All roads lead to Roma

Italians are renowned for their family businesses and the Hassler Roma is no exception. Now owned by Veruschka and Roberto Wirth, the sixth successive generation of the Wirth family managing the hotel, the five-star institution is undergoing a dramatic renovation this year. To celebrate, the hotel hosted a cookery class at a similarly storied institution, Enrica Rocca Cooking School, to learn how to eat like a Roman.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by Veruschka and Roberto and offered slices of pizzetta slices, topped with cheese and rosemary, before being led to our workstations, each of which had a mound of flour and an egg. We would be making tagliatelle all'amatriciana, toothsome homemade pasta with a simple tomato sauce, made extra-rich by the inclusion of guanciale, fatty cured pork cheek, among other culinary delights from the Italian capital.

As we kneaded the egg and flour, which transformed from a shaggy, straggly pile to a smooth, supple dough, Sophie Clarke, the Hassler’s director of sales and marketing, told us about the hotel’s remarkable new era. The refurbishment will include a new look for Chef Antonini’s Michelin-starred restaurant Imàgo, as well as a refreshed design for the hotel’s al-fresco dining area Palm Court, designed by renowned interior designer Jacques Garcia. Clarke noted how many architects had insisted on gutting the hotel to give it a complete makeover; Garcia, in collaboration with the Wirth siblings, insisted on keeping period details intact. As with Italian food, heritage and tradition are what keep the spirit of the Hassler alive.

Next on the menu was suppli, the Roman version of arancini, those delectable deep-fried risotto balls. We shaped premade risotto into egg shaped balls, stuffed them with mozzarella and dipped them in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. A quick fry and they were ready to eat, piping hot and oozing cheese. While the cooks tended to the tomato sauce, we rolled out our tagliatelle and gave it a quick boil to keep its bite. Finally, the pasta was tossed in the lard-slicked sauce and scattered with pecorino and toothsome guanciale nuggets. Eating it al fresco with a glass of sparkling white wine, I felt as if I was on a Roman holiday myself. It might be a while before I get to visit Hotel Hassler myself – rooms are notoriously sought after – so until I do, I’ll be making tagliatelle and dreaming of a spritz in the sun.