One of the most frequent questions Sophie and I get is the porchetta question. As in “How and where can I get great porchetta in Rome.” Sophie has her favorite spots that she shares during her Trastevere and Testaccio tours. But when we want really great porchetta? We head a bit further afield.
The epicenter of porchetta is generally considered to be Ariccia, about 30 minutes south of Rome, in the Frascati hills. This town is known for its glistening, roasted and massive Porchetta. The animals are deboned, but the legs and head are left attached. The meat is then seasoned with rosemary, sage, garlic, salt and pepper. Once cooked by the family-owned businesses around town, the finished roast can weigh anywhere from 30 to 90 pounds. They are then shipped out to both truck stands as well as alimentari (delis) and other vendors throughout Italy.
But of course, the best place to indulge is in Ariccia itself, where there are several distinct and traditional ways to enjoy it. The easiest is to stop by one of the stands or small shops, where the vendor will slice open a crusty roll and fill your sandwich according to your personal taste. Because within that huge hunk-o-meat you might prefer fatty over lean (well, relatively lean) or extra bits of the crisp skin. And there are sure to be nonne or housewives lining up as well, ready to bring home a tray of freshly cut slices for lunch or dinner.
But the all time funnest, bestest and most delicious way to enjoy porchetta in Ariccia is when it is part of a multi-course meal that takes place in a type of local restaurant known as a fraschetta.
The word fraschetta comes from the word ‘frasca’ which means leafy branch. For centuries small wine shops selling the local wine from the surrounding Frascati Hills would set up rough wooden tables outside their doorways, where pitchers of inexpensive vino would flow freely. To provide shade during the heat of the day, makeshift pergolas were constructed out of frasche, or branches. Since there was only wine, people would bring along their own food, to consume along with the vino. Eventually, though, some of the wine shops began to serve simple food: baskets of bread, sheep’s milk cheese, prosciutto and sausage and, of course, porchetta. At the beginning there were no real menus, but over the years many began to serve cooked food as well, including beans, pasta and grilled meat, eventually turning into real restaurants known today as fraschette.
Today in Ariccia there are countless fraschette, located both in the town and the surrounding countryside. Romans make the short drive south to have lunch or dinner there where rough wooden tables groan under the weight of multi course meals for a very low price. One thing that still holds over from the original : huge pitchers of local wine called Romanella.
Whether you come in the day or the evening, the routine is always the same. As soon as you are seated, the waiter will come over, hastily top the table with a sheet of paper, scatter a handful of forks and knives in the center of the table, and ask 2 very important questions. Red or white? And: “Cominciamo con antipasti?” Shall we start with antipasti?
While there may be discussion between the red and the white, 100% of the diners start – and never go beyond – antipasti. Because once you say yes, the plates start flying out of the kitchen and seemingly don’t stop until you’ve long since unbuttoned your jeans.
While each fraschetta has their own speciality, some things are givens. There is always cured meats: prosciutto, sausages and a type of dried pork jerky known as coppiette. Cheese is also ever present: mozzarella of course, but also two or three types of sheep’s milk pecorino. Bread comes sliced in a basket, but more is also toasted, rubbed with garlic and doused with olive oil as bruschetta. And the main event: a massive plate of thickly sliced porchetta.
Every fraschetta has a few dishes that only they serve. While this stand out mixture of sausage and olives is one of my favorites, I can’t remember exactly where I enjoyed it. (Too much of that Romanella wine?) In any case, it’s a great part of the antipasto buffet, but also can stand on its own as a main dish. If you are serving it as part of the buffet, cut the sausages into smaller, bite sized pieces once they are cooked. If you’re serving it as a main course, it pairs perfectly with bruschetta and sautéed greens on the side.
Sausages and Olives
Yield 4-6
This dish is all about the simplicity of the ingredients. Please use regular Italian style sausage. You don't want spicy, since it will overwhelm the delicacy of the olives. And since the only other ingredient is olives you want to make sure you get the big, green sweet ones from Puglia. They are called Bella di Cerignola and if you can't find them in your local market, have a look online.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian style sausages (about 8)
- 1 1/2 cup big green olives
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaaspoon fennel seeds
- salt
Instructions
Pour the olive oil into a 10 to 12 inch diameter frying pan. Heat over medium heat.
Using a fork or a sharp knife, poke holes all over the sausages (this will let the fat drain out, and make sure the sausages don't burst while cooking), and place them in the pan with the oil. Brown well on all sides, turning to make sure you get all the sides.
Once browned, remove the sausages to a plate.
If the sausages have given up a lot of oil, remove all but 1 tablespoon, but be carful to leave the browned bits in the pan. Add the chopped onions to the pan, turning the heat down to medium low. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and using a wooden spoon, stir the onions,scraping up the bits of browned sausage at the bottom of the pan, to deglaze. Cook the onions until tender, but do not let brown, about 8 minutes.
Add the fennel seeds and cook a few more minutes. Add back the sausages and the olives, and the wine. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.
Take the cover off, and cook off any left over wine.
This is meant to be part of an antipasto buffet, so cut the sausages in half or into thirds (bite sized pieces). This dish can be served warm or at room temperature.
This blog post and recipe are an excerpt from my book The Italian Table: Creating Festive Meals for Family and Friends.
Some of my favorite places to eat in Ariccia:
La Selvotta
Via Selvotta 43
+39.932.4521
We love this place since it’s a bit outside of town, and the tables are scattered beneath the shade of trees. It’s great on a spring day or a summer’s evening. Many of the photos in this post were taken there.
Bernabei
Corso Vitttoria Colonna 13
Marino
+39.06.938.7897
This is a butcher, not a restaurant. And it’s in nearby Marino, not Ariccia. But if you are on the hunt for the best porchetta in Italy, then this is where you should go.
Porchetta Diana
Piazza di Corte 1
Ariccia
A small place in Ariccia that is perfect for take out porchetta or a quick panino.
Frashetta De Mi Zia
Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 6
Ariccia
+39.347.439.6147
A cute and cozy fraschetta on the main street in town.
For more on eating in Italy download my app, EAT ITALY available for iPhone and Android.
If you are coming to Rome please buy my book Eating Rome, and if you are heading further afield Eating My Way Through Italy is the book you need.
Elizabeth, this is one of the best posts I’ve read in ages–for some reason it reminds me of your very early ones (I’ve read them all over the years). It left me relaxed and tearfully smiling, Nostalgia! The picture with all the plates of antipasti reminds me of my first visit to Italy in 2003, It is the food I bought and served my husband and me for our first breakfast—and lunch–ha.
Thank You!
Thank you for this!!!! I”m so glad you enjoyed it!
Would it work to substitute Castelvrano olives? Mail ordering the ones you recommend is a little out of my price range, though I will check our local Italian deli to see if they carry them. Thanks!
While Castelvetrano are the best (and think of them as as much of an ingredient as the sausage price wise) don’t worry too much. When I demonstrated this recipe in Arkansas the kitchen prep staff has bought me a jar of green olives with pimentos! Not ideal, but it actually tasted delicious!! 😉
Great article Elizabeth. When I think of porchetta I always think of the festa porchetta in Costano. Had no idea we could enjoy porchetta this close to Roma. Thank you!