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A magical story: the origins of Christmas
17 December 2020  By Roma Eat 

Gifts to wrap, recipes to prepare, but above all, an entire house to fill with lights and decorations. The Christmas countdown began, and although this year’s holidays are a little different than usual, the air is full of magic.

While you’re preparing the umpteenth hot chocolate, to be prepared for the big “abbuffata” (“binge”), we want to give you a little curious anecdote about this magical holiday.

Do you know the origins of Christmas? You should know that few people know that it is not a Christian holiday and that the origins of Christmas are prior to the birth of Jesus. Yes, you got it right! Christmas has existed since before the “bambinello”, as they say in Rome.

Get comfortable: once upon a time….

Once upon a time there was the winter solstice

The winter solstice is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs on December 21 or 22: the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky, then reverses course and rises again, reborn. The shortest day of the year meets the longest night: the sun seems to “shut down” because of the little light it gives us. From the next day, however, it begins to “turn on” again, and then reaches its maximum “power” (at least for us on earth) in the summer solstice.

Logical that this phenomenon didn’t go unnoticed by the ancients and, in a very primitive way, it was given a religious meaning with its cult.

Thus was born the cult of Sol Invictus. At the beginning it was celebrated in the East, Syria and Egypt in particular, and then reached ancient Rome. Emperor Aurelian adopted the sun as the supreme god of the Roman Empire and it was celebrated on December 25! 

Christmas in ancient Rome: banquets and fir trees

December 25 was a day of great celebration in Rome: the Natalis Solis Invicti. In every house were organized large banquets to which everyone was invited (including slaves!). Toasts, good food and, of course, gifts!

Santa Claus wasn’t working yet, with his reindeer and his sleigh, but there was no lack of packages on this day. On the contrary, it was very important to be generous: depriving oneself of something to give it to someone was considered a “good luck” act.

The gift that could never miss? A pine branch. What better wish for happiness and abundance than an evergreen branch! Then of course there were toys for children, while for adults there were clothes, statues and animals.

From pagan to Christian: the magic continues

When Christianity began to be accepted as a religion, the first Christian communities also began to celebrate their own Christmas, which they made coincide no longer with the birth of the “new” sun, but with that of Jesus. But at the beginning they were all a bit… confused!

Well, it was not immediately celebrated in December: there were those who celebrated it in January, who in March, who, even, in April! But from 336 A.D. a common date was reached: December 25th. The date was probably set to replace the feast of Natalis Solis Invicti with the celebration of the birth of Christ. 

Christmas is probably the most significant case of the absorption by Christianity of a concept linked to the Roman religion of the time. The “deities” changed, but the spirit of the feast remained unchanged. Until today.

Did we surprise you? Tell us what you think in the comments!

To the next digital journey

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It’s Christmas time already!
8 December 2020  By Roma Eat 

If in some countries of the world the houses are already full of Christmas lights and decorations, in Italy we start breathing the “Christmas air” from December 8th.

December 8th is in fact the celebration of the Immaculate Conception, a very important moment for the Christian Church. But although Italy is a lay State (the constitution says so!), our traditions are linked to the Catholic religion.

But what is celebrated on December 8th? 

On this special day we celebrate the religious dogma – that is, a fundamental and unquestionable principle for believers – in which it was sanctioned that the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, was born and conceived without Original Sin (Immaculate means in fact without blemishes!).

Not like us “normal people”! According to the Christian religion, in fact, all of us arewere born with the sin of Adam and Eve. They were living in a fantastic earthly paradise, and could do everything they wanted and eat everything they wanted, except the Forbidden Fruit (the famous apple). And guess what they decided to taste?

But don’t worry, with the baptismal ceremony, this sin is taken away from all of us! 

Let the celebration begin!

The Immaculate Conception started to be celebrated in 1854, the year in which Pope Pius IX approved the dogma.

