There are objects in my kitchen that mean more to me than any latest-generation kitchen appliance: they are the aluminum pots, a little dented and marked by time. They are my grandmother’s pots.

Every time I take that ladle in my hand, I still hear the sound of garlic sizzling and I see the hands of Grandma Rina who, with endless patience, grated the pasta or cleaned the vegetables. For years I kept those gestures in my memory, but today I have decided that it is time to share them with you.

Thus is born “A Roman in the Kitchen”, a new column entirely dedicated to Grandma’s Secrets.

Now I’ll tell you what you’ll find here

It won’t be just recipes, but pieces of the history of my Rome. That “poor” kitchen but incredibly rich in ingenuity, where if an ingredient was missing others were used and the flavor was always extraordinary, and where the next-day soup was always the best.

And you’ll also find…

The “King” dishes: Lasagne, cannelloni and ravioli made properly.
Forgotten soups: From pasta with broccoli to pasta and lentils with hand-grated pasta.
Grandma’s Secret: In each post you’ll find a special box with that orally handed-down trick you won’t find in any cookbook

I want to bring you with me in front of that slow fire, where time seems to stop and flavor becomes an embrace. Are you ready to discover what’s boiling in the pot?

Let’s start right away with the first recipe… are you curious?

Pasta and lentils Roman-style: Grandma’s recipe

Romanesco broccoli soup without arzilla as Grandma Rina made it