My name is Beatrice Bassanetti. I was born and still live in Pomezia, a town a few kilometers from Rome where I work for Pagine Gialle Spa in the Web and editing department.

I’m married to Gianni who was born in the ancient town of Pratica di Mare just 3 kilometers away from Pomezia. Pratica di Mare was built on the ruins of where at one time was the ancient city of Lavinium, a holy city for the Romans, founded, according to mythology, by Enea, after he ran away from Troy and named in the name of his wife Lavinia. Romulus, one of the founders of Rome was one of their descendants.

I have two children: Pier Francesco, now 34 and Simone now 30 and I’m happy to announce that I have just become a Nonna.

With my husband I share a great passion for cuisine and together we have collected thousands of Italian traditional recipes from all regions of Italy and in particular from the region of Lazio and of course from the Roman cuisine as well.

My culinary training has three primary sources:

• My mother Perla, from Forli` (Emilia-Romagna) and my grandmother Peppa from Florence. From them I have learned the best of the cuisines of Romagna and Tuscany.
  
• The mother of my dear friend Maria that, during my stay of 6 years in Turin (Piemonte), thaught me many secrets of the Piemontese cuisine which is regarded as one of the best in Italy.
• My husband, who lived for 18 years in Pratica di Mare where his father managed the property of the Borghese Princes and from whom he had the opportunity to learn and pass on to me many dishes of the ancient Roman cuisine and how they were prepared in the Borghese palace.

For this first encounter I propose the menu of a traditional Roman dinner that I’m preparing for my dear friends: Angelo, Nives, Dino and Norma (Norma is also an excellent cook and she is already present on this lovely website).

This evening we will have:

For wines we will have a red  “I Quattro Mori”, made from Shyraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot that, with its soft tannins derived from a storage of 18 months in barrels of 2-3 years, blends magnificently with the minestra di ceci and baccala`.
With dessert we will have Rosathea of Castel de Paolis, an excellent Passito from Muscat Rose` grapes.