Central Italy holds a wealth of flavours that few other parts of the country can match. Its four regions — Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria and the Marche — preserve recipes shaped by the land, pasture, farming traditions and medieval markets. Each has its own story to tell through local ingredients: Lazio’s guanciale and Pecorino Romano, Tuscany’s Chianina beef, Umbria’s black truffle from Norcia, and the Marche’s green Ascoli olives.
Lazio: Carbonara, the pasta dish that won over the world
Carbonara is probably Lazio’s most famous dish worldwide, yet its original preparation is still misunderstood, adapted and often stripped of its character. The traditional recipe calls for just four main ingredients: pasta, usually rigatoni or spaghetti, cured pork cheek known as guanciale, fresh eggs — with the proportion of yolk and white varying according to the number of diners — and DOP Pecorino Romano cheese.
