The Quality of Life

B Y B U R T O N A N D E R S O N

thefoodsofitaly

N a t u r a l m e n t e I t a l i a n o

ITALY ON THE WEB

WWW.ITALIANMADE.COMa user friendly website, exclusively dedicated

to the wines and foods of Italy

When you ask an Italian, “What is the purpose of food?”don’t be surprised if the answer is always the same:

“To delight the palate and cheer the spirit.”Eating well is an art form that has been an essential part of

the Italian way of life for hundreds of years.

An amazing wealth of information about Italian food isoffered at www.italianmade.com, the most comprehensive

database available pertaining to the food products and winesfrom every region of Italy.

This extensive website is a valuable educational referencefor menu and event planning, food and wine pairing and foracquiring the latest and most up to date information about

the wines and foods of Italy.

visit:www.italianmade.com

Published by the Italian Trade CommissionSponsored by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Resources© The Italian Trade Commission, New York, 2001The text was written by Burton Anderson2nd Edition

Table of Contents

Introduction 5Italian Food Through the Ages 7Italian Specialty Foods 9DOP, IGP and Organic Foods 13Eating in Italy 15

The South and Islands 17Sicily 20Sardinia 23Calabria 25Basilicata 27Apulia 29Campania 32

Central Italy 35Molise 37Abruzzi 39Latium 41Umbria 44Tuscany 48Marches 51

Northern Italy 53Emilia-Romagna 55Liguria 59Piedmont 62Valle d’Aosta 65Lombardy 67Veneto 70Friuli-Venezia Giulia 73Trentino-Alto Adige 75

Glossary 78

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Introduction

La cucina italiana with its appetizing medleys of aromas,flavors, colors and textures continues to gain magnitudeas the world’s favorite way of cooking. Italian food is

doubly appealing for its healthful nature, for the olive oil,grains, vegetables, herbs, fish, cheese, fruit and wine of theancient Mediterranean, the elements esteemed as ideal for amodern diet.

The pleasures of pasta, pizza, prosciutto, risotto,balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano® and Grana Padano,mozzarella, gelato and espresso are so popular abroad thatit’s hard to imagine that Italy doesn’t have a stereotypednational cuisine. Instead, cooks over the ages have createda monumental repertory of dishes that vary from region toregion and town to town.

What sets the cooking of Italy apart from that of any othercountry is the variety of ingredients and the spontaneity ofpreparation that makes a recipe not a routine but a point ofreference for a creative experience. The keynote of la cucinaitaliana is individual expression.

Fresh produce is essential to Italian cooks, with theirlegendary knack for making things look easy. But menus alsorely on specialty foods—cheeses, pastas, cured meats andfish, baked goods, extra virgin olive oil, vinegars, condimentsand sauces—crafted by artisans following age-oldtechniques. Their excellence can’t be duplicated, yet copiesabound. The gap in quality between Italy’s authentic artisanfoods and the widespread fabrications continues to grow.

Italians trace their gastronomic heritage to Romans,Greeks, Etruscans and other Mediterranean peoples whoelaborated the methods of raising, refining and preservingfoods. But dining customs acquired local accents in a landdivided by mountains and seas into natural enclaves whereindependent spirits developed during the repeated shifts ofruling powers that fragmented Italy from Roman times to theRisorgimento.

Still, despite the different attitudes about eatingexpressed from the Mediterranean isles to the Alps, Italianfoods have points in common. Consider pizza, whichmigrated from Naples to become what must rank as Italy’s—and the world’s—favorite fast food. Every Italian town has agelateria making ice cream, sherbet and shaved ice granita.And every piazza has a bar or two where tiny cups of denselyaromatic espresso are brewed rigorously to command.

Pasta is a national institution, though noodles and the likecome in so many shapes and sizes and carry so manynames that there is no way of documenting them all. Still,

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pasta falls into two basic categories: thedried, made from hard wheat semola mealand water, and the fresh, made from softwheat flour, usually with eggs and oftenwith other ingredients in the dough orfilling.

Dried pasta prevailed in the south andfresh pasta in the north, in territories similarto those long described as "the Italy of oliveoil and the Italy of butter." But barriers fellas spaghetti and maccheroni gainedground to the Alps and beyond while ravioliand tortellini (with their northern partnersrisotto and polenta) won admirers in theMezzogiorno. Meanwhile, extra virgin oliveoil has continued to triumph everywhere asthe essence of the Mediterranean diet.

Each province of Italy has its ownsalumi—cured meats, usually from porkbut also from other animals, in the forms ofprosciutto, salame, sausages, mortadella,bresaola and more. Italians produce anextraordinary range of cheeses. The bestknown are Parmigiano Reggiano and GranaPadano, used universally for grating butsavored at home in bite-sized chunks.Gorgonzola, Fontina, Provolone, Caciocavallo,Pecorino Romano and Sardo also haveinternational followings, as does themozzarella melted over pizza but also eatenfresh. Yet most Italian formaggio remainsproudly local.

The same can be said for breads, whichrange in type from hefty loaves of unsaltedpane toscano to Emilia’s tawny coppietterolls to Alto Adige’s dark rye Bauernbrot toTurin’s stick-like grissini to Sardinia’s brittle"music paper" and on through a nationwideassortment of flatbreads or focacce. Theinventory of pastries, biscuits, cakes,chocolates and other types of sweets isequally awe inspiring.

Italian meals may progress throughmultiple courses, from antipasto to primoand secondo, formaggio, frutta and on todolce. But even a simple repast would notbe complete without vino in the countrythat produces more wine than any other inthe greatest variety of types and styles.

Italy, with a population of about 57million, consists of 20 regions subdivided

into 103 provinces that take the names ofprominent towns. Each province boastsdistinctive foods and wines, which,needless to say, have an inherent affinity forone another. Today, in a world of ever moreuniform tastes, Italians retain theircustomary loyalty to distinctive local foodsand wines.

A growing number of these authenticfood products has been officially protectedunder European Union regulations for DOP(denominazione di origine protetta) and IGP(indicazione geografica protetta). Theprogram in Italy is modeled after thesuccessul system of wines of controlledorigin, which applies to more than 300appellations identified by the initials of DOC(denominazione di origine controllata) andDOCG (the G for garantita or guaranteed)and the recently instituted system of IGT(for indicazione geografica tipica), whichapplies to about 120 "typical" winesthroughout the country.

Italy is the leading European country fororganic or biological foods with some50,000 farms committed to growingproduce by natural methods without theuse of chemicals.

The following pages provide an accountof Italian food through the ages, a review ofspecialty products, an explanation of theDOP and IGP systems and organicproducts and a discussion of diningcustoms and the types of eating anddrinking places to be found in Italy. At theend is a glossary with definitions ofcommonly used terms for foods andbeverages.

The main part of the volume is a region-by-region survey of typical foods and stylesof cooking. It begins in the south, in thoseantique Mediterranean lands where theroots of Italy’s culinary culture took form,and moves up the peninsula past Romeand Florence and over the Apennines tothe Po valley, the nation’s most abundantsource of produce, to conclude at thenorthern border of the Alps. Hundreds ofspecial foods and dishes are described,though accounts are by no meansexhaustive.

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Italian Food Through the Ages

Ancient Rome gave western civilization the foundations ofsophisticated cuisine. Yet, while building their empire, theRomans gathered as many culinary secrets as they prop-

agated. Other Mediterranean peoples—including Etruscans andearly Italians whose achievements are rarely acknowledged—already knew the skills of milling cereals and leavening flour forbread, crushing olives for oil, converting milk to cheese andgrapes to wine and vinegar.

The diets of some contemporaries were more appetizingthan the fare of the early Romans, who subsisted mainly onmillet or spelt porridge called puls, ewe’s milk whey cheeses,primitive wines and what they could scavenge from woods,fields and streams. The Greeks ate and drank so well in theirsouthern Italian colonies of Magna Græcia that Archestratusbecame known as the father of gastronomy for his ode to thefoods of Sicily in the third century B.C.

Over time, though, Romans elevated agriculture from arudimentary craft to a science, while advancing methods ofpreparing, preserving and shipping provisions. They developeda thriving trade in wine, grains, and salt, so valued as a flavoringand agent for curing foods (especially pork as salume) thatsoldiers were paid salaries with it. What the Romans lacked,they imported, introducing exotic varieties of poultry, fruits,vegetables, grains and spices that eventually became standardItalian fare.

The culinary heritage of Imperial Rome was documented byApicius (who may have been more than one person) in De ReCoquinaria, the original cookbook. It described a remarkablerange of vegetable, meat and seafood dishes, uses ofmushrooms, truffles, fruits, nuts, cheeses, breads, cakes andwines. Recipes revealed a fondness for herbs and spices, heavyuse of a potent sauce called garum based on rancid fish entrailsand a taste for sweet-sour, which, in the absence of refinedsugar relied in part on honey and grape juice cooked down assyrup.

Memories of Romans as sybarites and gluttons can beblamed on the extravagant feasts of certain rulers and thecollective excesses of the bourgeoisie of a declining empire.Through most of their long history, however, Romans exercisedmoderation in a diet based on simple and wholesomeMediterranean foods.

People of later eras weren’t always so lucky. During the DarkAges, most Italians could only dream of feasting while facing thedaily challenge of getting enough to eat. Their homeland wasoverrun by barbarians, who had a habit of devouring anythingedible they could pillage. Eventually, though, some foreigners

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contributed new foods. The Arabs, whooccupied southern Italy in the 9th century,brought cane sugar, spices, raisins andcandied fruits that set the lasting styles forsweets and ices in the Mezzogiorno.

The origins of pasta in Italy had beencredited to sources ranging over time from theancient Greeks to Marco Polo, whosupposedly returned to Venice with noodlesfrom the Orient in the late 13th century. Butdocumented evidence of a pasta industry wasattributed to Arabs in 12th-century Sicily. Fromthere the cult spread gradually through thesouth (where dried maccheroni and spaghettihave always prevailed) and on to points north(where eggs were often used in dough forfresh pasta noodles and stuffed envelopes).

Before the advent of pasta, generations ofItalians used grains or chestnuts or chickpeapastes for breads, cakes, dumplings, polenta-like mush and gruels. Flatbreads acquiredtoppings long before Neapolitans came up withthe pizza that went on to conquer the world.

Diets improved in the late Middle Ages,with the growing prosperity of city statesand the arrival of edibles from other places.Venetian, Genoese and Pisan tradersdistributed choice goods around Italy, whileintroducing Mediterranean flavors tonorthern Europe. With spices from the eastcame rice, which proved more productivethan other grains of the time, though only inrecent eras did Po valley dwellers light uponthe secrets of risotto.

The Renaissance uplifted the culinary arts,evident in the banquets of Rome’s papal court,the Venice of the doges and perhaps mostelegantly in the Florence of the Medici. Thatfamily’s epicurean tastes were transferred toFrance when Caterina de’ Medici wed KingHenry II, bringing with her the cooks andrecipes that reputedly put the haute in cuisine.

But perhaps the most significant Italiancontribution to European cooking, if indirect,was Christopher Columbus’s discovery ofAmerica. In the centuries that followed, theNew World endowed the Old with the potato,beans, squash, novel breeds of fowl, chilipeppers, corn for northern Italy’s massivelypopular polenta and, above all, the tomato,which after posing for a time as an

ornamental plant burst forth in the south inthe most Italian of sauces.

Italians have a knack for making plantsthrive in their Mediterranean climate, but eventhings that don’t grow there have reached newheights in their hands. Consider coffee,imported from the tropics since Venetiansintroduced the raw beans to Italy in the 1600s,but elevated to the sublime in this centurythrough the ingenious roasting, blending andsteam pressure processing of espresso.

After ages of foreign domination hadfragmented Italy, the country pieced itself backtogether in the Risorgimento with a new spiritof unity that inspired notions of a nationalcuisine. The chief advocate was PellegrinoArtusi, whose La scienza in cucina e l’arte dimangiar bene, first published in 1891,collected nearly 800 recipes from around thecountry. That was no small feat, since Italiancooks have always relied more on personaltastes and intuition than written recipes withprecise measures and steps. But today,despite attempts to standardize cooking fromthe Alps to the Mediterranean isles, la cucinaitaliana stands as a model of diversity to besavored in the proudly traditional dishes ofeach region.

