Pasta alla Carbonara
This international classic is a speciality prepared in Rome for generations. It's made from eggs, parmesan, pecorino romano, guanciale (pork cheeks), black pepper and olive oil or butter. Interestingly, the original recipe doesn't include cream, as it's not a popular ingredient of pasta dishes in the region. The origin of its name is disputable; some claim it derives from carbone (Italian for coal), as it was a popular favourite among Italian coal miners. Others believe that the name should be ascribed to the black, fleshly milled pepper which is added to it.

Bucatini all'amatriciana
The delicious yet simple bucatini all'amatriciana originates from the town of Amatrice, situated just outside of the Italian capital and famous as the hometown of many excellent chefs. It consists of long, tubular pasta topped with a traditional sauce made of tomato, guanciale (salt-cured, rolled bacon), olive oil and a small amount of spicy peperoncino, a kind of dried chilli pepper grown in the region.

Saltimbocca alla Romana
The name for the Romans' all-time favourite dish literally means ‘hops-into-your-mouth’. It’s made from thinly rolled slices of veal marinated in wine, oil or salt and topped with cheese, prosciutto ham and sage. Capers and butter constitute an optional addition. More innovative chefs use brandy or cognac instead of wine to give the flavour an extra twist. After pizza and spaghetti, saltimbocca alla romana is probably the most celebrated Italian dish in the world.

Gnocchi alla Romana
In Italian, gnocchi means ‘lumps’. Restaurant menus list gnocchi dishes among pasta dishes, though they're made from substantially different ingredients. Traditional gnocchi are potato-flour dumplings. The Roman variety of this national speciality is made from semolina, a kind of durum wheat roasted in garlic butter and herbs and served with a scrumptious meat-and-grated-cheese topping. The traditional day on which Roman restaurants serve gnocchi is Thursday.