Fabulous Funghi

I have a new favorite food this season in Rome.

Last winter it was artichokes especially when fried jewish style at Piperno restaurant in the Ghetto. Then in the spring it was fresh fava beans plopped down in the middle of the table to be shelled and eaten raw accompanied by pecorino cheese.

Now in October I have discovered my fall food obsession--fresh porcini mushrooms. Many of the restaurants have baskets of these orange, woody beauties displayed at the entrance. They show up in salads and pastas but I prefer them sliced thin and roasted in the oven and presented on a plate glistening with oil or butter. To this quasi-vegetarian, eating porcini mushrooms prepared that way is comparable to digging into a nice juicy steak.