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Italian Specialty Foods

Italy’s wealth of gastronomic treasures attests to the wisdomand skill of generations of artisans who have kept alive theirancestral heritage of taste. The following specialty foods and

beverages are made following standards of excellence that areuniquely Italian.

Olio extra vergine di oliva (extra virgin olive oil). Italy,which produces nearly a third of the world’s olive oil, isdistinguished by the superior class of its extra vergine, madein all regions of the center and south and in a few places in thenorth. The most flavorful and wholesome of comestible oils isused raw in dressings or sauces for salads, vegetables,pastas, soups, seafood and meats, though chefs find extravergine unmatchable in cooking, despite the higher cost. Thebest oils show distinct character due to terrain and climate, thevarieties of olives they come from and methods of harvesting.Hand picking of under-ripe olives renders oil of deep greencolor, fruity aroma and full flavor (sometimes a touch piquant).Mature olives make oil of paler color and subtler flavor.Traditional extraction by stone crushing and mat pressing ispracticed mainly in mills in Tuscany and Umbria, where oil isespecially prized, though most is processed by mechanicalmashing and centrifuging. By law, olio extra vergine di olivamust come from the first pressing of olives by mechanical (notchemical) means and must contain less than 1 percent of oleicacid (the key measure: the lower the acidity the better). Oliovergine di oliva may have a maximum of 2 percent acidity;what is called simply olio di oliva may be rectified and de-acidified. Such oils are best within a year of the harvest, sinceflavor slowly fades. Italy is also a major producer and exporterof table olives. Italy has 20 DOP and 1 IGP olive oils listed intheir regions of origin.

Formaggio (cheese). Italians produce some 450 differenttypes of cheese, some renowned, others local rarities. In thenorth, cow’s milk cheeses prevail, led by the grana family ofParmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano, which togetheraccount for a third of Italy’s formaggio. Those firm cheeses, ofgranular texture, are used for grating, though when relativelyyoung they are eaten in bite-sized morsels. Other popularnorthern cheeses are blue-veined Gorgonzola, creamyFontina, Taleggio, Asiago, Stracchino and Robiola. In centraland southern Italy, cheese from sheep’s milk is calledpecorino, distinguished as Romano, Sardo (Sardinian) andToscano (Tuscan). Southern Italians make a variety of pastafilata cheeses, worked into strands before taking form. The

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spongy mozzarella is best from the milk ofwater buffalo. Caciocavallo and Provoloneare aged and sometimes smoked. Goat’smilk cheese made in various places is calledcaprino. Popular everywhere are soft cookedwhey called ricotta and lightly fermentedcream called mascarpone. Italy has 30 DOPcheeses listed in their regions of origin.

Pasta. The category of pasta alimentarecovers noodles and the like in myriad formsand sizes, produced, flavored, dressed andserved in infinite ways, confused by the factthat names of similar types of pasta vary fromplace to place and that different types ofpasta may carry the same name. Pasta secca(dry) is made primarily from coarse durumwheat flour and water into dough shapedmechanically by being forced through slots ofvarying sizes and patterns and cut and dried.Pasta secca may be subdivided as lunga(long like spaghetti), corta or tagliata (shortlike penne) or as pastina or minestrina (tiny

pieces), further defined by shape (solid orhollow) and surface texture (smooth orribbed). Since dry pasta keeps for months, itis exported worldwide. Pasta fresca (fresh) isusually made from soft wheat flour and eggs,rolled and shaped by hand or using simplemachines, to be cooked within hours or, atmost, a couple of days (vacuum packing orfreezing prolong storage). Pasta ripienaapplies to filled or stuffed types, such asravioli and tortellini. Although distribution offresh pasta is limited, Italians have exportedthe methods and the experts to make itabroad.

Riso (rice). As Europe’s leading riceproducer, Italy specializes in varieties of short,ovular grains bred expressly for the extendedbraising of risotto. Most of the world’s rice isthe long-grain type suited to boiling orsteaming. Rice is grown in much of the Povalley, though the prime risaie lie inLombardy’s Lomellina area and in Piedmont

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around Vercelli and Novara. Italian rice isgrouped in four categories according to sizeand cooking time, ranging from the smallcomune or originario to semifino, fino, andsuperfino. Superfino, due to its tenacity, issuited to classical risotto, though cookingperformances vary among a dozen types.Arborio is popular, though chefs often preferCarnaroli, Baldo or the semifino VialoneNano. Riso Vialone Nano Veronese is IGP.

Salume (salt-cured, air-dried andsmoked meat). Most salumi is made frompork in two generic types. The first coversminced meats known as insaccati (encasedin protective coverings), such as salame,sausage and mortadella. The second coverswhole cuts, such as prosciutto (ham), spalla(shoulder), capocollo (neck) and pancetta(belly, sometimes smoked as bacon). Thesalame-sausage category takes in thepopular cotechino, soppressata, luganigaand zampone. The whole cut category is ledby prosciutto crudo of Parma, also prizedfrom Friuli’s San Daniele and other places.The vaunted culatello is a filet of rump aged inlowlands around Parma. Speck is AltoAdige’s smoked flank. Sources of salumirange beyond pork to beef (for bresaola),goose, goat, boar, chamois, turkey and more.Italy has 18 DOP meat products and 7 IGPlisted in their regions of origin.

Condimenti (condiments, sauces,preserves, seasonings). This field takes in awide range of preserved foods, such as jamsand jellies, dried herbs and spices, cannedfruits and vegetables, notably tomatoes,tomato sauce and concentrated paste.Special sauces are the basil-based pesto orthe candied fruit and mustard seed mostardadi frutta. Sott’olio (preserved in olive, or other,oil in jars or cans) applies to sun-driedtomatoes, peppers, eggplant, capers,mushrooms, tuna, sardines, anchovies andmore. Sottaceti (preserved in vinegar) appliesto pickled vegetables and mushrooms. Olivesare often preserved in brine and capers in seasalt. Italy’s unique vinegar, Aceto BalsamicoTradizionale, is also classified as a condiment.The traditional type, which has exclusive DOP

status in Emilia-Romagna’s provinces ofModena and Reggio, is costly because itssingular character is developed over at least12 years of aging in barrels of different sizesand types of wood. The Italian governmenthas banned the term balsamico from all butthe traditional type, but imitation "balsamicvinegar" abounds.

Tartufi (truffles). Among Europe’s 30 speciesof truffles, the most vaunted are the white (orbeige to ocher) Tuber magnatum found mainlyin Italy. The hills of Piedmont produce thesplendidly scented tartufi d’Alba, sniffed out bydogs and dug up by trifolau, who sell them bythe gram as one of the world’s most expensivefoods. Italians eat white truffles fresh, exportingonly a precious few during the fall-early winterseason. Italy is also a major source of blacktruffles, preserved and supplied to marketsaround the world.

Dolci (sweet baked goods, candies,frozen desserts). Not all of the country’sdazzling array of desserts is exported, sincecertain ices, custards and pastries are bestfresh. However, Italians abroad are famous formaking gelato, cakes and confectionery.Baked goods that are shipped include cakescalled panettone, pandoro and colomba, thefruit and nut bread panforte and cookies orbiscuits, such as amaretti macaroons,cantucci almond biscuits and savoiardi orladyfingers. Chocolates take in many typesand brands. Other noted confections aretorrone (nougat), marrons glacés (candiedchestnuts), confetti (sugar-coated almonds)and licorice.

Vino (wine). Italy produces and exportsmore wine than any other country in thegreatest variety of types and styles. Wine ismade in all 20 regions, north and south, froman enormous range of native vines and alsofrom international varieties. Italy is renownedfor the noble red wines for aging, whichexperts rate among the world’s finest, thoughyouthful types of rosso also enjoy success.White wines have improved dramatically inboth crisp, light styles and in wood-agedversions of substance and depth. Italy is a

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major producer of sparkling wines, made bythe sealed tank method (as in sweet AstiSpumante) or by bottle fermentation in dryspumanti described as metodo classico.Most premium wines originate in the morethan 300 zones officially classified as DOC orDOCG (for guaranteed). But a number ofindividualistic bottlings go proudly under theirown names. Italy is also the world leader invermouth, the fortified wine flavored withherbs and spices that originated in Turin.

Caffè (coffee). Italians import beans fromthe tropics to be roasted, blended andexported (along with the machines) to meetthe world demand for espresso, whose richbody and flavor is the result of hotter roastingthan for other coffees. Italy’s choice houseblends of Arabica or Robusta beans aretoasted dark and brittle enough to bepulverized to precise consistency so thatsteam pressure forces soluble substancesinto the cup to give the espressoconcentrated texture while emulsifying oils,which heighten aroma and flavor. Espresso

machines come with a narrow spigot throughwhich steam is jetted into milk which mountsto a dense froth as it heats for cappuccino.Unless otherwise specified, caffè in Italymeans espresso, though that may bedistinguished as ristretto or basso (strong),lungo or alto (weaker), or doppio (a doubledose). Cooled with ice it’s caffè freddo.

Liquori (distilled spirits and liqueurs). Thedistillate most rapidly on the rise abroad isgrappa, made from the pomace of wine,though certain types of brandy, distilled fromwine and aged in wood, are also acclaimed.Italy’s numerous liqueurs range in flavor fromvery sweet to very bitter with delightful tones inbetween. Popular examples are amaretto(flavored with almonds and bitter fruits),sambuca (with licorice-like wild elder flowers)and maraschino (with marasca cherries). Bittersmay come from blends of distilled spirits withherbs and spices, as well as quinine (as china),green walnuts (as nocino), artichokes orrhubarb. Some of Italy’s most famous liquori aresold under individual brands.

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DOP, IGP and Organic Foods

Italy has been known for ages for the authentic goodness ofproduce from gardens and orchards and the unique qualitiesof foods, such as cheeses and meats, made by artisans fol-

lowing local traditions. A growing number of such foods hasbeen officially protected under European Union regulationsapproved in 1992.

Two categories were created. The first, known by theinitials DOP (for denominazione di origine protetta) applies to"agricultural and food products whose properties areessentially or exclusively derived from their geographicalenvironment, inclusive of natural and human factors, andwhose production, transformation and processing areeffected in the place of origin." All phases of production mustbe carried out within a delimited geographical area.

The second category of IGP (for indicazione geograficaprotetta) applies to agricultural produce or foodstuffs whosequalities and properties or reputation are derived from theirgeographical origin and whose production and/ortransformation and/or processing occur in the givengeographical area." It is enough that just one phase ofproduction takes place in the designated area.

By 2000, there were 72 DOP and 31 IGP productsrecognized, though more candidates abound in bothcategories. The 103 protected foods then included 30cheeses, 20 types of olive oil, 18 meat-based products andtwo traditional balsamic vinegars. Yet the foods approved todate represent a fraction of the inventory of local products.

Italy has more culinary specialties than any other country.All of the nation’s 20 regions recently presented lists oftypical foods, arriving at a nationwide total of 2,171specialties as candidates for eventual protection. Theregional lists take in 376 types of cheeses, plus numerousolive oils, meat products, breads and pastas, as well asvegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, mushrooms and truffles,honey, herbs, spices, condiments and preserves, wine andfruit vinegars, pastries and sweets.

To become eligible for DOP or IGP status, foods must begrown or processed following rules formulated by producersand approved by the European Union. Norms and qualitystandards are enforced by national commissions. Labels ofproducers who comply are guaranteed for authenticitythroughout the EU, though protected foods are alsorecognized in other countries.

Italy is the leading European country for organic or biologicalfarming. Some 50,000 farms or estates cultivate nearly 1 millionhectares (2,470,000 acres) of land without the use of chemicals

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and using only organic fertilizers. Organic farming, which began in the

1960s as an isolated phenomenon, hasspread to become a major factor in Italianagriculture. Today there are eight regulatorybodies behind the production of organicproduce, which includes fruits andvegetables, olives and olive oil, grapes andwine, grains and animal fodder.

Significantly, the six southern regionslead the nation in biological farming,accounting for about 75 percent of Italy’s

organic produce. The warm, sunny southernclimates are obviously well suited to naturalproduce. The islands of Sardinia and Sicilytogether account for about half of the landdevoted to organic farming.

Although organic farms accounted for6.5 percent of Italy’s total of cultivated landin 1999, estimates are that growth in thesector will boom in coming years as demandfor natural produce continues to mount inItaly and abroad. In 1999 more than half ofItaly’s organic produce was exported.

