Posted By keyrome @ November 18, 2009

What could be a better subject for our first article than food and wine?

So let’s start from a very traditional place, the “fraschette” (pronounced fraskɛttɛ). These are the typical, rustic osteria quite popular in the area of the Castelli Romani, which comprehends small towns like Frascati, Grottaferrata, Ariccia, spread over the Alban Hills, at a short distance south-east of Rome.

The tradition of the “fraschette” goes back to the Middle Ages. At that time, they were used by wine makers to sell their new production and recover the expenses of the harvest. Their name derives from the use of displaying a branch full of leaves (frasca) at the doorway, to inform customers that the newly produced wine was good and ready to be tasted. The wine was served, and still is today, in carafes called “barzilai” (two liters), “tubbi” (one liter) and “fojette” (half a liter) in the local dialect.

The “fraschette” were simply furnished: barrels full of wine lined the walls, while tables made of simple planks, and wooden boxes and benches provided customers with basic comfort as they drank. In the back of the room there was generally the canteen, where additional wine was stored.

Having been created only to sell and drink wine, no food was served, but customers used to bring their food from home or a nearby seller. For this reason, there were stalls installed near the “fraschette” selling cheese, cold cuts and “porchetta”, a savory and fatty pork roast, originating in Ariccia and considered a culinary icon of the Castelli Romani.

The “fraschette” were also a rendezvous place, especially for men who gathered together to drink a glass of wine and talk about the troubles and the hopes of their farming life. Their words were mingled with the legends of the country and the old stories of grey-headed villagers, which have been handed down from man to man, over the centuries. Typical verbal plays of the fraschette were the “rimbrotti” or “rimbalzi”, with people exhibiting themselves in off the cuff rhymes. To add to the atmosphere, real gambling, like morra or passatella, often led to quarrels and fights amongst the patrons.

Until the 50ies the fraschette also operated as an employment bureau, the broker going there at a certain time during the day to look for laborers requested by landowners. Today part of this agricultural world no longer exists, but many “fraschette” survived, with their simplicity and informality. They are still loved, not only by villagers, but also by Romans who go there to enjoy the relaxed rhythm, the simple life and the area’s cooling breeze during the summer.

Most of these modern “fraschette” offer not only wine, but also serve typical local fare such as cold cuts, fresh and seasoned cheese, olives and artichokes conserved in olive oil and of course the famed “porchetta”. Be prepared to eat abundantly as starters (antipasti) are served in big quantities and you cannot possibly miss the tasty roman classics: pasta “alla carbonara”, “all’amatriciana”, or “all’arrabbiata”.

While waiting to savor these original flavors in the authentic ambience of a fraschetta of the Castelli Romani, discover the secrets of one of these simple and delicious dishes following our very own recipe. Buon appetito!

Bucatini all’amatriciana (4 Servings)

Before starting, let’s talk about guanciale, which makes all the difference of this dish. Guanciale is made from pork jowl or cheek, rubbed with salt, washed in wine, with herbs, red or black pepper, seasoned for 40 days and then hang to dry. This process and the different quality of the fat makes guanciale’s taste and texture different from pancetta or bacon, which are often considered literal substitutes. Of course, they can be used when guanciale is not available, but the taste will be different.

2 Tbsp
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 oz/120g Guanciale

1 medium Onion

1/2 Tsp Chili flakes (Peperoncino)

28oz/800g S. Marzano Plum Tomatoes

1 lb/500g Bucatini

1 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese
(more for serving)

1. Slice the guanciale 1/4-inch thick, then chop roughly.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add thinly sliced onions and peperoncini chili flakes. Add guanciale and sauté until crisp and barely beginning to brown.
3. Add the tomatoes. Cook over low heat, crushing tomatoes with a spoon, until sauce has become more concentrated.
4. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add salt and drop the bucatini into the boiling water. Cook until nearly al dente.
5. Drain the pasta (reserving some of the cooking water) and add it to the pan with the sauce. Gently reheat the content of the pan, folding pasta and tomato sauce together, until the pasta is al dente and some of the sauce has been absorbed. If the sauce has become too dry, add a few tablespoons of the reserved water. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (remembering that the cheese will add lots of flavor too) and remove from heat.
6. Remove from stove and toss the bucatini with the grated pecorino romano in the pan. Serve & enjoy!.

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