In 1857, near the Spanish Steps, a monument to the Immaculate Conception was inaugurated, to which every year the Pope brings a wreath of flowers. This tradition is still alive today! If you are in Rome on December 8, around 4 p.m. you can attend the ceremony. 

The statue of the Virgin is very high on top of the Marian column.: for this reason, in the past, a wooden structure was built to allow the Pope to reach the statue and place the crown of flowers on its arm. Today, instead, the Pope calls special helpers to carry it on top for him…the firemen!

Not only wreaths of flowers!

Although the celebration has religious origins, for all Italians December 8th represents the beginning of the Christmas period.

It is in fact the day on which the Christmas tree is decorated, the house is filled with lights and decorations, and for those who are Christians, the nativity (italian “presepe”) is prepared. 

The only Italian city that anticipates everything by one day is Milan: their patron Saint is Ambrose and is celebrated on the 7th of December 7th. You know, Milan always wants to stand out!

And there are also regions such as Abruzzo, Puglia and Umbria, where in addition to the Christmas tree, great fires are lit. Lighting the bonfire was the symbol of purification and regeneration of the earth to give new fertility.

Do we eat? (in Roman language: “Se magna”?)

Definitely yes, December 8th is also the first day in which “binge” is licit, and probably necessary! 

From “torrone” (nougat) to “panettone”, from “pandoro” to “frittelle” (fritter), in every region you can smell the smell of Christmas sweets in the streets and see them in the shops.

If you want to live an all-Italian holiday, here are the things to do: decorate your home, bake cookies, open the first panettone of the winter, prepare a hot chocolate and enjoy all the relaxation of your decorated home.

Have you ever celebrated the Immaculate Conception?

To the next digital journey

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Ferragosto: 3 recipes for a few extra kilos!
13 August 2020  By Roma Eat 

Ferragosto is approaching. Like every single Italian holiday, it’s a great “excuse” to spend the day with friends and relatives and …eat!

Well, it’s not a respectable special day if you don’t get up from the table with a few extra kilos 😉 

The Ferragosto is an all-Italian holiday coming from Ancient Rome. The “feriae Augusti”, as they were originally called, were instituted by Augustus around 18 B.C.  It was a holiday for all citizens, after the hard work in the fields for the annual harvest. What can we say… Augustus knew how to make the citizens love him. 

The tradition of Ferragosto is still present nowadays and it is typical to organize a trip outside the city, surrounded by nature.

What are the typical recipes of Ferragosto? Here 3 traditional dishes from some Italian regions (yes, each region has its own speciality!)

Stewed chicken with peppers (Rome)

We are “biased”, so let’s start with the traditional dish of our city, Rome! It is tradition to prepare for this day chicken with peppers, a classic of the Roman cuisine. 

The sweetish taste of the pepper is mixed with the meat one. The sauce that is formed on the bottom of the pan invites the diners to the so-called “scarpetta”, that is to use the bread to pull everything up and make a “pre-cleaning” of the pan itself. If you are as good as the locals, there is no need to put the pan in the dishwasher! 😉

The traditional cuisine is able to use and enhance even the less valuable parts: this second course is often accompanied by “fettuccine” (strictly made by “mamma” or “nonna”) with sweetbread ragout. 

Roast pigeon (Tuscany)

A popular “motto” says: ” Per Ferragosto, piccione ed anatra arrosto” (“for mid-August, pigeons and roast ducks”). 

If you are curious to taste the pigeon, now very unusual on our tables, you have to go to Tuscany to celebrate your Ferragosto. Here the pigeon is stuffed, like is done in the US with turkey on Thanksgiving. The stuffing is created with finocchiona, a typical sausage of this area, flavoured with fennel.

According to some, this recipe was made for the first time by Carolingians! We simply say that: the pigeon baked with potatoes and sausages is really a dish for kings.

Margheritine di Stresa (Piedmont)

Do you know the story of the pizza Margherita created as a dedication to Margherita di Savoia? The queen Margherita must have been a great gourmet if even these crumbly biscuits were named after her. 

