Italy is rich not only in history and culture, but also in traditional Italian recipes. As a matter of fact, aside from the all-time authentic Italian recipes such as pasta dishes and pizza, which are cooked and served throughout the country, each region has its own special dishes as well.
Another factor you may encounter with regards to Italian cooking is that the same classic authentic Italian recipes may have different spellings or altogether different names in different locales. They may have the same main ingredients, cooking methods, presentations, and all. But don’t be too shocked if you encounter basically the same dish but with a different name when you’re in another town, commune, city, or region. Not only that, but even traditional Italian recipes handed down for several generations may vary from family to family, too!
To begin with, Italian cuisine has its roots way back in the ancient world, particularly in the 4th century BC. On top of that, there were significant influences indelibly left by several ancient civilizations, namely the following:
A civilization in ancient Italy that settled in the areas that are now Tuscany, northern Lazio, and western Umbria. What has been discovered about Etruscan cuisine did not come from ancient cookbooks but on domestic items and decorations discovered in their ancient cities. Based on historical findings, Etruscans were not fond of eating meat. They preferred cheese, garlic, legumes, and onion. They also liked soup. However, historians do believe they raised pigs.
An influential ancient civilization in the Mediterranean that played a huge part in the development of many European civilizations. Historians also believe they had a major role in the foundation of the modern Western culture, as we know it today. Its cuisine basically revolved around three major ingredients: wheat, wine, and olive oil. Other common foodstuff you could find in an ancient Greek household were bread, fruits and vegetables, eggs, and dairy products. Meat consumption depended on location and social status. Wild birds and hare were usually hunted in the countryside. In farms, it was usually domesticated fowls such as chickens and geese. Meanwhile, bigger domesticated animals such as pigs, goats, and sheep were common in the cities.
A politically powerful world power in ancient world history, it is also heavily influenced by the ancient Greeks. Among the major foodstuff in ancient Roman households were grains, legumes, leafy vegetables, some root crops, herbs, wild mushrooms, citrus and dried fruits, berries and nuts, olive oil, meat and dairy products, seasonings, and sweeteners. Grains were often made into breads and was a common fare for the military and people living in urban areas.
Aside from the major influences in the past, another determining factor in authentic Italian recipes is the location. The entire Italian peninsula has quite a diverse landscape and Italian cooking has always been about using good quality and fresh ingredients. So families or households simply use whatever food items that can be easily found in the market, according to location.
In coastal areas, you will often find various kinds of seafood in many of their traditional Italian recipes. For mountainous areas, usual fares will be ones with heavy meat dishes, as well as cured or preserved fish. Pasta ingredients may also have differences, since dried pasta made of semolina is typical in the south while soft fresh pasta made with egg is the usual in the north.
Other characteristics of classic Italian recipes are its simplicity and seasonal ingredients. In fact, many traditional dishes can be considered easy Italian recipes, from their ingredients to their method to their presentation.
I make fresh pasta from scratch every week. It reminds me of my Nonna who taught me how to make all the different shapes and varieties of pasta. This recipe combines some of my favorite ingredients, Porcini mushrooms, leeks and prosciutto with my favorite fresh pasta—pappardelle. The flavors are powerful and pronounced, while being true […]
Polenta is made from corn meal that is an ancient peasant food—in Northern Italy it is made with a harder consistency, cut and grilled and topped with a sauce, while in the center and South, it is served creamy, almost like American grits. I made this recipe as a warm comforting dish with a slow-cooked […]
There’s no need to spend a fortune this time of the year and anyway, most of us have been affected by the economic downswing in some way or other, so we can’t. It is important, though, that we give ourselves some time to enjoy the company of our loved ones and even if there’s only […]
Tender, chewy farro and earthy mushrooms make this hearty soup a meal in itself. Although it takes an hour to make, most of that is simmering time, during which you can feel free to curl up with a good book and wait for the flavors to meld. Farro is an ancient grain that is said […]
Making mustard is not only simple but is versatile – there are thousands of taste combinations that will suit whatever it is you’re cooking – so why limit yourself to store bought mustard? Mustard is made of a basic mixture that consists of dry mustard seeds, vinegar and the seasonings of your choice. They get […]
There is a restaurant in Naples called Limoncello and today we pay tribute to them – the food is always excellent, the pizza bianca they serve before the meal out of this world and they make the best grilled calamari around. They also make brilliant Limoncello and few people leave without having, at least, one. There […]
