At Pasticceria il Boccione, the oldest bakery in Rome's Jewish Ghetto since 1815, indulge in rich ricotta tarts and unique pizza ebraica while soaking in its delicious history.
"Pasticceria Boccione is the sole kosher bakery left in Rome’s historic Jewish Ghetto. This is not a coincidence: their baked tart brimming with a mound of ricotta cheese and thin layer of wild cherry jam is the best in the city. Their second greatest item is their pizza ebraica—a sweet bread filled with candied fruit and toasted nuts. Cram into the bakery (which is smaller than a walk-in closet), place your order with one of the kind sisters who run the place behind the counter, and don’t be alarmed if your baked goods have a cracked crust or burnt edge—that’s all part of the charm." - gillian mcguire, annie replogle
"Pasticceria Boccione is the sole kosher bakery left in Rome’s historic Jewish Ghetto. This is not a coincidence: their baked tart brimming with a mound of ricotta cheese and thin layer of wild cherry jam is the best in the city. Their second greatest item is their pizza ebraica—a sweet bread filled with candied fruit and toasted nuts. Cram into the bakery (which is smaller than a walk-in closet), place your order with one of the kind sisters who run the place behind the counter, and don’t be alarmed if your baked goods have a cracked crust or burnt edge—that’s all part of the charm." - Annie Replogle
"For more than three centuries, Rome’s Jewish community was confined to a walled ghetto along the Tiber River. The squalid buildings are long gone, but a historic ghetto-era bakery survives on what has become the transformed neighborhood’s main thoroughfare. The pizza ebraica — an almond flour-based fruit cake studded with nuts, raisins, and candied fruits — is an easy specialty to eat on the go, but it’s worth seeking out a bench to get messy with a slice of the spectacular ricotta and sour-cherry tart. Also try the amaretti and biscotti made with heaps of cinnamon and a generous smattering of whole almonds." - Katie Parla
"Anyone strolling past Pasticceria il Boccione in the late afternoon might not see anything special. By that point, the window display set into its rust-colored, crumbling facade might very well be empty. Perhaps there will be one or two rounds of left-over crostata. But these, too, might mislead unknowing passersby: Burnt to a crisp on top, they look almost like mistakes. Like its humble exterior, the bakery’s blackened crostata hide delicious contents and serious history. Local legend holds that these crispy tops once served an important purpose: When a 16th-century papal decree forbade Roman Jews from selling dairy products, resourceful bakers hid their crostata’s ricotta and wild cherry filling beneath a blackened upper crust. The result was a new treat that’s remained a neighborhood favorite to this day. Opened in 1815, Pasticceria il Boccione is the oldest surviving bakery in Rome’s Jewish ghetto. Along with the classic cherry and a chocolate-chip version of their crostata, Boccione is also known for its pizza ebraica. A far cry from anything covered in mozzarella and tomato sauce, this “Hebraic pizza” is actually a hard cookie studded with dried fruit and nuts. Although they can only be found within the Jewish ghetto, the sweet, crunchy logs have found fans in unexpected places: In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared pizza ebraica his favorite dessert. As one of the only remaining sources of these rare sweets, Pasticceria il Boccione tends to sell out in the morning. Set your alarm, then follow the smell of yeast and caramelizing sugars through the cobblestone streets of this historic neighborhood until you find the line of hungry fans." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"Anyone strolling past Pasticceria il Boccione in the late afternoon might not see anything special. By that point, the window display set into its rust-colored, crumbling facade might very well be empty. Perhaps there will be one or two rounds of left-over crostata. But these, too, might mislead unknowing passersby: Burnt to a crisp on top, they look almost like mistakes. Like its humble exterior, the bakery’s blackened crostata hide delicious contents and serious history. Local legend holds that these crispy tops once served an important purpose: When a 16th-century papal decree forbade Roman Jews from selling dairy products, resourceful bakers hid their crostata’s ricotta and wild cherry filling beneath a blackened upper crust. The result was a new treat that’s remained a neighborhood favorite to this day. Opened in 1815, Pasticceria il Boccione is the oldest surviving bakery in Rome’s Jewish ghetto. Along with the classic cherry and a chocolate-chip version of their crostata, Boccione is also known for its pizza ebraica. A far cry from anything covered in mozzarella and tomato sauce, this “Hebraic pizza” is actually a hard cookie studded with dried fruit and nuts. Although they can only be found within the Jewish ghetto, the sweet, crunchy logs have found fans in unexpected places: In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI declared pizza ebraica his favorite dessert. As one of the only remaining sources of these rare sweets, Pasticceria il Boccione tends to sell out in the morning. Set your alarm, then follow the smell of yeast and caramelizing sugars through the cobblestone streets of this historic neighborhood until you find the line of hungry fans. Know Before You Go The bakery is closed on Friday afternoons, all day Saturday, and on Jewish holidays." - Cristina Meraklis BalmaTivola, Collector of Experiences, Sam OBrien, fabrizioromanelli, ahoy
