ROME, February 12, 2026 — Beneath the bustling streets of modern Rome lies a hidden world within Monte Testaccio, an ancient hill constructed entirely of broken amphorae, where businesses like nightclubs and restaurants now operate alongside centuries-old caves used for food and wine storage.
Ancient Caves, Modern Flavors: Rome’s Unique Aging Spaces
A network of tunnels carved into a historic rubbish dump is now home to artisanal food producers and a revival of traditional aging techniques.
- Monte Testaccio, built from discarded Roman amphorae, houses a network of caves and tunnels.
- These caves provide ideal conditions for aging cheese and cured meats, maintaining steady low temperatures and humidity.
- Vincenzo Mancini of project DOL is revitalizing the use of these caves for artisanal food production.
- The traditional Roman dish, cacio e pepe, has roots in ancient practices of shepherds and innkeepers.
Vincenzo Mancini, whose project DOL distributes artisanal products from small agricultural realities in Lazio, recently reclaimed a deep cave behind door 93 as an urban aging space for cheese and cured meat. A visit with chefs from Trullo in London a few months ago included a cheese tasting and an unexpected plate of cacio e pepe.
The terms “cacio” and “formaggio” both translate to cheese, with “cacio” being the older, originating from the Latin word caseus, potentially derived from cohaesus, meaning cohesive – describing the process of milk transforming into curds. “Formaggio” emerged later, from the medieval Latin formaticum (form), stemming from the Greek φόρμος, the name of the wicker containers used to drain and shape curdled milk.
Columella’s treatise, De Re Rustica, detailed cheese-making processes, including heating sheep’s milk with lamb or kid rennet until it coagulated, then draining the curds, salting them, and leaving them to age in a cool, dark place. Cheese also served as a practical food source for Roman legions, described by food writer Eleonora Baldwin as la barretta energetica – the energy bar – provided daily to marching soldiers.
The term “pecorino,” relating to cheese, comes from the Latin pecus pecŏris (sheep). Historically, pecorino was a generic term for local cheeses, not requiring specific qualifications or geographical identifiers. It was only when products were traded beyond their origin that the need for identification and marketing arose, leading to varieties like pecorino sardo, pecorino romano, pecorino siciliano, and many others.
While numerous pecorino varieties exist, pecorino romano has historically been the cacio of Rome and Lazio. Following laws established in the late 1800s and the impact of urban growth in the 1950s, over 95% of pecorino romano is now produced on the island of Sardinia, with the remainder originating in Lazio and the Tuscan province of Grosseto. Mancini collaborates with Deroma dairy in Torrita Tiberina, aging 12-month pecorino romano wheels, their rinds a pale straw color, within the caves.
The cave’s microclimate, combined with the bacterial microflora within the walls, contributes to the cheese’s flavor development. The creamy, sheepish, and salty flavor deepens and evolves over 24, 36, 48 months, and beyond, while the rounds develop carefully controlled mold coats ranging from mottled clam brown to dark moss green.
Adjacent to Mancini’s cave is Flavio al Velavevodetto, a restaurant. When discussing the best way to prepare cacio e pepe, Mancini retrieved freshly cooked tonnarelli pasta. He tossed it with generous handfuls of grated 36-month pecorino romano and black pepper, shaking and rubbing the mixture to create a creamy sauce. This method likely mirrors how shepherds and innkeepers traditionally prepared the dish, potentially encouraging patrons to consume more.
The cheese clings to the pasta like sand, and the recipe is worth trying: estimate 150g of fresh pasta, 50g of grated pecorino, and a heaped teaspoon of freshly smashed pepper per person. It was, personally, the most enjoyable cacio e pepe experience to date.
Cacio e pepe in a cloth (in un panno)
Serves 2
Salt
100g pecorino
2 heaped tsp whole black peppercorns
1 very large napkin or cotton tea-towel
300g fresh tonnarelli, or tagliatelle
Bring a pan of well-salted water to the boil. Grate the cheese on the star side of the grater so it’s soft and sandy – avoid a microplane if possible. Smash the peppercorns with something heavy until coarsely crushed.
Prepare the cloth: it must be big enough that you can gather up the ends and form a bag to shake.
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Use a spider slice or tongs to lift the pasta on to the cloth, spreading it out a bit so it dries a little. Sprinkle the cheese and pepper over the top, then gather up the ends of the cloth so they form a bag. Shake and rub the fabric so the cheese distributes in an even, sandy way.
Open up the cloth and, if are in a field, eat directly from the cloth, otherwise lift it on to plates. Serve with plenty of wine or water.
Related reading
