The Rome IndexOffal & the quinto quarto
Rome's most distinctive culinary tradition — the fifth quarter of the animal.
What it is
Quinto quarto — literally "fifth quarter" — refers to the offal and extremities of an animal: tripe, liver, heart, lung, tail, tongue, brain and intestines. In Rome, cooking these parts was a working-class necessity; it has since become the city's most distinctive culinary tradition.
The dishes
Coda alla vaccinara (braised oxtail with tomato and celery), trippa alla romana (tripe with pecorino and mint), rigatoni con la pajata (pasta with calf intestines) and coratella (pan-fried offal with artichokes) are the classics. Acquired tastes, but impeccably executed at the right places.
Where to try it
Testaccio — historically the slaughterhouse district — is where to eat quinto quarto. The trattorias here have been cooking it for generations, and the quality is measurably better than anywhere else in the city.