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Eating in Italy

Italian meals eaten outside of Italy, however delicious, nevertaste quite the same as they do at home. It’s a question oflocal produce and the customs of cooking and serving foods

peculiar to each place, tied in with a certain atmosphere—thesmells and sights and sounds of restaurants, trattorie, taverns,cafés, shops and markets—that can’t be duplicated else-where.

That might be why visitors come away with fond memoriesof dining experiences in a country whose social life has alwaysfocused on the pleasures of the table. Readers not yetintroduced to such pleasures might find this summary of Italiandining terminology useful.

Pasto is a generic term for meal. Colazione may refer tolunch or a mid-morning repast or, as prima colazione,breakfast, which usually runs to "continental" standards withcoffee or tea and bread or pastries. Merenda, more or lesssynonymous with spuntino, may refer to a mid-afternoon ormid-morning snack—or light lunch. Cena signifies an eveningmeal or late supper. Pranzo, which in parts of Italy meanslunch (synonymous with colazione) and in other places dinneror supper (synonymous with cena), also refers to an importantmeal, banquet or business dinner. Local expressions cancomplicate matters.

Full meals may range through three to six courses (calledportate) or sometimes more. Curiously, though, antipasti don’trate a number, even if the range of appetizers offered in someplaces would constitute a feast. The first course—primo piatto(also simply primo) or minestra—may consist of pasta, risotto,polenta, gnocchi or soup. The second or main course—secondo piatto or piatto di mezzo—may cover seafood, meat,poultry, game, omelets or other cooked cheese or vegetabledishes. The numbering system falls flat when meals includetwo or more primi or secondi or when a fish entrée, forexample, precedes a meat course. With the main course orcourses will come a contorno, a side dish or garnish of cookedvegetables, salad, rice, noodles or polenta. Courses maycontinue with formaggio (cheese), frutta (fresh fruit), dolce (alsocalled dessert), caffè (espresso, of course) and digestivo(grappa, brandy or liqueurs, such as amaro or sambuca).

Terms for public eating places in Italy follow what wouldappear to be a pattern, but since the categories aren’t official,the names can be deceptive.

Ristorante should be a full-fledged restaurant providingcomplete menus (fixed price or à la carte) cooked by aprofessional kitchen staff and served by waiters, including asommelier, experienced with foods and wines. The term, from

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the French restaurant, came into use afterthe Risorgimento to describe elegant andsophisticated dining establishments. But, aspopularity spread, ristorante also came toapply to pretentious ordinary places.

Trattoria, which suggests familiarity as aderivative of trattare (to deal with or attendto), applies to a neighborhood, small town orrural eating house, often family run, servinglocal foods and wines. Though thesurroundings and service are usuallyunostentatious, like the price, the classictrattoria should provide exemplary regionalcooking. Daily menus are often hand writtenor chalked on a blackboard or simply recited.

Osteria, from the Latin hospes, originallydefined an inn providing food and lodging.But the name came to signify a modest winehouse, often serving simple foods—like thesimilarly cozy taverna or locanda. Suchlocales have faded. Osteria (or hostaria)suggests simplicity, but the term (likelocanda, taverna or trattoria) may apply to asophisticated eating place.

Pizzeria, the pizza parlor popularized inNaples and the south, provides its specialtybaked by a pizzaiolo in a wood-fired oven tobe eaten on the premises or taken out. As themost popular type of eatery in Italy, thepizzeria no longer confines choices to pizza,but often provides other dishes, usually atlower prices than a ristorante.

Bar, the English term for a counter orplace serving primarily alcoholic beverages,has a broader meaning in Italy, where suchestablishments abound as gathering places,providing coffee, wine, beer and spirits, softdrinks, pastries, sandwiches, ice cream,candies and more. An "American bar"specializes in cocktails and mixed drinks. Theterms snack bar, wine bar and pub oftenremain in English in Italy.

Caffè originally applied to the coffee housepopularized in the 18th century. Although amodern caffè will specialize in espresso—sometimes from its own torrefazione orroasting plant—the term has becomesynonymous with bar. In Italy, a caffè is notusually a dining place, as a café so often iselsewhere. But there are exceptions.

Birreria was originally a place that served

draught beer made in its own brewery,though it now signifies a tavern or pub thatspecializes in beer but offers other beveragesand often a menu with hot and cold dishes.

Terms for shops where food is sold andmay be eaten on the premises are rosticceria(specializing in roast meats), tavola calda (hotdishes), tavola fredda (cold foods), paninoteca(sandwiches), gelateria (homemade icecream). Enoteca (wine library) usually refers toa retail shop, though some enoteche alsoserve wine and food.

Not all eating and drinking places offerlocal specialties, since imitation and adoptionof foods from other regions is widespread inItaly. You can find spaghetti alla matriciana onmenus in Milan and costoletta alla milanese inRome, peperonata in Verona and polenta inPalermo. You can also find what even Italianscall "fast food" just about everywhere.

To taste the foods and wines of Italy attheir genuine best, there’s no substitute for avisit to their regions of origin. If you do makethe trip, buon viaggio and buon appetito!

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The South and IslandsSicily, Sardinia, Calabria, Basilicata, Apulia, Campania

Most of the basic elements—olive oil, wine, cheese,grains, fruits and vegetables—originated in otherplaces, but what came to be known as the

Mediterranean diet assumed its enduring character in Italy’ssouth. The Mezzogiorno, as it’s often called, was a garden ofthe Greeks and Romans. The most celebrated foods andwines of the ancient world were produced in these sunnylands at the heart of the Mediterranean.

Yet it isn’t historically correct to group collectively sixregions that boast distinct cultural heritages. Two are theMediterranean’s largest islands, Sicily and Sardinia, whosenatural isolation explains their idiosyncrasies, but Calabria,Basilicata, Apulia and Campania also follow individualcustoms. Certain traits can be traced to ancient peoples: theSiculi and Sicani of Sicily, the early Sardinians, the Campani,Apuli, Bruttii, Samnites, Lucani and Messapians of thesouthern peninsula. Some were colonized by the Greeks ofMagna Græcia and all were absorbed into the Romanempire. Southerners shared bonds of unity, if invariablyimposed, under Byzantines and Normans and on and off forcenturies under French and Spanish rulers of what came tobe called the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Sardinia, however,often went it’s own way, and even today people of the sixregions retain their autonomous spirits.

Most outsiders came to conquer, though someintroduced concepts of cooking that proved useful (Greeksand Arabs in particular). Yet all eventually surrendered tolocal tastes, won over by the flavors, aromas and colors ofthings that grow in the meridional sun.

Olive oil is fundamental, but the symbol of southerncooking, curiously enough, came to be the tomato, whicharrived with peppers, beans and potatoes from America. Thepomodoro found a promised land alongside the eggplantfrom Asia, the melanzane that distinguishes the "parmigiana"classics of Campania and many other dishes. The irresistiblepiquancy of southern food comes from herbs and spices,above all the tangs of garlic and chili peppers.

Italy’s first pasta was almost certainly made in the south,though noodles were preceded by flatbreads called focacce,forerunners of pizza, whose spiritual home (if not its place of origin)is Naples. Baked goods, including pastries, biscuits and cakes,abound in the Mezzogiorno, though nowhere as evidently as inSardinia, where each village has its own styles of bread.

Arabs in Sicily established a pasta industry in the MiddleAges, using durum wheat for the dried types that still prevail

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in the south. Tubes and other forms of"short" pasta may be referred to genericallyas maccheroni, distinguished from "long"types such as spaghetti and vermicelli. Alsopopular are spiral-shaped fusilli, obliquetubes called penne and larger tubes calledziti or zite, though variations make the pastafield as confusing as it is intriguing. Freshpasta is also prized, sometimes made witheggs but more often not, in such familiarforms as lasagne, fettuccine and ravioli,through there is no shortage of localpeculiarities.

Southern geography is marked by oftensharp contrasts between ramblingseacoasts and masses of mountains andhills that dominate the interior of mostregions. Coastal dwellers have habituallyeaten seafood and hill people meat, thoughpreferences aren’t always clear cut. Deepwaters of the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seasrender tuna and swordfish, shallower watersmollusks and crustaceans for the delectablyfresh frutti di mare. Anchovies and sardinesare fixtures through the south, though it’salso curious to note that all regions haverecipes for baccalà or stoccafisso, the driedcod apparently introduced by the Normans.

Historically, meat had been used thriftilyin the south, where every part of the animalis still rendered edible. Prime cuts of vealand beef are rare and prized. Lamb and kidare the glories of the hill country, grilled,roasted, braised or stewed in ragouts to beserved with pasta. Poultry is popular, as aregame birds, boar and hare where available.But the perennial provider has been the pig,preserved in all manner of sausages andsalame (often spicy), soppressata, hams,salt pork and lard that in some placessubstitutes for olive oil in cooking.

Cheese, or cacio, is fundamental insouthern diets. Sheep provide pecorino,which may be eaten at early stages ofripeness or aged to be used for grating.Goat’s milk is the source of caprino. Ricotta,preferably from sheep, is eaten fresh or usedin pasta fillings, pastries and desserts,though it is also salted and dried to be slicedor grated. The most prominent family ofsouthern cheeses are the pasta filata types,

which come mainly from cows. Theexemplar is mozzarella, originally (and best)from the milk of bufala, water buffalo, butmore popular is the cow’s milk fior di latte.The oldest member of the clan iscaciocavallo, whose name refers to dualforms hanging from strings like saddle bagsastride a horse (cavallo). Like the similarprovolone, caciocavallo may be eaten aftera few months as dolce (mild and tender) oraged for a year or more as piccante (sharpand hard and suited for grating). Both maybe smoked. In between are the spongyprovola and scamorza, both eaten young,often cooked or smoked. Burrino is aspecial pasta filata type with a core of butter.

No other sector of Italy boasts such asplendid heritage of sweets and ices. Manydesserts bespeak the Arab and Greekinfluences in Sicily, with its almond pastes,candied fruits, ricotta, honey, raisins andnuts. But anyone with a sweet tooth will finddelights all over the south.

The six regions produce about 40percent of Italian wines, though only afraction of the classified DOC/DOCG. Still, invineyards that were long sources ofanonymous blending wines—Apulia andSicily in the forefront—the emphasis isincreasingly on premium quality. Thesouthern wines of greatest historical staturewere sweet and fortified. But trendseverywhere favor dry, balanced reds, manysuited for aging, and fresh, fruity whites androsés.

Few places in the Mezzogiorno areknown for deluxe restaurants or traditions ofhaute cuisine. Feasting is reserved forholidays and truly special occasions. Thegenius of southern cooking lies in the localindividuality of everyday fare, the pure andsimple preparations of foods whose flavors,aromas and colors capture the essence ofthe Mediterranean.

Significantly, the six southern regionslead the nation in biological farming,accounting for about 75 percent of Italy’sorganic produce. Sardinia and Sicilytogether accounted for more than half of the960,000 hectares (2,372,000 acres)devoted to organic farming in 1999.

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Sicily (Sicilia)

The culture of fine dining may have been conceived inSicily when Archestratus, a Greek poet born at Gela inthe 4th century B.C., wrote Gastronomia as an ode to

the pleasures of the Sicilian table. Outsiders before and sincehave sung the praises of the bountiful seas and fertile volcanicsoils of this island crossroads of the Mediterranean.

The Greeks, among their other contributions to Siciliancooking, introduced whole grain and refined flours forflatbreads that were forerunners to focaccia. They plantedthe Malvasia and Moscato vines that are still prominenttoday. They also seem to have used the snows of MountEtna to make ices based on fruits and honey.

But the strongest outside influences came from Saracensand other Arabs in the Middle Ages. They brought spicesfrom the east and introduced cane sugar for the making ofsorbets, pastries and cakes, including the elaborate cassatathat heralded Sicily’s reputation as a treasure island ofsweets. Arabs founded a pasta industry near Palermo in the12th century, using grain from fields planted earlier by theRomans. They introduced methods of fishing tuna andswordfish in deep Tyrrhenian waters. Curiously, though, whatSicilians call cùscusu is made with fish, where in North Africacouscous generally contains lamb.

But then, Sicilians have always had a knack for adaptingforeign customs to their own uses. Perhaps that’s why it’ssometimes said that the Siclian way of eating tells moreabout the original inhabitants, the Siculi and Sicani, than ofGreeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans and Aragonese. Themodern diet relies on grains, vegetables, herbs and spices,olives and olive oil, fruit, nuts, seafood and cheese. Butrecipes reveal a miscellany of local tastes

Pasta, usually made from durum wheat semola, takesmany forms, ranging from spaghetti and maccheroni(maccaruna in dialect) to zite tubes and gnocchi (orgnocculli). Most celebrated is pasta con le sarde (withsardines and wild fennel, though versions vary from place toplace).