In Stresa, on the Maggiore Lake, the pastry chef Pietro Antonio Bolongaro created this recipe in 1857. The Savoy royalty, Margherita above all, liked them so much that they wanted these biscuits every year as dessert for their “Ferragosto” lunches.

The secret of the fragrance of the pastry is due to the use in the dough of the boiled yolk, sieved and reduced into flour. 

We must thank Queen Margherita if today we can enjoy these sweets, perhaps with a good coffee, perhaps on the shores of Lake Maggiore. Perhaps.

 

And you? Do you have a party like this for “Ferragosto”? Or have you ever celebrated this special summer day during one of your trips to Italy? 

Let us know in the comments!

Until the next digital trip!

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Lasagna challenge: the winner is?
3 May 2020  By Roma Eat 

Hello friends,

this week you decided the recipe for our traditional Italian themed culinary challenge. 

As real locals, you voted the perfect dish to stimulate a fantastic post-lunch nap, as well as the top recipe of every self-respecting “nonna”: lasagna.

A dish for real sailors (and astronauts)

The love for lasagna in Rome is very ancient. The ancient Romans were already very fond of it, and to cook it they followed the recipe of the multi-starred chef of the time: Apicius.

In his cookbook, the recipe is called “lagana” and was created from thin sheets of pasta stuffed with meat, and baked in the oven. 

If the ingredients seem to you the same today, the result was very different and certainly less fit for Instagram: it was a mess of pasta and meat in bulk.

During the Middle Ages, lasagna was so widespread that many poets cited it in their poems.

But the real enthusiasts were the sailors. The Republic of Genoa, in fact, served it on boats as early as 1100 A.D. 

You wonder how they cooked it? Lasagne is one of the best dishes that you can heat the next day. And even several days later.

On the other hand, is one of the dishes that today the astronauts can bring with them in the space. In fact, astronaut Luca Parmitano was among the first to ask the European Space Agency (ESA) chef to prepare this tasty recipe in “space travel” format.

And the winner is?

Also this week many of you have been sending us photos of your creations; so many that we hope that one day you will invite us for lunch!

After a careful analysis (between one fork and another) we decided the three winners:

Best traditional lasagna award: @bonsy84 (special thank for the amazing videos!)

Best vegeterian lasagna award: @craveworthybites

Best creative lasagna award: @m.flossy_

The prize is a discount on any of our experiences with the code: LASAGNA. 

You can use it for yourself or give it to friends!

Joining us  you will continue to discover  all the history of every recipe, having fun together!

Thank you very much to all participants.

Until the next digital cooking challenge!

P.s. If you wish the recipe that we love in Italy, here are the ingredients and the procedure for four people:

Ingredients (for 4 people):

  • 1 medium carrot
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 300 gr of beef meat, minced
  • 200 gr of sausage meat, minced
  • 1/2 glass of red wine
  • olive oil
  • 400 gr of tomato sauce
  • 500 ml of milk
  • 50 gr of butter
  • 50 gr of flour
  • 6 fresh lasagna sheets
  • 4 table spoon of parmesan cheese, grated
  • salt
  • bay leaf

Directions

Ragù sauce: heat 3 table spoons of olive oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add carrot, onion and celery peeled and finely chopped. Stir for around 15 minutes until the mixture is lightly colored.

Add the two types of meat, earlier minced, and stir breaking up meat with the spoon until the color is well brown. Pour the wine and mix until the alcool is evaporated. Add the tomato sauce, a glass of water, a generous pinch of salt and two bay leaves.

Turn the heat down and cook on low heat for at least 2 hours with lid. Stir occasionally. If the sauce start to dry out add a splash of water.

This sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge 2-3 days. If you want you can also chilled it.

Béchamel: melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until the mixture becomes like a cream. Pour in very warm milk and whisk vigorously until you have a smooth white sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and cook for at least 10 minutes.

Assembly: lasagne sheets can be used without precooking only if they are fresh. If you have the dry ones cook them in boiling water according to the instructions of the package (usually4-5 minutes).

