Checca

Checca is a traditional uncooked sauce (or condiment) hailing from Rome. It's usually made with a combination of firm tomatoes, green olives, parsley, basil, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. The ingredients are simply mixed together and the sauce is left to rest, covered, for about half an hour. It is then served with pasta such as cavatelli, strascinati, conchiglie, lumachelle, and farfalle. The tomatoes should be firm, acidic, and on the greener side – definitely not bright red or ripe. This sauce is especially popular during the summer. It is believed that checca was named after an unidentified Roman woman, probably Francesca, as checca is a diminutive of that name.