Sicily is Italy’s second most prominent producer oforganic foods after Sardinia. The island’s year-round supplyof fresh vegetables and herbs triumphs in salads, both rawand cooked. Tomatoes are omnipresent, though equallyadored are eggplants (which may be fried, baked withcheeses or stewed and served cold as caponata) andpeppers (which may be grilled, stuffed, baked, or stewed inpeperonata).

Sicilian olive oil is also prized, as are the DOP table olives

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Palermo is the administrative center ofSicily, whose provinces includeAgrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna,Messina, Ragusa, Siracusa andTrapani. The largest of Italy’s 20 regions(25,710 square kilometers), Sicily ranks4th in population (5,098,000).

called Nocellara del Belice. The outlyingislands specialize in capers, best known asthe IGP Capperi di Pantelleria, though theLipari or Aeolian isles are also noted forthese tasty flower buds preserved in seasalt.

Seafood, led by sardines and anchoviesthat figure in many recipes, is eatenthroughout the region. Along the coasts, thefeatures are fresh tuna and swordfish, whichmay be marinated in oil and herbs, stewedor roasted or cut into steaks and grilled.

Meat is prominent in the central hills,where lamb, kid and pork prevail, thoughcooks also make good use of veal, poultryand rabbit. Sicilians supposedly inventedmeatballs, polpetti or polpettoni, which areeaten as a main course with tomato sauce,though abroad they often appear withspaghetti as a caricature of Italo-Americancuisine.

Cheeses are dominated by PecorinoSiciliano DOP, also known as tuma ortumazzu, whose pungent flavor issharpened when laced with peppercorns.When aged and hard, Pecorino is used forgrating. Ragusano DOP is a cow’s milkcheese, mellow and delicate when young,though it may also be aged hard and sharpfor grating. Caciocavallo and provola orprovoletta are also popular. Creamy softricotta is used in pasta fillings and pastries,though it may also be salted and dried.

The region is a major producer of fruit,notably oranges and lemons, peaches,apricots, figs and table grapes, which ratean IGP from Canicattì. The region is famousfor blood oranges, IGP as Arancia Rossa diSicilia. A delicious curiosity is the pricklypear called fico d’India which grows oncactus.

Sun-dried and candied fruits and nuts gointo the dazzling array of sweets. Almondsare the base of marzipan and pasta reale,which is used for the sculpted candies in theform of fruits, a craft begun at Martorana, amonastery near Palermo. The island alsoproduces pistachio nuts, especially prizedas a base for ice cream.

Sicily has Italy’s greatest expanse ofvineyards and often produces a greater

volume of wine than any other region. Themost renowned of its 17 DOCs is Marsala,the quintessential cooking wine, though inits toasty vergine or solera versions itmakes an excellent aperitif and match forripe cheeses. Sicily is noted for sweetwines, such as Moscato Passito diPantelleria and Malvasia delle Lipari, but itsgrowing reputation is for dry table wines:reds, rosés and especially fresh, fruitywhites, which go so well with seafood andvegetables.

DOP PRODUCTS Cheeses: Pecorino Siciliano, Ragusano.Olive oils: Monti Iblei, Valli Trapanesi.Olives: Nocellara del Belice.

IGP PRODUCTSProduce: Arancia Rossa di Sicilia, Capperodi Pantelleria, Uva da tavola di Canicattì.

Specialties of Sicilyagghiotta di pesce spada swordfish cookedwith tomato, pine nuts, raisins, olives andherbs.

arancini di riso fried rice balls with a core ofcheese, peas, chopped meats andtomatoes, which give the "little oranges"their color.

braccioli di pesce spada grilled swordfishfillets wrapped around a cheese-vegetablefilling.

cannoli pastry tubes filled with creamypaste of ricotta and candied fruit.

caponata eggplant stewed with tomato,onion, olives and capers and served as asalad or antipasto. (A seafood version ofcaponata is rarely seen today).

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carciofi ripieni artichokes stuffed withsausage, sardines and cheese and baked.

cassata brick-shaped sponge cake layeredand coated with a frosting of ricotta withmaraschino liqueur and candied fruit andnuts. Chocolate covered versions andvarious ice cream or semifreddo cakes arecalled cassate.

crispeddi or fritteddi fritters of doughflavored with anchovies and wild fennel;crispeddi may also be sweet, made of frieddough or rice sprinkled with sugar andcinnamon.

cùscusu Sicilian couscous based onseafood—dentex, grouper, cod and eel—cooked with tomato and herbs and servedon a bed of grainy semolino.

farsumagru large slice of veal or beef,flattened and rolled around a stuffing ofchopped ham, sausage, pecorino and eggsand braised in wine with herbs and spices.

fravioli di Carnevale fried sweet ravioli filledwith ricotta and cinnamon.

gnocculli semolino gnocchi with ricotta andmeat sauce.

melanzane alla siciliana eggplant fried andthen baked with mozzarella and tomatosauce.

pasta con la Norma spaghetti with a sauceof eggplant and tomato, favored byCatania’s Vincenzo Bellini, who wrote theopera La Norma.

pasta con le sarde pasta tubes with sauceof fresh sardines, anchovies, onions,raisins, pine nuts, almond, saffron and wildfennel, though ingredients vary.

peperonata bell peppers stewed withonion, tomato and olives, often served cold.

pignolata or pignulata confection of sweetfried dumplings (sometimes chocolate

coated) shaped in a mound or cone heldtogether by caramelized sugar with liqueur.

polpettone meatball of ground beef,breadcrumbs, grated cheese and eggs,fried in olive oil and served with tomatosauce.

sarde a beccaficu sardines breaded andstuffed with various ingredients, such aspine nuts and raisins, usually baked butsometimes fried.

scorzette di arance candite candied orangepeels.

sfincioni or sfinciuni thick focacce with tomatoand cheese, specialty of Palermo; sweet friedrice balls are also called sfuncini.

zite al pomodoro e tonno short pasta tubeswith tomato and tuna sauce.

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Sardinia (Sardegna)

Frequenters of modern Sardinia’s beach resorts considerthe island a haven for seafood that goes so nicely onsummer days with cool white Vermentino or Nuragus.

And indeed the rugged coasts provide such delights as rocklobsters, crabs, anchovies, squid, clams and the sardines thatmay or may not have taken their name from the island. Spicyfish soups are called burrida and cassòla. At Oristano they drymullet eggs into blocks of delectably pungent bottarga or but-tariga to slice thin over pasta or salads.

Yet it’s said that the real Sardinian cooking is the rusticfare of the hills and the hearth: roast meats, sausages andsalame, savory sharp Pecorino Sardo cheese and red winesof the weight of Cannonau and Monica. Near the town ofNuoro, in the Barbagia hills, they skewer suckling pig calledporceddu or lamb or kid on poles of aromatic wood to beturned occasionally as they roast for hours before an openwood fire. Now rare is the method of roasting a carraxiu, in apit lined with branches of juniper, olive and rosemary, overwhich is lit a bonfire whose falling embers encase the meatand cook it slowly with the juices sealed inside.

The island bears the marks of outsiders, fromPhoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans to Genoese, Pisansand the Savoys who proclaimed the Kingdom of Sardinia.But Spaniards, who ruled for centuries before, lent the mostpronounced accents to foods and wines. Still, the cooking ofSardinia remains as wonderfully eccentric as the nuraghe,the prehistoric stone towers whose origins are an enigma.

The sunny island in mid-Mediterranean boasts idealnatural conditions for things that grow, as attested by thefact that Sardinia is Italy’s leading producer of organicproduce, accounting for nearly a third of the nation’s landcultivated by biological methods. Tomatoes are usedgenerously in sauces, as are artichokes, fava beans, peas,eggplant and zucchini. Foods here are redolent of herbs,including wild fennel, juniper and myrtle, used with hare, boarand game birds.

Each Sardinian village bakes its own breads, variations onthe large round loaves known as tondus, the doughnutshaped còzzula or stick-like zicchi, though names varyalmost as much as do styles. Bakers everywhere share aliking for the flat pane carasau and its crisp variation calledcarta da musica (music paper). The island boasts a temptingrange of sweet biscuits, fritters, pastries and cakes, whichoften contain almond, ricotta, raisins and elaborate spices.

Sardinians consume quantities of dried pasta, in the familiarforms of spaghetti and maccheroni, though they also make the

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Cagliari is the administrative center ofSardinia, whose provinces includeNuoro, Oristano and Sassari. Theregion ranks 3rd in size (24,090 squarekilometers) and 12th in population(1,654,000).

singular ravioli-like culingiones and the gnocchicalled is malloreddus, described as theregion’s most typical dish.

Sardinia, more than any other region, is aland of shepherds, whose Razza Sarda sheepaccount for the class of Pecorino Sardo andFiore Sardo DOP cheeses, whether eatenfresh or aged for grating. Sardinia is also amajor producer of Pecorino Romano DOP.Also notable are goat’s milk cheeses,caciocavallo (or casizolu) and provolone.

Sardinia’s 19 DOC wines are led by thedry white Vermentino di Gallura, which wasrecently elevated to DOCG. A lighterversion of Vermentino figures among thefour regionwide appellations, which alsoapply to the red Cannonau and Monica andsweet white Moscato. The most distinctivelySardinian of wines is Vernaccia di Oristano,aged in small barrels to take on tonesreminiscent of Sherry. Malvasia also showspersonality, as do the rare and sweet redGirò and white Nasco from near Cagliari.Lamb and kid are usually served withhearty dry Cannonau (which also makes aPort-like dessert wine), though a sturdyalternative is Carignano del Sulcis.Preferred with fish are the full-flavoredVermentino di Gallura, the bone dryNuragus di Cagliari and the stylish Torbatounder the Alghero DOC.

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo,Pecorino Romano.

Specialties ofSardiniaagnello con finocchietti baby lamb stewedwith onion, tomato and wild fennel.

aragosta arrosto rock lobster split in halfand pan roasted with olive oil, lemon,parsley and breadcrumbs.

burrida soup or chowder often based on sharkmeat, though recipes vary from port to port.

cassòla as many as a dozen types of fish,mollusks and crustaceans are cooked withtomato and spices in this piquant soup.

culingiones ravioli with a pecorino-chardfilling dressed with tomato sauce, thoughmany variations include a sweet version withalmonds.

favata stew of dried fava beans withtomato, cardoons, wild fennel, sausage andsalt pork.

fregula or succu tundu lumpy semolino isthe base of thick soups that usually includeonions, salt pork and grated pecorino.

gallina al mirto boiled hen left to marinatefor a day or two with myrtle berries andleaves and eaten cold.

malloreddus tiny gnocchi of semolino (alsocalled maccarones cravaos or ciciones) withsausage and tomato sauce that includesgarlic, basil, a hint of saffron and gratedpecorino.

pabassìnas pastries topped with a paste ofraisins and walnuts; papassinus are similarthough the paste also includes aniseed,cloves and cinnamon.

pane fratau carta da musica softened in hotwater, spread with tomato sauce toppedwith grated caciocavallo and a poachedegg—a summer dish of the Barbagia.

sa corda or cordula lamb or kid intestinesstewed with onion, tomatoes, peas; themeat may also be spit roasted or grilled.

sebadas or seadas sweet focaccia bakedwith pecorino and bitter honey from blossomsof corbezzolo (the strawberry tree).

su farru soup of farro (barley-like grain) cookedin beef broth with cheese and dried mint.

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Calabria

The ancient Greeks lived and dined more lavishly in Calabriathan in any other part of Magna Græcia. But the mountain-ous toe of the Italian boot remained isolated and poor for

centuries after, as its cooking took on the tasty integrity of a coun-try tradition.

Calabrians have an appetite for hefty soups and pastas ladenwith vegetables, headed by eggplants, peppers and tomatoesand ranging on through artichokes, asparagus, potatoes, beansand peas. The red onions of Tropea, a town on the Tyrrheniancoast, are renowned for aroma and flavor. The lofty Sila rangebetween Cosenza and Catanzaro abounds in mushrooms,including the prized porcini.