Spread three spoon of ragù into the bottom of a earthenware ovenproof dish (25x35cm approx.). Follow with a layer of lasagne sheets, add a third of your ragù and a third of béchamel. Repeat the process (sheets, ragù and béchamel) two more time and top with grated parmesan.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Bake the lasagne for 20 minutes until beginning to brown on top. Leave the dish 20 minutes before serving.

Buon appetito!

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Pica, la pasta all’uovo
19 April 2020  By Roma Eat 

Hello friends,

Today our digital journey will take you to discover a magical place in the centre of Rome: Pica, la pasta all’uovo.

This pasta factory is unique and follow the recipes of the Italian tradition. For this reason we visit it during our experiences.

During the quarantine, they’re still delivering pasta on their scooters.

But before picking up the phone and waiting at the window for the scooter loaded with pasta, discover with us the magic of this craft: an art to be savoured.

It all starts with an egg.

Was the egg or pasta born first?

On February 18 1937 in Via Candia opens a new store: “Eggs”. 

The name might make you smile, but Giuseppe Pica saw in that simple ingredient the basis for a story that still excites us today.

When you entered the shop, one thing would have surprised you: lots of packs of eggs and a limited variety of pasta. 

As we say in Italy “little but good”, indeed exceptional. 

In fact, you could only choose between fettuccine, tagliatelle and tortellini.

But Giuseppe loved to experiment and every year he introduced a new type of pasta: the last delicious arrival was the raviolo!

The work increased, but the number of hands kneading was always the same: extra help was needed. 

It was written in the stars…

A fireman came to Giuseppe’s rescue: Felice Giovannetti! 

The young man began to become passionate about the art of pasta, to the point that he decided to quit his job and dedicate himself completely to the workshop.

An unusual turning point in his career, but perhaps this job was written in his destiny. 

Better, in his month of birth!

Felice, in fact, was born in Rome on February 6 1937. 

February 1937: in the same month, a shop opened and a pasta maker was born.

After years of collaboration, Giuseppe Pica decides that it is time to finally enjoy his retirement and, having no heirs, decides to leave the business to Felice.

The pasta factory continued to grow and at the beginning of the 90s Felice decided to move it to its new and current location in Via degli Scipioni 11/13.

The location changed, but not the tradition.

 

From generation to generation

The workshop became a second home for Felice, or rather: the whole house moved into the pasta factory!

In fact, his family started working in the shop: who makes the deliveries, who takes the orders and who kneads. 

Since the age of 6 it is not strange for some son or grandson to be surrounded by flour and give precious help. 

The first important task? Close the tortellini by hand!

Pasta in scooter

Making deliveries is a real job.

The pasta factory works mainly for the best restaurants in Rome and for lunch all the chefs must be supplied. 

But trust me, it’s not as easy as it looks! 

Among the sanpietrini (small blocks that cover the streets of Rome), potholes and traffic, it’s a job for real daredevils and… geniuses!

Each package must be placed on top of the other so as not to ruin the pasta and not to break the eggs.

Then try to lift a loaded scooter in front and behind, and maybe with a few packs of eggs between your legs. 

A better job than going to the gym.

Stars and stripes pasta

Felice has not limited himself to passing on the tradition of pasta only in Rome.

Between the ’60s and ’70s he took a plane and flew to New Orleans. 

A relative of him was living in the city and had one wish: learn how to make pasta. But not just any pasta: pasta all’Alfredo.

Felice succeeded and his relative opened not one, but several restaurants in the city. 

The success was so great that Felice received the keys of the city of New Orleans and the papers too.

But you know, the first love is not left, and Felice decided to return to Rome. The activity of the pasta factory continues to go on from generation to generation, with the same passion and art.

For today our digital journey ends here, but write us in the comments if you would like to know some other story and anecdote related to this magical pasta factory.

We might surprise you again!

To the next journey,

Chiara

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