specialty of the city. The ingredients – mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, raw eggs, sugar, espresso coffee, ladyfingers, liquor and cocoa – result in a scrumptious cold dessert. There are many different recipes for tiramisu; the main differences usually are found in the type of liquor used.

Food Festivals of Lazio

Matticella Artichokes Festival
Velletri (April)
Matticelle are the long artichoke vine shoots that are kept and left to dry after the vines have been pruned.  They are then used to fuel the fires for cooking the artichokes during this festival.  Once cooked, the artichokes are served with field balm, garlic, and olive oil.

Laina e Fasuri Festival
Sant’Ambrogio sul Garigliano (July)
This typical dish from Ciociaria is a very simple meal of homemade pasta served with beans.

Marzoline Festival
Esperia (August)
Marzolina is a goat cheese made in the mountains of the Monti Aurinci Natural Park.  Tradition demands that it is left to mature for a few days on wooden racks and then aged for several months in glass jars.