The first time I ate bottarga was in a trattoria in Rome; the owner-cum-chef wasn’t overly friendly when I asked for a menu and tersely said that it changes daily because he only cooks the best and the freshest. Then he gave me three options. I learnt, that day, that in most Italian eateries it’s […]
If I was forced to choose a favorite cheese, I’d leave the room because it’s impossible so I’d have to choose a top 20 and, without doubt, good mozzarella will be one of them. Whilst many people believe that this cheese is essentially a generic term for a number of Italian cheeses, as far as […]
Polpette are meatballs Meatballs are served as a main dish or in soups all throughout Italy. Almost every country in the world has their own version of a meatball. Italian-Americans created their own main dish of meatballs served with spaghetti, which is something I had never seen before in Italy. With this recipe, I remembered how much I loved these little […]
A good Sicilian peperonata is one of the most underrated and economical meals on menus today. It’s a brilliant option for vegan and vegetarian guests and it’s truly easy on the pocket, an important factor nowadays. Peperonata can be eaten hot and at room temperature like its cousin caponata; the advantage of eating this at […]
Torta della Nonna is a traditional Roman and Tuscan dessert to be found in most Italian bakeries. Rome, the eternal city, produces one version and Naples, the city for the sweet toothed on the Italian mainland, the other. The cake is delicious, similar to the Pastiera Napoletana and is made at Easter. The Italians aren’t […]
I get a lot of emails asking for new chicken recipes, since it is the most popular meat in America. I took influence from my recent trip to Tuscany and found this simple and delicious recipe called Pollo al Mattone which means “chicken under a brick”…but I decided to eliminate the brick and instead I cooked it in my cast […]
The casatiello is a traditional Neapolitan bread that is made as part of Easter celebrations. Typically donut shaped, it features a mixture of water, lard, lots of pepper, and brewer’s yeast. It is also enriched with many different varieties of cheese; in particular, and cured meats are hidden inside. The main difference between the casatiello […]
Like all other countries on earth, Sardinia has had her fair share of problem but it hasn’t had a negative effect on the people at all – they are extremely hospitable and generous to a fault and will invite a stranger into their homes to share a meal at the drop of a hat. Pasta […]
A Japanese legend tells of a warrior who became so old that he outlived his family. His most precious memory was of playing underneath a cherry tree, but when it died, he was so devastated that he wanted to die too, despite the fact that a new tree had been planted nearby. That winter, the […]
Choux pastry isn’t made like other types of pastry. Here the fat is put into a pan with water and when this has boiled, the flour is poured in and the mixture beaten. It’s really important that you only beat the flour until the pastry is smooth and it only takes a few seconds.If you […]
Anelletti al Forno. From the city of Trapani in Sicily comes this delicious baked pasta dish, similar to a Baked Ziti, but with a smaller pasta shape. I switched out the usual meat sauce of pork and beef and used ground turkey, which is lighter and perfect for the hotter days of Summer. I sent […]
When my grandmother was preparing the dish every Sunday in Italy, no one in the family was late for lunch! I can still remember the aroma of the ragu that was cooking all morning. In my house we strictly respected the Bolognese tradition in the making of this dish, but during the years she adapted […]
Soup is a wonderful meal to serve as a starter, a light or not-so-light lunch and for any supper. Tomatoes lend themselves to soup and are used as an ingredient in almost all soups to give color, to add flavor and zest. Tomato soup was fashionable in the sixties and then it was canned – […]
There’s no doubt that my favorite panettone is the Poli and and the best spumante I can think of is the Giulio Ferrari, Riserva del Fondatore which is why, if you can get hold it, it’s the Christmas gift to give any Italian. And me. If anyone needs to know where to deliver mine, just […]
This Italian cheese bread is a traditional Easter bread from two bordering regions of Italy: Umbria and Marche. In Umbria is called “Pizza di Pasqua”, while “Crescia al Formaggio” in the Marche region. Regardless of its name, it’s delicious!
A frico is a cheese pancake that isn’t really a pancake because it has no eggs. Fried until it’s firm and crisp, it’s typical of Carnia, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Potatoes are usually added but the variations are endless and each village and mountain valley has their own interpretation or recipe. Nowadays […]
Lombardians have far too often been unfairly accused of failing to contribute to the Italian cuisine – and that because they were the ones building the economic hub driving the Italian economy so that the South can indulge in a few extra long and lazy lunches! It is forgotten, all too soon, that Italian blood […]
Even though I always believed that this well loved sweet was originally the brainchild of Apicius who lovingly described nucatum (also based on honey, walnuts and eggs) in his writings, it was probably the romantic in me and it does seem that nougat, in it’s current form was invented in Marseilles during the 16th century and was probably the result […]
I don’t know whether it’s a kick back from the childhood days or whether it’s just a thing with me but I love beans – especially cannellini beans and Tuscan bean soup leaves me weak at the knees. There’s no single recipe for it and I’ve come across dozens in my life, eventually settling for […]
