Italian cooking is known for its most popular dishes: pizza and pasta, though there is obviously more to it than that. Italian cooking offers a wide variety of dishes, using fresh products, and it is very varied from one region to another. Although Italy has only one unifying language, dialects are still very much in use and this diversity of Italian culture is reflected in the cuisine with each region having its speciality or different method of cooking the same dish. This diversity can be explained by the variety of climates and environments and by the fact that political unification only occurred in 1861, which helped each region maintain its traditions.

Brief History of Italian Cooking

Italian cooking has also been influenced by the people who occupied the country throughout history. Much of Italian cooking is based on ancient Roman and Greek traditions. Polenta for example (a dish made from corn flour) is almost the same dish as eaten by the Roman soldiers around 2,000 years ago.

The invasions by French, Germans and Austrian forces further modified the local traditions and traces of these are still present in northern Italy. 

During the Renaissance period, the desire for greater sophistication was also reflected in the cooking. From their journeys abroad, Marco Polo and other Italian travellers brought back new tastes, exotic foods and spices. 

Pizza was invented in southern Italy, near Naples, where poverty meant that local people combined whatever they had available into a single bread-based dish.

A Typical Italian Meal

In Italy breakfast is considered a minor occasion. However as many children do not have school in the afternoon and some businesses close at midday, lunch is far more significant. 

A typical Italian meal will consist of:

• A combination of starters called antipasti (the term antipasto meaning "before the pasta"). The antipasti could include cold meats (ham, salami, mortadella, or coppa), fish and various versions of seafood (anchovies, sardines, tuna fish), olives, mushrooms and other vegetables (peppers in olive oil, aubergines, artichokes). Small quiches, vegetable pies, stuffed vegetables, pieces of pizza, ham and melon, tomatoes and mozzarella may also be served
• A warm starter, called primo piatto, which may include: pasta in all its different shapes and tastes (for example with vegetables, fish, meat or sauce and cheese), or rice cooked as a risotto, gnocchi (small dumplings made of potatoes or flour or both), polenta which is made out of corn flour or some kind of soup or minestrone
  • There are many types of pasta, each one usually named according to its shape. Each shape (due to it's ability to hold a sauce) complements a specific sauce. Whether the pasta is fresh or dry, it has to be cooked in boiling water until it is al dente ("to the tooth"/firm). Some pastas such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, linguini, fettucini or vermicelli are long and thin whereas other ones have very different shapes: penne are hollow oblongs, conchiglie look like shells, farfalle look like butterflies, spirali like spirals. Some pasta (ravioli, lasagna or cannelloni) may be stuffed or garnished with meat or vegetables
• A main dish, the secondo piatto is generally fish or meat served with or without a side dish (contorno). In main courses, the most common meats will be veal, chicken and pork. Lamb is also served, especially during feasts such as Easter or Christmas, and beef is mainly served as steak (bistecca). Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, or beans) and salads may be served with the main dish
• A dessert, often fruit and/or ice-cream, is popular; the best known desserts include tiramisu, panna cotta, and zabaglione

Regional Specialities

• The Piedmont and Lombardy regions are famous for osso-bucco (knuckles of veal), risotto and cotoletta alla Milanese (a coated veal escalope). Soups are also very popular, particularly minestrone
• In the Venice region there are both seafood and traditional country dishes: risotto with seafood, black spaghetti with anchovies (bigoli in salsa), lasagne with fish (pasticcio di pesce).
• Emilia-Romagna is a famous culinary region, with a wide choice of cold meats (sausages, ham, mortadella) and pastas, often served with the famous Bolognese sauce (salsa Bolognese)
• In Florence and all over Tuscany the most famous dish is the bistecca alla Fiorentina, a thick piece of grilled beef. One can also eat knuckles of veal, as well as fish in the cacciucco (fish soup) or the baccala alla livornese (cod with tomato)
• Umbria and Marche are known for the porchetta (grilled suckling pig) and spuntatura di agnello (grilled lamb with herbs). Wild game is also popular. Other local specialities are melanzane alla parmigiana (aubergines with cheese) and olive ripiene (stuffed olives)
• In the Rome and Lazio area a wide range of recipes can be found: veal escalopes with ham (saltimbocca), the famous Roman tripe as well as roast lamb (abacchio alla romana). Ham is eaten together with figs, and there is a wide choice of vegetables including peas, asparagus and artichokes

And of course the south is famous for pizza.

Further Information

• Anna Maria: a description of Italian cooking
• About.com: a brief summary of food and drink in Italy
• See the AngloINFO INFOrmation Page, Wines of Italy

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