Italian cuisine

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Italian cuisine is extremely varied: the country of Italy was only unified in 1861, and its cuisines reflect the cultural variety of its regions and its diverse history (with culinary influences from Greek, Roman, Norman and Arab civilizations). Italian cuisine is regarded as a prime example of the Mediterranean diet, and is imitated all over the world.

To a certain extent there is really no such thing as Italian cuisine in the way that one usually understands national cuisines. Each area has its own proud specialties, primarily at Regional level, but also even at Provincial level. Italian cuisine is not only highly regionalised, it is very seasonal. The high priority placed on the use of fresh, seasonal produce distinguishes the cuisine of Italy from the imitations available in most other countries.

1 Regional differences
- 1.1 Northern versus Southern Italian cooking
2 Traditional menu structure
3 Holiday Cuisine
4 Regional cuisines
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Regional differences

Roman cuisine, for example, uses a lot of pecorino (sheep milk cheese) and offal (called frattaje in Rome), while Tuscan cooking features white beans, meat, and unsalted bread. Pizza also varies across the county, the crusts of pizzas in Rome are thin as crackers, while Neapolitan and Sicilian pizza is thicker. The influence of Northern Italian cuisine can be seen in French and German cuisines. Piemonte and Lombardia each grow their own different kind of rices, which are used to make risotto. The North of Italy is the home of polenta. Emilia-Romagna is known for lasagna and tortellini (stuffed pasta), mortadella, prosciutto, and parmigiano. Naples (Napoli) is the home of pizza, mozzarella and pastries (babà, sfogliatelle). Calabria's cuisine uses a lot of hot pepper for its distinctive salami (that are common, in several varieties, in about all the Country) and uses capsicum. Sicily is the home of gelato (ice cream) and granita but its cuisine also has many influences from Arab cuisine (lemon, pistachio) and also includes fish (tuna, swordfish). Sardinia is famous for lamb and pecorino. Every province (sub-division of a Region) has proper desserts and many other recipes.

[edit] Northern versus Southern Italian cooking

As a general rule, northern and southern Italian cuisines are differentiated primarily by the cooking fat and style of pasta commonly used. Northern Italian cuisine (other than on the coast) favors butter, cream, polenta, Mascarpone, Grana Padano, and Parmigiano cheeses, risotto and fresh egg pasta, while Southern Italian cuisine tends toward Mozzarella, Caciocavallo and Pecorino cheeses, olive oil and dried pasta. Southern Italian cuisine also makes greater use of the ubiquitous tomato. Wines of great renown are produced especially in northern Italy (such as Piedmont's Asti Spumante) but also in southern Italy (just to name one, Marsala).

[edit] Traditional menu structure

A traditional Italian menu consists of:

L'antipasto - hot and cold appetizers
Il primo ("First Course"), usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup. There are usually abundant vegetarian options.
Il secondo ("Second Course"), the main dish, usually fish or meat (Pasta is never the main course in a traditional menu). Traditionally veal is the most commonly used meat, at least in the north, though beef has become more popular since World War II and wild game is very popular, particularly in Tuscany.
Il contorno ("Side Dish") may consist of a salad or vegetables. A traditional menu features salad after the main course.
Il dolce ("Dessert")
Il caffè ("Coffee") (espresso)
Liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro (drink), limoncello) sometimes referred to as ammazzacaffè ("Coffee killer")

One notable and often surprising aspect of an Italian meal, especially if eaten in an Italian home, is that the primo, or first course, is usually the more filling dish, providing most of the meal's carbohydrates, and will consist of either risotto or pasta (both being excellent sources). The secondo, or second course, which in French or British cuisine really is the main course, is often scant in comparison. The exception to this tends to be in Tuscany, where a traditional menu would see soup served as a primo and a hefty meat dish as the secondo.

[edit] Holiday Cuisine

Italians celebrate each holiday with a different cuisine, each in turn having a specific meaning. During the Christmas season, Italians will celebrate the birth of Jesus with some variation of the Feast of the Seven Fishes where seven different meatless seafood dishes are served on Christmas Eve.

[edit] Regional cuisines

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[edit] Cuisine of Abruzzo

Abruzzo is a region of Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in Central Italy. This area is predominantly mountains with some small valleys, and sheepherding, farming and livestock were all traditional ways of living. As such, pork, sheep, and goat are the main meats eaten in Abruzzo. Abruzzese cuisine is one of the few in Italy which uses hot peppers to any degree, and the Abruzzese call their red chili peppers diavolino or little devils.

[edit] Cuisine of Calabria

Calabria, the "toe" of Italy is known for its "simple" cuisine, often because it has traditionally been one of the poorer regions of Italy. Pork is the dominant meat, and there is often a striking balance between meat and vegetables in many Calabrese dishes. Frittatas, homemade omelets, are often used to get rid of "leftovers." Eggplant is used extensively in Calabrese cuisine.

[edit] Cuisine of Campania

For many around the world, especially those in the United States, much of what is Italian cuisine is the cuisine of Campania. The city of Naples brought the world pizza.