| The pleasures and love of Italian cuisine are known the | | | | gnocchiSecondo Piatto (Second Course) usually meat |
| world over. Italian cookery and recipes vary from | | | | or fishContorno (Side Dish) vegetables or salad to |
| region to region, and on the whole it is very healthy | | | | accompany the meatDolci (Sweet) Fresh fruit is |
| and nutritious, using natural ingredients that are in | | | | usually eaten as the preferred optionBread is also |
| season.Most traditional and 'speciality' dishes as we | | | | usually always eaten alongside the meal.North of |
| know today, are on the whole derived from simple | | | | ItalySome original and unique types of ingredients and |
| peasant cookery, for example the Pizza, which could | | | | cooking originated from the north; Balsamic vinegar |
| be found a couple of centuries ago on the streets of | | | | (Modena), pesto (Liguria), and tortellini (Bologna) to |
| Naples being sold by street vendors to those that had | | | | name but a few! Other food characteristically eaten in |
| no cooking facilities of their own at home.Although | | | | the North is Polenta, that can be eaten in many |
| there are essential ingredients that every Italian kitchen | | | | different ways, e.g fried and even in a polenta cake. |
| should have, (including basil, garlic and olive oil!), the | | | | Dishes in the North tend to be a bit 'heavier' than that in |
| most important ingredients are passion and | | | | the South, (think the ingredients used for Spaghetti |
| creativity.Italians take great pride and pleasure in their | | | | Carbonara compared to the classic healthier and |
| food, and cooking and eating habits can vary from | | | | lighter tomato sauces of the South!)Central ItalyCentral |
| region to region, even from village to village. Each place | | | | Italy is very diverse, and such regions as Rome, |
| has their own unique dishes and ingredients, and even | | | | Florence and have little in common. Some examples to |
| the traditional dishes that are so popular all over Italy | | | | be found all around central Italy are Porchetta (pig |
| are cooked in different ways depending which region | | | | stuffed with rosemary and fennel), pork, lamb, black |
| you go to. For example, if you eat a lasagne from | | | | truffles and porcini mushrooms.South |
| Naples, it doesn't have the bechamel sauce as you | | | | ItalyCharacterized by the abundance use of fish, |
| would expect in the more traditional lasagne. It also has | | | | aubergines, peppers, olives, the spicy ingredient |
| small meatballs (or polpette)as oppposed to mince, and | | | | pepperoncino, and first and foremost the tomato, |
| also salami and eggs.The different regional cooking | | | | which has a huge industry in Naples. In the Naples and |
| depends on a number of factors, not only as to what | | | | Campania regions, there is some Spanish and French |
| ingredients are most abundant each region, but also | | | | influence to be found in the cookery. Pizza and pasta |
| historical factors. Naples, for example, was founded by | | | | are especially popular and traditional, the Pizza |
| the Greeks, and this had some influence on the | | | | Margherita having been born in Naples. In Apulia, they |
| Neapolitan way of life. Not only in the language and | | | | have a diet rich in fish (mussels and oysters being a |
| music, but also in the cookery.Traditional Italian | | | | speciality)and vegetables. The orecchiette (little |
| MenuAntipasto (Appetizer) e.g. salami, or | | | | ears)pasta is also from Apulia.Buon Appetito!Juliana de |
| bruschettaPrimo Piatto (First Course) usually pasta or | | | | Angelis is a travel writer about Italy... |