Roman tripe is a traditionally poor dish not only in terms of the ingredients it is made of but also – surprisingly – in terms of its caloric intake. Contrary to what is commonly thought, it is actually a food light which can be consumed in peace without fearing problems with the scales: in 100 grams of raw beef tripe there are only 85 calories and 3.69 grams of fat! It is therefore not a dish suitable only for those who can afford "large binges" but a low calorie food, simple and at the same time substantial and tasty. Undeniably, tripe may not be easy to digest but this depends on the structure of the protein tissues that compose it rather than on the lipid content.
The cut of meat that tripe is made of is low-calorie, lean, rich in proteins, iron and group B vitamins and instead free of carbohydrates and fibre. It's part of the fifth-quarter of the bovine together with others offal such as coratella, coda and pajata: all typical foods of the traditional Roman cuisine and Lazio in general. These parts of the cattle were in fact those that remained for poor families after having allocated the best quarters to the nobles and were precisely the least valuable and therefore the least expensive to purchase. The tripe was a very popular dish in Lazio and typically consumed on Saturdays during lunch. “Thursday gnocchi, Friday fish, Saturday tripe”: this was the usual menu and still today in some Roman taverns typical, the "tripe Saturday" sign is posted to warn customers. Who doesn't know Sora Lella, the exceptional ambassador of this dish?
In Italy there are many tripe-based recipes and they vary depending on the region. Tripe is in fact a very popular food both for its low cost and its unquestionable goodness. Among the many variations, however, the real recipe for tripe is the Roman one: this one it is prepared stewed with tripe cut into strips. The tripe is then poured onto chopped onion, carrots and celery and fried in oil, then browned with the tomato sauce and, at the end of cooking, the ingredients are added which differentiate it from all the others, making it special: mint and pecorino romano grated.
Tripe can be consumed as a second course or as a single dish, ideal in any case for light cuisine. The caloric intake varies based on the ingredients with which you choose to prepare it but Roman tripe with sauce still remains a food light and nutritious, truly suitable for everyone.
English 
Italiano 