Calabria is a major producer of olive oil, accounting for about25 percent of the nation’s total. The extra virgin oils of Bruzio andLamezia have been singled out for DOP status. Beyond its role incooking, Calabria’s olive oil is used for preserving vegetables,mushrooms and fish.

Alongside the familiar maccheroni and spaghetti, Calabriansmake pasta called làgane (similar to fettuccine), ricci di donna(lady’s curls), and capieddi ’e prieviti (priest’s hairs). Somehousewives still make pasta ru ferretto, rolling the dough aroundslender iron rods to form tubes.

Pork is the region’s prevalent meat, preserved as ham, salameand sausages, including the type that includes bits of liver andlung and is known as ’ndugghia or ’nnuglia (probably fromandouille, introduced by the occupying French). Four types ofCalabrian salumi qualify for DOP: Capocollo (neck roll), Pancetta(pork belly), Salsiccia (sausage) and Soppressata (a type ofsalame). Lamb and goats are prized as sources of both meat andcheese. Cows grazed in the Sila range around Cosenza renderfine Caciocavallo Silano DOP and butirro, with a core of butter.

The fishing fleet at Bagnara Calabra harpoons swordfish andtuna in Tyrrhenian waters. Anchovies and sardines are alsoprominent in Calabria, though every town has a recipe for driedcod—baccalà or pesce stocco—often cooked with potatoes,tomatoes and peppers.

Along with ample loaves of country bread, come an array offocaccia and pizza, whether in the Neapolitan style or in localversions: one with ricotta and prosciutto, another with porkcrackling and raisins and another called pitta chicculiata(described below).

The region is a major producer of citrus fruit, led by the IGPClementine di Calabria. A regional glory is dried figs, eithercovered or stuffed with chocolate, which is also used to coatlemon and orange peels. Calabrians make a luscious array ofpastries and sweets for the Christmas and Easter holidays,

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Catanzaro is the administrative centerof Calabria, whose provinces includeCosenza, Crotone, Reggio di Calabriaand Vibo Valentia. The region ranks10th in both size (15,080 square kilo-meters) and population (2,064,000).

though some desserts are available year-round.Reds dominate the region’s ten DOC wines,

led by Cirò, which traces its origins to MagnaGræcia. It comes from the Gaglioppo grape,which is also the source of the pale but potentreds of Savuto, Pollino and Verbicaro. Drywhites, led by the crisply fruity Cirò Bianco,generally derive from the Greco grape, as dothe exquisitely sweet Greco di Bianco andGreco di Gerace, though they are rarely foundaway from their sunny vineyards overlooking theIonian Sea.

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Caciocavallo Silano (in part).Olive oil: Bruzio, Lamezia.Meat products: Capocollo di Calabria,Pancetta di Calabria, Salsiccia di Calabria,Soppressata di Calabria.

IGP PRODUCTSProduce: Clementine di Calabria.

Specialties ofCalabriaalalunga in agrodolce tender young tunacooked in sweet-sour sauce of onion andvinegar.

cannarìculi Christmas fritters made of flour andsweet cooked wine coated with honey.

chinulille sweet ravioli stuffed with chocolate,chestnuts, candied fruit and nougat and fried.

ciambotta stew of eggplant, peppers,potatoes, onions, tomatoes eaten hot or cold.

licurdia onion soup thickened with bread andgrated pecorino and laced with hot pepper.

millecosedde vegetable soup whose

"thousand things" include cabbage, celery,mushrooms, fava beans, chickpeas and thesimilar but stronger flavored cicerchie.

murseddu pie of pork and veal liver with tomatoand peppers.

mursiellu stew of tripe and pork innards cookedwith tomato, peppers and wine.

mùstica baby anchovies preserved in olive oil,also known as "Calabrian caviar."

perciatelli e lumache pasta tubes with snails ina piquant tomato-pepper sauce.

pesce spada alla bagnarese swordfish in thestyle of Bagnara Calabra, roast in a casserolewith olive oil, lemon, capers and choppedparsley.

pitta chicculiata a type of pizza with tomatoes,tuna, anchovies, black olives and capers.

rigatoni alla pastora pasta tubes with freshricotta, sausage and grated pecorino.

sagna chine festive lasagne laden with groundpork, peas, mozzarella, mushrooms,artichokes, sliced hard-boiled eggs and otherseasonal ingredients.

sarde a scapece fried sardines rolled in breadcrumbs and doused with a mixture of hot oil,vinegar, garlic and mint.

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Basilicata

The food of this sparsely populated region may seem asaustere as its lonely uplands, yet the cooking emanatesa sunny warmth that often becomes fiery, due to the chili

pepper called diavolicchio that laces many a dish. The people of Basilicata—which is also known as Lucania

after the ancient Lucani people—share with their southernneighbors a taste for pasta and vegetables, mountaincheeses, lamb, mutton and pork. Since meat had alwaysbeen used thriftily, the keeping properties of pork wereexploited in fine salumi, led by the sausages known asluganiga (from Lucania) and salame or soppressata kept inolive oil or lard.

Minestre cover a range of vegetable and bean soups andpasta in such forms as the hand-rolled tubes called minuich,lasagne with beans and the little dumplings calledstrangulapreuti (priest stranglers). A substitute for pasta (orrisotto) is grano, cooked wheat grains served with a sauce oreven as a pudding (as grano dolce). Protected as IGP arebeans from the town of Sarconi and bell peppers fromSenise.

The region takes pride in its cheeses: pecorino, the goat’smilk casiddi and caciocavallo from the ancient Podolicabreed of cows. Part of the Caciocavallo Silano DOP is inBasilicata. Cow’s milk is also used for manteca, a creamypasta filata cheese with a filling of butter, and the rare burrinofarcito, filled with butter and salame.

Basilicata, though a modest wine producer in terms ofvolume, boasts a grandiose red in Aglianico del Vulture,which carries the name of a vine introduced by the ancientGreeks and the volcano on whose slopes they planted it.When aged it makes a towering match for lamb andcheeses. Refreshingly tasty are the sweet and often bubblyMoscato and Malvasia.

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Caciocavallo Silano (in part).

IGP PRODUCTSProduce: Fagiolo di Sarconi, Peperone di Senise.

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Potenza is the administrative center ofBasilicata, whose other province isMatera. The region ranks 14th in size(9,992 square kilometers) and 18th inpopulation (608,000).

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Specialties ofBasilicatacalzone di verdura pizza dough baked foldedover a filling of chard, peppers and raisins.

cazmarr stew of lamb’s innards, prosciutto,cheese and wine.

ciammotta fried eggplant, peppers andpotatoes stewed with tomatoes.

ciaudedda braised artichokes stuffed withpotatoes, onions, fava beans, salt pork.

cotechinata pork rind rolled around a filling ofsalt pork, garlic and peppers and stewed intomato sauce.

focaccia a brazzud’ flatbread with porkcrackling, lard and oregano.

grano al ragù wheat grains boiled and servedwith a rich ragout made of sausage and saltpork, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and white wineand topped with grated pecorino.

grano dolce pudding of wheat grains, blendedwith chocolate, walnuts, pomegranate seedsand vin cotto (sweet "cooked wine").

peperonata con carne di porco pepper andtomato stew with various pieces of pork.

pignata di pecora ewe cooked with potatoes,tomatoes, onions, pork and pecorino in a claypot called a pignata.

pollo alla potentina chicken braised in wine withonion, tomato, peppers and basil.

scarcedda Easter tart with ricotta and hard-boiled eggs.

spezzatino di agnello lamb stewed in anearthenware pot with potatoes, onions, bay leafand peppers.

torta di latticini cheesecake based on ricotta,mozzarella and pecorino with pieces ofprosciutto.

zuppa di pesce alla Santavenere soup basedon grouper, scorpion fish and other Ionianseafood with plenty of garlic and pepper.

This long, slender region whose tip, the Salento peninsula,forms the heel of the Italian boot, consists of rolling plainsand gentle uplands, sources of grain and the nation’s

largest volumes of wine and olive oil. Apulia has been known forabundance since Phoenicians and Greeks arrived and foundOscans and Messapians—some of whom lived in trulli,dwellings with conical stone roofs—already competent farmers.Although the Apulian diet draws its sustenance from the land,fish from the Adriatic and Ionian Seas lends enviable balance.

Vegetables figure prominently in pastas, soups, stewsand salads. Apulia is the domain of the fava (the "queen ofbeans"), though artichokes, chicory, turnip greens, the"rocket" green called ruca or rucola, cabbage, cauliflower,eggplant and peppers are indispensable. A curiosity arelampasciuoli, onion-like bulbs of notable nutritive value,whose bitterness brings a unique tang to Apulian dishes.

Olive trees thrive nearly everywhere in Apulia, whoseproduction of more than 200 million liters a year accounts fornearly half of Italy’s total volume of oil. Four types have beensingled out for DOP: Colline di Brindisi, Dauno, Terra di Bari andTerra di Otranto. The region is also an important source of organicproduce, accounting for about 10 percent of the nation’s total.

Pasta, from the region’s supplies of durum wheat, rangethrough variations on maccheroni, spaghetti and lasagne to thesmall shells called orecchiette (or strascinati) and cavatieddi,served mainly with vegetables or tomato sauces, usually withgarlic and peppers. Rice is also esteemed, notably in tiella, whichrefers to an earthenware baking dish, though the name may havederived from the Spanish rice dish of paella. Tortiera is a casserole,whose various ingredients are gratinéed with pecorino orcaciocavallo or pane grattugiato, breadcrumbs which substitutefor cheese in many southern dishes.

The Adriatic and Ionian seas provide a wealth of seafood andfrutti di mare. Especially prized are oysters and mussels from bedsin the Gulf of Taranto, though the range includes octopus,cuttlefish, squid, anchovies, sardines and sea urchins.

The Murge plateaux provide grazing land for lamb and kid,the preferred meats, though the diet is enhanced by beef andpoultry and pork as the base of an ample array of salumi.Cheeses cover the southern gamut of pecorino and pasta filatavarieties, though among the latter burrata (whose name refers tothe buttery softness of its cream-filled interior) stands out fromthe towns of Andria and Martina Franca. The hard cheese calledCanestrato Pugliese, named after the canestre or reed basketsin which it was formed, is protected by DOP. Part of theCaciocavallo Silano DOP is in Apulia.

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Apulia (Puglia)

Bari is the administrative center ofApulia, whose provinces includeBrindisi, Foggia, Lecce and Taranto.The region ranks 7th in both size(19,363 square kilometers) and popu-lation (4,086,000).

Apulian bakers specialize in the flatfocaccia (or puddica) and variations of pizzafrom both wheat flour and potatoes. Theseinclude calzoni, calzuncieddi, panzerotti andsfogliate, in which the dough is folded overa filling and fried or baked. Biscuits are alsopopular, especially the doughnut shapedfrisedde and the curly taralli. A rich array ofpastries and sweets is enhanced by suchingredients as ricotta, almonds for marzipan,candied fruit and honey.

As Italy’s most prolific grape producer,Apulia has been a perennial source of potentred wines shipped north for blending. Butlately the quality side of production has cometo the fore, represented by 25 DOCs, the mostof any southern region. Notable among themare the crisp whites of Locorotondo andMartina Franca, the reds and rosés of Casteldel Monte and the Salento peninsula, wheresuch appellations as Salice Salentino, Brindisi,Copertino and Primitivo di Manduria havebeen gaining admirers outside of the region.

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Canestrato Pugliese, CaciocavalloSilano (in part).Olive oils: Colline di Brindisi, Dauno, Terradi Bari, Terra di Otranto.

Specialties ofApuliaagnello al cartoccio lamb chops baked inpaper or foil with lampasciuoli and olives.

bocconotti half-moon shaped pastry shellsflavored with Marsala and filled with creamand jam and baked.

carteddate ribbons of pastry dough flavoredwith Marsala rolled and fried in olive oil andtopped with honey and cinnamon;purciduzzi are similar.

cavatieddi con la ruca pasta shells with

cooked rocket greens, tomato andpecorino.

ciceri e tria chick peas and noodle soup.

cozze alla leccese mussels baked with oil,lemon and parsley.

frisedde biscuits softened with water andserved with olive oil, tomato and oregano.

gniumerieddi skewers of lamb or kidinnards with slices of salt pork, pecorino andbay leaves grilled over the coals of a woodfire.

melanzane alla campagnola eggplantsliced, grilled and served with olive oil,chopped garlic, basil and mint.

melanzane ripiene baked eggplanthollowed and stuffed with its chopped pulp,tomatoes, breadcrumbs, capers, olives,anchovies.

