The Rome IndexThe history of Roman food
Why Roman cuisine is the way it is — poverty, empire and 2,000 years of cooking.
Cucina povera
Much of what defines Roman cooking came from poverty — the need to use every part of the animal (quinto quarto, the "fifth quarter" of offal), to stretch limited ingredients, and to make something satisfying from cheap staples. Carbonara uses guanciale (pig cheek) rather than bacon because it was the cheapest cut; cacio e pepe is literally just pasta, cheese and pepper.
Jewish influence
Rome's Jewish community, present for over 2,000 years, developed a distinct culinary tradition that has significantly shaped what is considered "Roman" food — carciofi alla giudìa, supplì, and the tradition of deep-frying vegetables all trace back to the Jewish Ghetto.
The ancient table
Ancient Romans ate very differently from modern Romans — garum (a fermented fish sauce used like soy sauce), spelt porridge, and heavily spiced dishes were staples. Almost no continuity exists between ancient Roman cuisine and what is eaten in Rome today.