LOCAL FOOD SHOPPING Part 1: Demystifying the Roman Bakery

"Pane e formaggio è cibo per chi è sano" (Bread and cheese is food for the healthy)

 -Anonymous, Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, 12th century

Roscioli Forno, near Campo di Fiori

Il Forno, Campo di Fiori

Whether you're planning a picnic or just looking to pick up a quick snack, a FORNO (bakery) is a quick ticket to leavened happiness that won't break your budget.

But if the selection at your local bakery leaves you bewildered, here is a guide on where to start:

ROLLS (panini)

Rossetta

Rosetta the quintessential Roman sandwich roll in the shape of a rose with a hard button of crust on top. Almost tasteless and with a hollow pocket inside, these are best fresh out of the oven, becoming almost inedible by afternoon.

Ciabatta

Ciabatta or schiacciatina  another inexpensive sandwich roll with a denser crumb and mild flavor. 

Tartaruga

The Tartaruga (turtle) is something like a mix of a rosetta and a ciabatta.

Panino al latte

Panino al latte this is a soft bread suitable for sweet fillings such as Nutella or jam.

LOAVES

Filone

Pagnotta

Loaves are suitable for meals or tearing off in chunks and are sold either as FILONE (long loaf) or PAGNOTTA (round loaf). You can buy a half, quarter or even less, and it can be sliced on request.

Pane casareccio

Casareccio One of the most popular, go-to breads for everyday dining, Casareccio translates as as "homestyle", and can often differ considerably from bakery to bakery. It has a thick, hard outer crust that ranges from dusty brown to almost black and a chewy, flavorful crumb.

Pane di Lariano

Pane di Lariano Prized local speciality made only in the town of Lariano outside of Rome, from a partially whole wheat flour and baked in ovens fired with chestnut wood. Usually made into low loaves, brown in color, chewy and with a complex, nutty flavor that does not resemble most whole wheat breads.

Pane di grano duro

Pane di Grano Duro A bread with a fine yellow crumb made with durum wheat (the high protein wheat commonly used in pasta) and a longer shelf life. Altamura is a delicious regional speciality from Puglia also made from this flour.

PIZZA! 

Almost all bakeries sell "pizza rustica" for take-out. But does the addition of lots of savory toppings (olives, sausage, artichokes..) always mean a tastier pizza? 

Pizza bianca

Not according to many office-workers and high school students who line up for budget-friendly Pizza Bianca (plain, no toppings) or Pizza Rossa (tomato sauce topping). Then again, one of baby's first street snacks is a tiny strip of no-mess pizza bianca. 

SWEETS

Should you be eating this at breakfast? Don't think on it too long: the maritozzo con la panna, a sweet brioche roll stuffed with whipped cream, disappears in the afternoon.

* Disclaimer: Many names for baked goods differ not only from city to city (the beloved Roman rosetta, for example, is alleged to have been invented in Lombardy and is known in Milan as the michetta) but even within the same city! A schiacciatina can be a crisp cracker or a soft roll, and focaccia comes in so many guises it is practically undefinable.



COMING SOON: Cheese, salami and more...