’ncapriata thick soup of fava beans mashedwith bitter chicory.

orata alla barese gilt-head bream roastedwith potatoes, garlic, grated pecorino.

orecchiette con cime di rapa ear-shapedpasta shells with turnip greens, garlic, chilipeppers.

ostriche alla tarantina Taranto oystersbreaded and baked with olive oil andparsley.

seppie ripiene small cuttlefish baked with astuffing of chopped mussels and squid,capers, breadcrumbs, grated pecorino.

tiella di cozze mussels baked with rice,potatoes, tomatoes, onions, gratedpecorino.

zuppa alla tarantina peppery soup ofshellfish with grouper, eel, prawns andcuttlefish simmered with tomatoes andserved with toasted garlic bread.

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Campania

The ancient Romans, who dubbed it Campania Felix,marveled at the fertility of its volcanic soils, as did theGreeks who founded Neapolis on the gulf bounded by

Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, Sorrento and the islands of Capriand Ischia. Naples, under the royal houses of Anjou andBourbon, long reigned as a capital of haute cuisine. Yet,almost in spite of the noble resources of sea and country-side, the city became a sanctuary of street food.

The primadonna of the byways is pizza napoletana, inauthentic versions known as marinara (with tomato, garlicand oil) and Margherita (with tomato, mozzarella and basil).Ingredients are rigorously selected by pizzaioli, who work thedough with a master touch so that when baked in a matterof moments in a searing hot wood-fired oven the crust puffsto a bread-like softness with a delectable hint of crunch.

There are, of course, many types of pizza baked in Naples,as well as calzoni (pizza dough folded over a filling) and focaccieof all description. Street foods extend through a range of fried,grilled, sautéed, baked and frozen delights sold at shops andkiosks and from carts that ply the narrow streets and alleyways.The fact that they may be eaten standing up doesn’t detract atall from their inherent goodness.

Neapolitans are also devoted to pasta: maccheroni,spaghetti, vermicelli, fusilli, perciatelli and ziti, among others.The pasta sauce of predilection is pummarola from the rare,tiny plum-shaped San Marzano tomatoes that are protectedby DOP in the Sarnese-Nocerino area in the fertile valley tothe southeast of Vesuvius in the provinces of Avellino andSalerno.

Campanians have been known as mangiafoglie (leaf eaters)because greens and vegetables so dominated the diet. In thesun-drenched fields around Vesuvius and the gulf, eggplants,tomatoes, zucchini, various types of peppers, salad greens,garlic and herbs reach heights of flavor, as do peaches, apricots,figs, grapes, melons, oranges and lemons.

The large, thick-skinned lemons of Sorrento and theAmalfi coast are renowned as the source of the liqueur calledlimoncello. Chestnuts and hazelnuts from the hills of Avellinoenjoy IGP status. Olive oil from the Cilento and Sorrentinepeninsulas and the hills of Salerno enjoy DOP status.

Seafood is a mainstay of the Neapolitan diet, especiallythe compact creatures that go so well in antipasto and pastaor deep fried in a gran fritto di pesce. The gulf abounds inlittle clams called vongole veraci, mussels, tender youngoctopus, cuttlefish, squid, prawns, shrimp, anchovies andthe smelt called cecenielli.

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Naples (Napoli) is the administrativecenter of Campania, whose provincesincludeAvellino, Benevento, Caserta andSalerno. The region ranks 12th in size(13,595 square kilometers) and 2nd inpopulation (5,793,000).

City dwellers have never been avid meateaters; some smother steaks in tomatosauce alla pizzaiola. But country people inthe hills around Benevento and Avellinoprefer lamb and pork, veal poultry andrabbit. Campania’s hill people also make finesalame and prosciutto, along with tangypecorino cheese.

Water buffalo grazed in marshy lowlandsaround Capua and Salerno yield the ultimatein mozzarella di bufala—too fine in itspristine state, admirers insist, to melt ontopizza when cow’s milk fiore di latte will do.They prefer it within hours of when itsstrands are pulled like taffy and formed intorounds like snowballs that do indeed melt inthe mouth. The DOP of Mozzarella di BufalaCampana differentiate the cheese fromwidespread imitations.

Ricotta and mascarpone from buffalo arealso prized, as are provola and scamorza,which are sometimes lightly smoked. Aspecialty of Sorrento are caprignetti alleerbe, golf ball-sized goat’s milk cheesesrolled in herbs. Caciocavallo and provoloneare popular. Part of the Caciocavallo SilanoDOP is in Campania. The prized gratingcheese is Parmigiano Reggiano, protagonistin dishes called parmigiana with eggplants,zucchini and other vegetables.

Naples is justly proud of its pastries andsweets, among which sfogliatelle ricce,pastiera, struffoli and zeppole are legendary.Gelato is often made from fresh fruit andnuts. Icy granita is usually flavored withlemon or coffee. Some say the secret ofNapoli’s seductively sweet espresso is apinch of chocolate in the coffee grounds.

The grandest cru of ancient Rome wasFalernum, whose vineyards lie in northernCampania. Today, Falerno, as one of theregion’s 20 DOCs, is respected in its red andwhite versions, as are wines from around theGulf of Naples that carry the names ofIschia, Capri and Vesuvius (as LacrimaChristi del Vesuvio). But the most vauntedwines of Campania come from the heightsto the east: the white Greco di Tufo andFiano di Avellino and the red Taurasi, whichwas selected as the south’s first DOCG (theG for guaranteed).

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Mozzarella di Bufala Campana,Caciocavallo Silano (in part).Olive oils: Cilento, Colline Salernitane,Penisola Sorrentina.Produce: Pomodoro San Marzanodell’Agro Sarnese Nocerino.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Vitellone Bianco dell’AppenninoCentrale (in part).Produce: Castagna di Montella, Nocciola diGiffoni.

Specialties ofCampaniabaccalà alla napoletana salt cod withtomato, black olives, raisins, pine nuts,capers, garlic.

cianfotta peppers, eggplants, zucchini,onions and basil stewed in olive oil andserved cold.

coniglio all’ischitana rabbit braised withtomatoes, rosemary, basil and white wineIschia style.

coviglie al caffè coffee mousse topped withtoasted beans and whipped cream; coviglieal cioccolato is the chocolate version servedwith a candied cherry.

mozzarella in carrozza the cheese(sometimes with filet of anchovy) is pressedbetween slices of white bread, coated withbatter and deep-fried.

’mpepata di cozze mussels cooked in theirjuice with lemon, parsley and black pepper.

parmigiana di melanzane eggplant fried andthen baked with onions, tomato, basil,

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mozzarella, topped with grated ParmigianoReggiano.

pastiera napoletana Easter pie with a fillingbased on ricotta flavored with candied fruit,lemon and cinnamon.

peperoni imbottiti red and yellow bellpeppers stuffed with anchovies, blackolives, capers, garlic, breadcrumbs.

polpi affogati baby octopus "drowned" inboiling salt water, then sautéed with olive oil,tomatoes and hot peppers.

ragù napoletano this festive ragout of beef(or pork) braised to tenderness in anearthenware pot with onions, tomatoes,basil, olive oil and red wine is often servedwith maccheroni.

sartù an extravagant mold of rice with beef,chicken livers, sausage, peas, mushrooms,tomato, mozzarella and more; the namecomes from surtout, as it was described byFrench aristocrats.

sfogliatelle ricce curly pastry shells with asweet filling of ricotta, candied fruit andspices.

spaghetti alla puttanesca "strumpet’s style"with tomato sauce, black olives, capers,anchovies, garlic, chili pepper—specialty ofIschia.

struffoli sweet fried dumplings massed intoa cone held together with honey andflavored with candied fruit.

taralli ring-shaped biscuits baked with almondsand lard, or sometimes fennel seeds; the sweettypes with vanilla, cinnamon and liqueur arecalled tarallucci dolci.

zeppole di San Giuseppe puffy pastryfritters sometimes with a creamy filling.

ziti ripieni large pasta tubes stuffed withchopped pork and salame, onion, raw eggsand caciocavallo cheese.

zuppa di cozze mussels in a soup of tomatoes,white wine, parsley and hot peppers.

Central ItalyMolise, Abruzzi, Latium, Umbria, Tuscany, Marches

Art and literature have emphasized the extravagant ban-quets of Renaissance courts, the revelry of Medievalhunting and harvest feasts, the conspicuous consump-

tion of the ancient Romans. Yet, barring the occasionalepisodes of excess, patterns of eating in central Italy have his-torically upheld the culture of country cooking and the virtuesof simplicity and balance.

The diet in all six regions adheres to Mediterraneanstandards in the reliance on olive oil, grains and seasonalproduce. But cooking styles vary markedly in a territory splitinto ethnical enclaves by the Apennines, the mountainousspine of the peninsula. In ancient times, the Adriatic side wasinhabited by Sabellian and Oscan tribes of the Abruzzi andMolise and Piceni and Senone Gauls of the Marches. On theTyrrhenian side, Latium was inhabited by Latins and Sabines,Umbria by Umbri and Etruscans, who from their base inTuscany gained territory up and down the peninsula beforebeing subdued by the Romans.

Notions of unity were advanced under the Roman empire,but for centuries after its fall the various states of central Italystruggled to assert autonomy against the menace of foreigninvaders and the hegemony of papal Rome. Umbria and theMarches remained largely loyal to the papacy. The Abruzzi, ofwhich Molise was a province until 1963, maintained historicalties to southern regimes. Tuscany, despite battles betweenFlorence and other city states and spells of foreign rule,upheld a measure of independence.

Historical patterns still reflect in regional diets. As thenational capital, Rome serves as an intermediary betweennorth and south in political as well as culinary matters.Abruzzi and Molise show a southern touch in dishes that aredecisively piquant. The Marches shares recipes with centralneighbors, as well as Emilia-Romagna to the north. Tuscanyand Umbria have tastes in common, though throughout theheartland cooks uphold traditions in local ways.

The ancient grain called farro, the predecessor of hardwheat, is still used in soups. Until recent times, the chestnutwas the leading staple of the diet in the uplands of theApennines. Eaten roasted or boiled, chestnuts were alsodried and ground into flour for polenta, soups, flat breads,cakes and pastries. They were even used to fatten pigs.Today, of course, wheat is the base of pasta and most bread,including the unsalted loaves unique to Tuscany, Umbria andthe Marches.

Over all the use of pasta is about evenly split betweendried and fresh types in the central regions, where rice and

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polenta play secondary roles. Abruzzi andMolise have solid traditions of maccheroni.In Latium, spaghetti, bucatini and rigatonishare the spotlight with Rome’s egg-basedfettuccine. Dried pasta is produced inquantity in Umbria and the Marches, thoughcooks still often hand roll the dough fortagliatelle and local delights. Homemadenoodles are also preferred in Tuscany, butthat’s one place where bread historicallyoutweighed pasta.

Fine olive oil is made through the centralhills, though the paragon of extra verginecomes from Tuscany, Umbria, northernLatium and Abruzzi. Garden produce isrigorously seasonal. Rome is renowned forartichokes and peas, Tuscany for whitebeans and black cabbage, the uplands ofAbruzzi, Umbria and the Marches for lentils,chickpeas and potatoes. The centralApennines are a major source of truffles,both the prized white varieties found in theMarches and parts of Tuscany and the blackvarieties that thrive in Umbria.

Consumption of fresh seafood washistorically confined to coastal areas. EachAdriatic port boasts a local recipe for the fishsoup called brodetto. Along the Tuscancoast the counterpart is cacciucco. Buteven in inland places, such as landlockedUmbria, cooks made good use of preservedanchovies, tuna, sardines and salt cod.

Meat plays a key role in regional diets,with preferences for lamb and kid to thesouth and veal and beef to the north,particularly in Tuscany, whose Chianinasteers provide the legendary bistecca allafiorentina. Chianina, like the Marches’Marchigiana and Romagna’s Romagnolabreeds of white cattle are protected underthe DOP of Vitellone Bianco dell’AppenninoCentrale, which extends through the centralpart of the Apennines. Poultry and rabbit areappreciated everywhere, as are game birds,hare and wild boar in regions where huntingis still considered more a birthright than asport.

