The expression «Giovedì gnocchi, venerdì pesce, sabato trippa» (Thursday gnocchi, Friday fish, Saturday tripe) finds its origin in Trastevere – a neighbourhood of Rome – and traditionally stems from a need for the less well-off to best organise their weekly meals. Unlike today, this nutritious and calorie-laden diet was once enough to feed large families, in which most part of its members did hard manual labour such as ploughing, cultivating land and taking livestock to graze.
This popular saying sets out a rule for rationing food respecting the catholic religious tradition.
«Thursday gnocchi» was because it was a rich, cheap, calorie-laden dish of generous portions which was filling enough to allow you to get through “il venerdì di magro” (lean Friday), a fasting day, when meat was not to be consumed.
«Friday fish» is a tradition that is still common today in the more historic Roman taverns. Here you will find baccalà – dried and salted cod – which is usually served with chick peas.
«Saturday tripe» was the highlight of the table for all the family! The sixth day of the week was the day dedicated to slaughtering meat which was then to be eaten on Sunday, the festive day. Those who could not afford the better-quality cuts of meat, such as fillet, thighs, and steaks, would make do with offal. These discarded pieces, when cooked expertly, are transformed into succulent traditional dishes such as “la coda alla vaccinara” (oxtail), “la coratella coi Carciofi” (innards with artichokes) and “trippa” (tripe), which was the queen of Roman cuisine.
After the war, the scarcity of provisions and the need to save reinforced this mensuration of meals. With the arrival of a better quality of life and more sedentary jobs, traditional dishes became part of the elite of the Italian gastronomic culture.
Every Thursday you can enjoy our home-made gnocchi in a tomato and basil sauce.
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