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.
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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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!
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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 […]
This classic Tuscan cake has been exported all over the world and there are a myriad of recipes in existence. It’s delicious and always worth the effort but it’s terrible when it’s made badly, as is everything else. Everyone needs to have a recipe for this to be able to make it quickly and this […]
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