Pork is prominent everywhere, in thesalumi made by butchers whose ancientcraft was perfected in the Umbrian town ofNorcia. The Marches, Latium, Umbria and

Tuscany all claim the origins of porchetta, awhole pig boned and stuffed with garlic, wildfennel, rock salt and peppercorns androasted slowly in wood-burning ovens.

Pecorino is the dominant cheese in allregions, though styles range from soft,young marzolino (made from milk of sheepor goats grazed on green grass in earlyspring) to firm and tangy types to agedPecorino Romano, hard and sharp and usedmainly for grating.

The six central regions between themproduce less than a quarter of Italy’s wines,yet they account for more than a third of theDOC/DOCG total. The so-calledrenaissance in Italian wine gained impetus inTuscany, renowned not only for the classicsof Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and VinoNobile di Montepulciano but also forunclassified reds sometimes lauded as"Super Tuscans." The red Montepulciano ofthe Abruzzi has won growing acclaim,though the best known wines of otherregions are white: the Marches withVerdicchio, Umbria with Orvieto and Latiumwith Frascati and other wines of the CastelliRomani.

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Molise

This small, sparsely populated region shares a gastro-nomic bond with the Abruzzi, its historical partner tothe north, though the proximity of Apulia and

Campania lend its foods a southern accent. It’s also niceto know that Molise in its unassuming way harbors culinarysecrets of its own.

The region is noted for robust fare of authenticallyrustic goodness, specialties of the towns and villages thatgrace the hillsides from the short strip of Adriatic coast tothe rugged heights of the Apennines, home of the ancientSamnite tribes.

In the hills, lamb, kid and mutton are popular, along withpork for sausages, salame and soppressata, sometimespreserved in terra-cotta vases under fine local olive oil.Prosciutto may be salt cured, though it is also smoked—rare in Italy. Prominent cheeses are caciocavallo from thetown of Agnone, pecorino and scamorza. Part of theCaciocavallo Silano DOP is in Molise.

The port of Termoli provides triglie di scoglio (red mullet,base of a tasty soup), fresh anchovies, squid, crabs, clamsand sea snails.

Molise produces quantities of dried pasta, though incountry homes women still often roll the dough by hand.Specialties include sagne (lasagne), laganelle (tagliatelle),crejoli (similar to the Abruzzi’s maccheroni alla chitarra) andrecchietelle (orecchiette). Pasta is often served with ragoutof lamb and pork, invariably with diavolillo (chili pepper),and a grating of sharply flavored pecorino cheese.

The tomato, fresh or preserved, is omnipresent inMolise, as are beans and artichokes. Campobasso isnoted for giant white celery. The region also produces fineextra virgin olive oil.

Polenta is as popular as pasta in places. Cornmeal iscooked in a mush, though the flour may also be used for atype of pizza. Molise has a tasty array of cakes, biscuitsand pastries, and one of the most bizarre of desserts:blood sausage with chocolate and pine nuts.

Most of the region’s limited sources of wine areconsumed locally. Two DOCs—Biferno and the rare Pentrodi Isernia—cover red, white and rosé, while the regionwideMolise DOC applies to a range of types.

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Campobasso is the administrative cen-ter of Molise, whose other province isIsernia. The region ranks 19th in bothsize (4,438 square kilometers) andpopulation (329,000).

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Caciocavallo Silano (in part).

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale (in part).

Specialties ofMoliseabbuoti or torcinelli involtini (envelopes) of lambintestines filled with chopped liver, sweetbreads,hardboiled egg and baked.

baccalà alla cantalupese salt cod cooked withpeppers, capers, black olives, grapes, garlic.

calcioni di ricotta rustici rounds of pasta doughfilled with ricotta, provolone and prosciutto friedin olive oil—often part of a fritto misto.

lepre a ciffe e ciaffe hare cooked in a marinadeof vinegar and wine with plenty of herbs.

panettoncino di mais spongy corn-flour cakewith chocolate.

pezzata ewe stewed with tomato, onion, rose-mary and hot peppers.

picellati pastries filled with honey, nuts andgrapes.

pizza con le foglie corn flour flatbread bakedwith wild greens; pizza e minestra is a soup ofpork broth and field greens with the pizza crum-bled into it.

polenta maritata slices of cornmeal fried in oilwith garlic, layered with a filling of red beans andpeperoncini and baked in the oven—a special-ty of Isernia.

zuppa di ortiche soup of early spring nettlesprouts cooked with tomato and bacon.

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Abruzzi (Abruzzo)

The people of this mountainous Adriatic region are known ashearty eaters. The maximum expression of gourmandisewas la panarda, a meal of 30 to 40 courses eaten through

a day—an extravaganza no longer in vogue. Today’s menus arerobust and often pungent but rarely complex. Abruzzi is renownedfor its chefs, though many made their reputations abroad.

The Adriatic provides shellfish, anchovies, mullet, octopus,cuttlefish and the varied makings of brodetto (a peppery soup forwhich each port has its own version). Streams and lakes providetrout, eels and crayfish. Yet what seems to be a healthy majorityof Abruzzesi looks to the land for nourishment.

The basic elements are olive oil, tomatoes and the chili peppercalled diavolicchio (among other local terms), which is used asgenerously here as anywhere in the south. The uplands aroundthe highest peaks of the Apennines produce outstandingartichokes, cardoons, beans, lentils and potatoes and the nation’smain supply of saffron. Some of Italy’s finest olive oil is protectedby the DOP of Aprutino Pescarese and Colline Teatine.

The region is renowned for dried pasta from durum wheat,exemplified by maccheroni alla chitarra (quadrangular strandsformed by the strings of what resembles a guitar). In countrykitchens, heaps of pasta or polenta were spread on thespianatora, a large board at center table from which each guesthelped himself. Abruzzesi are also fond of soups from vegetablesand beans or with the crepes called scrippelle in broth.

Lamb and kid are preferred meats—grilled, roasted or braised inragouts served with pasta or polenta. Pork products include the finesalame called mortadellina from the town of Campotosto, ventricina(peppery sausages usually spread on bread) and salsicce di fegatopazzo ("crazy liver" sausages sweetened with honey and spices).Pecorino and caciocavallo are key cheeses, though local delights arethe goat’s milk capruzzo, often preserved in olive oil, and scamorza,from cows grazed on high plateaux, tasty fresh or grilled.

Alongside an array of fine pastries, biscuits and cakes, theAbruzzi produces confetti, sugar coated almonds given out atweddings and other celebrations, and torrone, nougat here oftencoated with chocolate.

The region has only three DOC appellations, so they are easyto remember. The youthful white Trebbiano d’Abruzzo goes wellwith fish, though in rare cases it can age to mellow grace.Montepulciano d’Abruzzo covers the cherry pink Cerasuolo, arobust rosé, and a full-bodied red wine, which is attractivelysupple when young, though it can age impressively. The otherDOC is Controguerra, which applies to a range of wines.Mountain herbs are used to make liqueurs, the best known ofwhich is Centerbe, drunk as a digestivo.

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L’Aquila is the administrative center ofAbruzzi, whose provinces includeChieti, Pescara and Teramo. Theregion ranks 13th in size (10,798square kilometers) and 14th in popula-tion (1,277,000).

DOP PRODUCTSOlive oils: Aprutino Pescarese and CollineTeatine.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale (in part).

Specialties ofAbruzziagnello alle olive lamb cooked in anearthenware pot with olive oil, black olives,lemon, oregano, hot peppers.

cicoria, cacio e uova soup of wild chicory andother vegetables with salt pork in chicken broththickened with eggs and grated pecorino.

coda di rospo alla cacciatora monkfish cookedwith garlic, rosemary, anchovies, peppers.

lasagne abruzzese pasta sheets with apeppery meat and tomato sauce.

maccheroni alla chitarra noodles are oftenserved with a ragout of lamb stewed in wineand olive oil with tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf andpeppers.

mazzarelle d’agnello lamb’s lung and innardswrapped in beet greens or chard and braised inwhite wine.

’ndocca ’ndocca pungent stew of pork ribs,feet, ears and rind with rosemary, bay leaf,peppers and vinegar.

pizza rustica pork sausage, mozzarella, eggsand Parmigiano Reggiano baked in a pie.

polpi in purgatorio octopus cooked withtomato, garlic, parsley and diavolicchio.

scapece di Vasto pieces of raw fish—such asray and smooth hound shark—preserved inearthenware vases with salt, chili peppers andsaffron.

scrippelle ’mbusse or ’nfusse fried crepescoated or filled with pecorino and served inchicken broth.

timballo di crespelle crepes layered withspinach, artichokes, ground meat, chickengiblets, mozzarella and grated ParmigianoReggiano baked in an elaborate mold.

virtù soup of Teramo that according to legendwas made by seven damsels who contributedvarious ingredients, including pieces of pork,beans, peas, greens, herbs, carrots, garlic,onions, tomato and pasta.

zuppa di cardi soup of giant cardoons fromL’Aquila with tomatoes and salt pork.

zuppa di lenticchie e castagne tiny mountainlentils and fresh chestnuts in a soup withtomatoes, salt pork and herbs.

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Latium (Lazio)

The Eternal City has been a melting pot for foods fromother places since the Roman legions began collectingrecipes and provisions—and, in some cases, cooks—

from the far reaches of the empire. As the national capital,Rome has drawn culinary inspiration from Italian regions northand south, though most substantially from the home provincesof Latium.

Today, in a world center of art, religion, politics and trade,Roman eateries cater to visitors ranging from diplomats andjet-setters to pilgrims and backpackers. This compulsorycosmopolitanism may explain why precious little has beenpreserved of the epicurism of the ancient Romans or of thepapal and princely courts of later eras. Yet what remains of lacucina romana provides some of the most flavorful foods ofItaly served in some of its liveliest surroundings. For, beyondpurely gastronomic aspects, eating is a social event toRomans, who on Sundays and holidays love to gather familyand friends around tables as plates, glasses and bottlesmultiply with the passing hours.

Memorable meals begin with arrays of antipasti that alonewould make feasts: platters of frutti di mare, anchovies,sardines, tuna, fried shrimp, prosciutto, salame, olives,mushrooms, pickles, sun-dried tomatoes, sweet-souronions, peas and beans with pork, pizze, focacce, canapés,vegetable tarts, frittate with potatoes and onions, stuffedeggplants, peppers and tomatoes, croquettes of rice,vegetables or meats, breads grilled and flavored with garlicand oil as bruschetta or sliced and topped with meat andvegetable pastes or cheeses as crostini.

Latium’s gardeners, who raise the tastiest of peas,zucchini and fava beans, specialize in artichokes tenderenough to eat raw—or to fry in the style of Rome’s Jewishghetto as carciofi alla giudia. The region’s own species ofrucola (rocket) and the wild ruchetta make splendid salads,as do puntarelle, spear-like endive dressed with raw garlicand anchovies.

The hills of northern Latium are noted for extra virgin oliveoils, protected under the DOPs of Canino and Sabina.

Roman menus feature spaghetti alla carbonara andbucatini all’amatriciana, as well as tubes of rigatoni andpenne. Fresh pasta may be flat as lasagne, rolled ascannelloni or cut in strips as the celebrated fettuccine alburro—often identified with a restaurant called Alfredo.Gnocchi from potatoes or durum wheat semolino are alsopopular around the region, as are polenta and rice.

Seafood plays a largely utilitarian role in the daily diet, with

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Rome (Roma), the national capital, isalso the administrative center of Latium,whose provinces include Frosinone,Latina, Rieti and Viterbo. Latium ranks9th among the regions in size (17,207square kilometers) and 3rd in popula-tion (5,255,000).

mussels, clams, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish andpalombo shark fresh from the ports ofFiumicino and Anzio, alongside theindispensable baccalà. But restaurants caterto expensive tastes with large prawns calledmazzancolle and gamberi, sea bass calledspigola, as well as imported oysters andlobsters.

Romans adore abbacchio, milk-fed lambroasted for Easter feasts though deliciousyear-round. They also eat their share of beefand veal, whose prime cuts were traditionallyreserved for the bourgeosie and whose otherparts—tripe, brains, entrails, liver, heart, evenfeet and tails—went into the zestful dishes ofthe common people. Pork is prized asporchetta, roasted by butchers in the CastelliRomani and sliced warm for sandwiches atthe city’s street markets. Many recipes rely onguanciale, salt pork from the jowl, though thetraditional lard has been steadily replaced asa cooking fat by olive oil from the Sabine hills.The rustic country bread of Genzano in theCastelli Romani rates an IGP.

