Carnival in the Roman tradition
We are now in the most cheerful time of the year with costumes, festoons and confetti populating the squares and filling them with colour, while mouth-watering dishes fill the tables of Italians. In this article we will talk about Carnival in the Roman culinary tradition, so get ready for plenty of sweets with frappe, castagnole and ravioli! Frappe Fried or baked, frappes are crispy golden strips covered with powdered sugar. You can find them either plain or flavoured with vanilla or various liquors and covered in chocolate for the sweet-toothed. Today, they are considered the descendants of the ancient Roman frictilia, typical sweets fried in pork grease, which were distributed in the streets on the occasion of Saturnalia, when people celebrated gluttony and the abundance of the earth. Castagnole Also available in both a fried version and a lighter oven-baked variant, castagnole are the ultimate sweet when it comes to Roman Carnival. Their shape is reminiscent of chestnuts, from which they take their name, but they are balls of baked dough covered in granulated sugar. There are ones for all tastes, in fact you can enjoy them plain or filled with cream, ricotta or chocolate. Ravioli Last, but not least in terms of goodness, we find ravioli. Similar in shape to the famous pasta, but don’t be fooled: these are real desserts! Fried or baked, their strength is their filling, which in the most traditional versions includes chocolate, ricotta or even cinnamon, although today there are many variations, such as cream-flavoured or fruit jams. Now that we have told you about these delicacies, don’t waste any time and hurry up and taste them while they are available! For a dive into traditional Roman cuisine, we are waiting for you every day at Ragno D’Oro in Via Silla 26, 00192 Rome. Call us on 06 321 2362 to reserve a table or use the form on our website.