Vatican City: Recipes Only

 

Vatican City: The Pasta, The People, and The Papacy

Bucatini all’Amatriciana: Rerum Novarum in Red Sauce

Ingredients:

• 400g bucatini

• 150g guanciale, cubed

• 400g canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed

• 1 tsp red chili flakes (or to taste)

• 50g Pecorino Romano, grated

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil bucatini in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

2. Render Guanciale: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium. Add guanciale and cook until crispy (5-7 minutes). Remove excess fat if desired.

3. Make Sauce: Add chili flakes to the skillet, then stir in crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened. Season lightly with salt.

4. Combine: Add pasta to the sauce, tossing with some reserved water for consistency. Stir in half the Pecorino.

5. Serve: Plate with remaining Pecorino sprinkled on top.

Cacio e Pepe: Black Cloud of Pepper

Ingredients:

• 400g spaghetti (or tonnarelli)

• 200g Pecorino Romano, finely grated

• 2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil spaghetti in lightly salted water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups pasta water, then drain.

2. Toast Pepper: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast black pepper for 1 minute until fragrant.

3. Make Sauce: In a bowl, mix Pecorino with ½ cup reserved pasta water to form a paste. Add more water if needed.

4. Combine: Add pasta to the skillet with pepper. Off heat, gradually add Pecorino paste, tossing vigorously and adding pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency.

5. Serve: Plate immediately, sprinkling extra Pecorino and pepper.

Fettuccine Alla Papalina and Carbonara: Cream for the Elite, Eggs for the Street

Fettuccine alla Papalina Recipe

Ingredients:

• 400g fettuccine (fresh or dried)

• 100g prosciutto crudo, thinly sliced

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 egg yolks

• 100ml heavy cream

• 50g Parmesan, grated

• 2 tbsp butter

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil fettuccine in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

2. Sauté: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft (5 minutes). Add prosciutto and cook for 1-2 minutes until slightly crisp.

3. Make Sauce: Whisk egg yolks, cream, and Parmesan in a bowl. Season with black pepper.

4. Combine: Lower skillet heat. Add pasta to the prosciutto mix, tossing to coat. Remove from heat and stir in the egg-cream mixture, adding reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess.

5. Serve: Plate immediately, topping with extra Parmesan and pepper.

Carbonara Recipe

Ingredients:

• 300-400g (about 10-14 oz) spaghetti (or other long pasta like bucatini or linguine)

• 150-200g (about 5-7 oz) guanciale (cured pork cheek), pancetta, or good-quality bacon, cut into small cubes or lardons

• 4 large egg yolks (some recipes use 2 whole eggs and 2 yolks)

• 50-75g (about 2-3 oz) Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (Parmesan or a mix can be used, but Pecorino Romano is traditional)

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Salt, for pasta water

Instructions:

1. Cook the Guanciale/Pancetta/Bacon: Place the cubed guanciale (or your chosen pork) in a cold, dry pan over medium heat. Cook slowly until the fat renders and the pork becomes crispy and golden brown. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. Remove the crispy pork with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.

2. Cook the Pasta: While the pork is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente (slightly firm to the bite).

3. Prepare the Egg Mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks (and whole eggs, if using) with the grated Pecorino Romano cheese and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Some recipes suggest adding a tablespoon or two of the hot pasta water to the egg mixture at this stage to temper it slightly.

4. Combine Pasta and Pork Fat: Once the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Immediately add the hot pasta to the pan with the rendered pork fat. Toss well to coat the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat.

5. Create the Sauce: Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot pasta. Toss vigorously and quickly. The heat from the pasta and the residual heat in the pan will gently cook the eggs and melt the cheese, creating a creamy sauce that coats the pasta. Add some of the reserved pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach your desired sauce consistency. Be careful not to add too much at once, or the sauce might become too thin.

6. Serve: Divide the carbonara among bowls. Top with the crispy guanciale/pancetta/bacon and an extra grating of Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Supplì: Cheesy Hot Roman Summer

Ingredients:

• 200g Arborio rice

• 400ml tomato sauce

• 500ml vegetable or chicken stock

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 100g mozzarella, cut into small cubes

• 50g Parmesan, grated

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 100g breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Vegetable oil for frying

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook Rice: In a saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté onion until soft. Add rice and toast for 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce and stock gradually, cooking like risotto until rice is soft (20 minutes). Stir in Parmesan, season, and cool completely.

2. Shape Supplì: Take a small handful of rice, flatten it, place a mozzarella cube in the center, and form into an oval, sealing the cheese inside.

3. Bread: Dip each supplì in beaten egg, then coat in breadcrumbs.

4. Fry: Heat vegetable oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry supplì in batches until golden (3-4 minutes). Drain on paper towels.

5. Serve: Serve hot, ideally with a side of tomato sauce for dipping.

Carciofi Alla Romana: Braised Hope in Hard Times

Ingredients:

• 4 large globe artichokes

• 1 lemon (for acidulated water)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

• 100ml dry white wine

• 100ml olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Prep Artichokes: Fill a bowl with water and lemon juice. Trim artichoke stems, remove tough outer leaves, and cut off the top third. Scoop out the choke. Place in lemon water to prevent browning.

2. Season: Mix parsley, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stuff this mixture between artichoke leaves.

3. Cook: Place artichokes upside down in a deep pan, fitting snugly. Add white wine, olive oil, and enough water to cover halfway. Cover and simmer on low for 45-60 minutes until tender.

Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature, drizzling with cooking liquid.