Update: This is from another old trip report, and reading it makes me miss Rome! One day I'll go back to pet more cats and eat burnt biscotti and gelato.
Next time you burn a batch of biscotti, pat yourself on the back and say “This is the way they make it in Rome.” Or at least at one very special bakery, Antico Forno del Ghetto where everything is just a touch burnt.
Antico Forno del Ghetto is in the Jewish Ghetto (Roman Ghetto) located at the corner of Via del Portico d'Ottavia. Don’t look for a sign on the door. The entrance looks like this and there’s usually a big line.
We went on a Friday afternoon shortly before sundown and luckily, the line was short. The ladies were serving burnt biscotti and deliciously charred macaroons.
I believe they sell other things depending on the time and day you visit.
Everyone moves fairly quickly in the bakery, so you have to have an idea of what you want before you go in. Also, there aren't any tables. We took our sweets down the street to a little cappuccino bar, bought table service for an extra euro, and enjoyed our burnt pastries and coffee before heading on over to the amazing Portico d’Otavio.
Kristen says
This is awesome. It's going on my list of places to go. My grandma always said she preferred her toast burnt. I always thought she was full of it, but I love all kinds of burnt things now too. It's not just for the texture. The flavor is great. Burnt edges on bread, macaroons, pizza, sugar cookies. Yummmm. The bitterness is tasty.
Dolce says
Also, the slightly burnt pieces are a sign that... this is home made, right ?? 😉
By the way, I have a Beautiful Blogger award for you on my blog 🙂
Anna says
Lisa, believe it or not they weren't that crunchy. I think they must add some fat to the dough.
Louise and Judy, thanks for the compliment on Fuzz's hat! I bought it for her and she loves it.
Suzy, your comment made me laught.
Kathy, I guess you have two choices -- use a different pan or move to Rome.
Katy, I believe these were made with some kind of semolina flour. I didn't have enough time to seek out more burnt biscotti, but I was happy that I found Antico Forno.
Katy Glass says
Those look different from their famous cinnamon almond biscotti. Were they cornmeal? The ones we loved were slightly less burned and the dough was more of a beige/caramel color.
Kathy says
Coincidentally, I baked a batch of Cinnamon Oat Scones this morning from the recipe you published sometime back - I used a heavier pan than usual, and they scorched on the bottom. I feel better about it now!
Suzy says
I obviously need to move to Italy - my baked goods will fit right in!
Judy says
Love Fuzz's hat!!! It looks so cute on her.
Louise says
Maybe they keep the mistakes for late in the day. 🙂 The biscotti looks way beyond slightly burned. The macaroons look ok. Toasted coconut is good. Did Fuzz get a new hat on the trip? I love it.
Lisa Ernst says
Interesting that they slightly burn their baked goods -- no doubt it adds a real crunch! Reminds me of the "blackened" craze back in the '80's. Sometimes when I slightly burn the edges of my toast, I kind of enjoy the texture, so I can understand the appeal.