vincenzo opened this place well before the metro arrived and he wanted to rehabilitate the surrounding regions mediocre reputation for food and bring the best of the countryside back for his neighbors to enjoy at fair prices. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> right, right. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> can i taste some? >> yes. >> pecorino cheese is made from sheep's milk and rome is famous for it. historically, the animals were raised as a cheaper alternative to cattle and crops. vincenzo goes a step further and searches in some unlikely places for cheese that also helps his community. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> what does that mean? in jail? okay. only in italy would an ancient cheese recipe be saved by prisoners. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> really? >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> right. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> that is delicious. as well as sheep's milk , pork makes its way into almost every dish in rome. pigs were raised all around the city because they need less space than other animals. >> [ speaking foreign language ] guanciale, pancetta. [

we're meeting enzo's special supplier, uncle vincenzo. behind his rusty gates i'm reminded that here in italy, treasures are to be found in the most unlikely locations. >> i've eaten san marzano tomatoes all around the world, but the bright, balanced flavor of these is like nothing i've ever tasted. >> stanley: that's it? yeah, no, impossible. yeah. varieties using the san marzano name are grown everywhere from new jersey to new zealand. but only the tomatoes grown right here are fed by the nutrient-rich soil gifted by our old friend looming on the horizon. >> stanley: wow. wow! after our little shopping trip, we're back in the city and finally, finally, the maestro is making a pizza for me. mass-produced pizza brands always add sugar, fat and flavorings, but in napoli it's just water, flour, salt, yeast, and a lot of skill. incredible. nice. the crushed san marzanos from uncle vincenzo go on first. next, the creamy nuggets of mozzarella di bufala to counteract the sweet sharpness of the tomatoes. and a final flourish to add saltiness and

it was named after the opera, norma, composed by one of catania's most famous sons, vincenzo bellini. so pasta alla norma is a very famous sicilian dish. and the recipe we're gonna make today is from your family? >> eggplants are a gift left by the arab domination in the 9th century and in sicilian cooking they often replace meat because they're cheaper and they grow everywhere. and then tomato? >> tucci: what kind of pasta are you using? >> of course, homemade, fresh cut macaroni. what else? and it wouldn't be a norma without salty baked ricotta on top. >> what do you think? >> i love it. i love it, it's so simple and it's really delicate. >> thank you. >> oh my god, it's so good. for the next dish, roberta's promised me something special. i never imagined myself or anyone else, eating donkey. it's a donkey. >> yes. >> it was a donkey. >> yes. donkeys are a favorite around here... this is delicious. ...because they've always been hardworking companions for sicilian farmers. the meat is sweet. >> yes. >> believe it or not, it's really good. it's like beef carpaccio but even sweeter. t