Pecorino Romano DOP prevails amongcheeses, though some is also produced inSardinia and southern Tuscany. Latium also

makes the fresh buffalo milk cheese thatqualifies under the Mozzarella di BufalaCampana DOP, centered in Campania, thesimilar provatura and tasty young marzolinofrom the milk of sheep or goats. Ricotta maybe eaten fresh or salted and dried forgrating.

Rome is noted for gelato, lenten raisinbuns called maritozzi, cream-filled pastriescalled bignè, rum-soaked fruit and nut cakecalled pan giallo and a custard cakedrenched with syrupy liqueurs known aszuppa inglese (though it’s neither soup norEnglish). The city’s coffee bars are famousfor espresso from freshly roasted beans.Meals often end with a glass of sweetsambuca liqueur, sipped with three coffeebeans to munch on.

White wines dominate Latium’sproduction, whose 23 DOCs are led by theversatile Frascati and Marino from theCastelli Romani and the mythical Est! Est!!Est!!! from Montefiascone to the north. Yetsome of the finest wines are reds ofCerveteri, Velletri, a trio from the Cesanesevine or unclassified bottles based onCabernet and Merlot.

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DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Pecorino Romano, Mozzarella diBufala Campana (provinces of Latina andFrosinone).Olive oils: Canino, Sabina.

IGP PRODUCTSBread: Pane Casareccio di Genzano.Meat product: Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale (in part).

Specialties ofLatiumabbacchio alla cacciatora baby lamb cookedwith rosemary, garlic, anchovies, vinegar.

baccalà in guazzetto salt cod in a sauce of oliveoil, onions, tomato, pine nuts, raisins.

bucatini all’amatriciana slender pasta tubeswith salt pork, chili pepper and gratedpecorino—most cooks now include tomatoand garlic in the sauce.

carciofi alla giudia tender artichokes flattenedflower-like and deep fried; carciofi alla romanaare sautéed in olive oil with garlic and mint.

coda alla vaccinara oxtail stewed with onion,tomato, lots of celery and white wine.

coratelle con carciofi lamb or kid liver, heart andlungs braised in olive oil and white wine withhearts of artichoke.

cozze alla marinara mussels steamed in theirjuice with garlic, tomato, parsley.

fagioli con le cotiche stewed white beans withpork rind, prosciutto, onion, garlic, rosemary.

fettuccine al burro feather-light eggnoodles with butter, cream and grated

Parmigiano Reggiano.

involtini alla romana veal rolls with choppedguanciale and garlic braised with tomatoes.

mazzancolle alla griglia large prawns grilled witha brushing of olive oil and lemon

pasta e ceci soup of chickpeas with garlic,rosemary and pasta noodles.

penne all’arrabbiata pasta tubes with a "raging"hot sauce of tomatoes, garlic and chili pepper.

pollo alla romana young chicken braised in oliveoil and white wine with green peppers,tomatoes and garlic

pomodori ripieni large tomatoes hollowed andbaked with a filling of their pulp, rice, potatoes,garlic and basil—usually served as antipasto.

rigatoni con la pajata squat pasta tubes withsauce based on milk-fed calf’s intestine cookedwith tomato, salt pork, garlic, herbs and spices,topped with grated pecorino.

saltimbocca alla romana veal fillets withprosciutto and sage sautéed in butter andwhite wine.

spaghetti alla carbonara guanciale sautéed inoil with garlic and chili peppers is mixed in abowl with raw eggs, which curdle as they stickto the hot spaghetti—topped with gratedpecorino and/or Parmigiano Reggiano.

spaghetti all’aglio, olio, peperoncino choppedgarlic, chili pepper and parsley heated in extravirgin olive oil flavor the al dente spaghetti as itfinishes cooking in the pan.

stracciatella lightly beaten raw eggs formstracce (ragged strips) when stirred into hotbeef broth flavored with nutmeg and toppedwith grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

supplì al telefono fried rice balls whose coreof mozzarella stretches like telephone wireswhen divided; sometimes the filling includesbits of veal, liver or anchovy.

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Umbria

This compact region at the core of the peninsula is known asthe green heart of Italy. Its attractions include the art andarchitecture of its hill towns—Perugia, Assisi, Orvieto,

Spoleto and Todi, among them—and the legends of its manysaints, led by Francis of Assisi. But connoisseurs also know thatnowhere in Italy are the pleasures of country cooking and localwines offered more graciously than in Umbria.

Since the region has no access to the sea, its peoples—beginning with the ancient Umbri and Etruscans who inhabitedterritories on opposite sides of the Tiber River—have always reliedon the generosity of the land. There are few secrets to Umbriancooking, other than the native’s insistence—or obsession, really—on home-grown produce: fresh vegetables and fruit, dense greenolive oil, roast meats, poultry and game, pecorino cheese and theherbs, greens and mushrooms that grow spontaneously onwooded hillsides.

Add truffles and even the humblest dish becomes divine.Norcia, a town on the edge of the Apennines, is Italy’s primesource of black truffles, served fresh with pasta, meat and eggdishes, or even pounded into paste with anchovies and garlic.The "black diamonds" are preserved in various ways, including incheese known as pecorino tartufato. Even more prized areUmbria’s white truffles, always eaten fresh.

Norcia as the ancestral home of pork butchers knowneverywhere as norcini, produces prosciutto that rates an IGP, aswell as salame and such specialties as mazzafegati (piquant liversausages with orange rinds, pine nuts and raisins). Porchetta isdelicious in Umbria, as are Perugia’s Chianina beef, lamb, rabbit,free-range chickens and wood pigeons. Hare and boar are prized,as are fish and eels from Lake Trasimeno and the upper reachesof the Tiber.

Umbria produces a major share of dried pasta for the nationalmarket, though its homemade egg pasta, notably tagliatelle withragout, can rival the elite of Emilia. Other hand-rolled types areciriole and stringozzi, which resemble rustic spaghetti.

The Umbrian diet relies on salads and cooked vegetables,notably cardoons (called gobbi) and lentils from the mountaintown of Castelluccio protected by IGP. In the autumn, woodsabound with porcini mushrooms and chestnuts. Olives grown inthe Nera valley near Spoleto and around Lake Trasimeno producesome of Italy’s finest extra virgin oil, protected under theregionwide DOP Umbria.

Huge loaves of unsalted pane casereccio are baked in woodovens, as are torte—spongy flour and egg breads flavored withpecorino or pork crackling. Bakers also make sweet buns calledpan nociato (with walnuts, grapes, cloves and pecorino) and pan

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Perugia is the administrative center ofUmbria, whose other province is Terni.The region ranks 16th in size (8,456square kilometers) and 17th in popula-tion (833,000).

pepato (with almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts,raisins and candied fruit) and cakes calledciaramicola and torcolo.

Umbria’s 11 DOCs are led in popularity bythe white of Orvieto, historically sweet orabboccato, but now usually dry. Less renownedbut even more coveted by cognoscenti are tworeds—the venerable Torgiano Rosso Riservaand the voluptuous Sagrantino di Montefalco—both of which have been promoted to DOCG.

DOP PRODUCTSOlive oil: Umbria.Meat products: Prosciutto di Norcia.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat products: Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale (in part).Produce: Lenticchie di Castelluccio diNorcia.

Specialties ofUmbriaagnello arrosto baby lamb with rosemary, sage,garlic and oil cooked to tender perfection in acovered roasting pan amid the dying embersafter bread is baked in a wood oven.

anguille alle brace freshwater eels marinated inwhite wine, pepper and bay leaf and grilled.

ciaramicola eggs, lard, lemon rind andAlchermes (a spicy liqueur) go into this circularcake topped with candy-specked meringue.

cipollata onion soup with tomato, salt pork,basil and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

gobbi alla perugina deep fried cardoonstopped with meat and tomato sauce.

lepre alla cacciatora hare braised in red wine

with sage, bay leaf and garlic.

minestra di farro thick soup of spelt with onion,tomato, celery and grated pecorino.

palombacci alla ghiotta spit-roasted woodpigeons with an elaborate sauce of wine,lemon, vinegar, sage, garlic, rosemary, juniperberries and chicken livers

spaghetti alla nursina black truffles heated inolive oil with a hint of garlic and anchovy flavorthis special pasta from Norcia.

stringozzi al pomodoro handmade noodleswith tomatoes, black olives and garlic.

tegamaccio stew of freshwater fish—pike,carp, tench, eel—with garlic and peppers.

torcolo sponge cake with raisins and candiedfruit, specialty of Perugia.

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Tuscany (Toscana)

Florentines like to relate how their Caterina de’ Medici, on mar-rying King Henry II in 1533, introduced the recipes and cooksthat ennobled French cuisine. It’s true that in Renaissance

Florence gastronomy reached heights of refinement among thearistocracy, yet what has distinguished Tuscan food since the timeof the Etruscans has been its noble simplicity.

Country cooking attests to the seasonal goodness ofgarden produce and the perennial splendor of green-goldextra virgin olive oil. Tuscans are fanatical about freshness:fava beans, artichokes and asparagus in the spring;tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini in the summer; all sortsof greens and mushrooms (especially plump porcini) in thefall; cabbages and chard in the winter. Herbs, above allrosemary and sage, are good year-round, as are the fresh ordried white beans—toscanelli, cannellini, zolfini—that earnedTuscans the epithet of mangiafagioli.

Bread is the pillar of the diet, giant loaves of salt-free panetoscano redolent of sourdough and woodsmoke. Thick slicesare grilled, rubbed with garlic and doused with oil as fettuntaor panunto. When firm, the bread is dampened andcrumbled into a salad with tomatoes, onion and basil aspanzanella or spread with chicken liver paté or choppedtomatoes as crostini. It thickens soups called ribollita, pappaal pomodoro or simply zuppa di pane. Farro, the ancientgrain that is protected as IGP in the Garfagnana range of theApennines, is also the base of a hearty soup. Chestnuts,especially the prized marrone type protected as IGP in theMugello range of the Apennines, are eaten roasted or usedin soups and desserts.

In Tuscany pasta had been historically upstaged by soups,whether or not they included bread. But pasta is by no meansignored. No country feast would be complete without tagliatellecon ragù. Also invariably homemade are the wide-ribbonpappardelle, served with hare or duck sauce, and pici, rusticspaghetti. Rice and polenta also play roles in the diet.

Seafood prevails along the coast, where Livorno’s cacciuccois a piquant soup. Salt cod and tripe bring zest to the diet,though Tuscan cooking is rarely highly spiced and never boringlybland. That’s because food is intended to go with wine, aboveall the red Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile diMontepulciano that are known as vini da arrosto.

The roast meats to flatter them might include rabbit, pigeon,duck, free-range chicken, thrush, pheasant and guinea hen. Porkis popular as grilled ribs (rostinciana), roast loin (arista), spit-roasted livers wrapped in bay leaves (fegatelli) or as porchetta. Itis also used for sausages, prosciutto and salame known as

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Florence (Firenze) is the administrativecenter of Tuscany, whose provincesinclude Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno,Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia,Prato and Siena. The region ranks 5thin size (22,997 square kilometers) and9th in population (3,529,000).

finocchiona (flavored with wild fennel seeds).Wild boar, a source of salame, sausage andprosciutto, may be stewed with sweet-soursauce. The glory of Tuscan meats is bisteccaalla fiorentina, a hefty slab of Chianina beef,seared over wood coals so that the juicy redinterior is enclosed in a charred crust. Chianinabeef is included in the IGP of Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale.

Pecorino Toscano DOP is most savoryfrom sheep grazed on moors around the townof Pienza near Siena, though it is alsoprominent from the Monte Amiata massif andin the province of Grosseto. Mild young, whenit may be called marzolino, fresh pecorino iseaten in the spring with raw fava beans. Whenaged in small wheels coated with olive oil, ashor tomato, it becomes firm with a distinctlyelegant tang. A bit of Pecorino Romano isproduced in the province of Grosseto.

Bakers, beyond their daily loaves, alsomake flatbread called schiacciata,sometimes with rosemary or in a sweetversion with grapes. Most Tuscan sweetsare baked. Almonds flavor Prato’s crunchybiscottini or cantucci and the soft ricciarelliof Siena, a town more renowned for itschewy fruit and nut cake called panforte.Chestnuts are the base of castagnaccio, aflat cake with pine nuts and rosemary, andcrepes called necci. Anise flavors waferscalled brigidini and a raisin cake calledbuccellato. Fruit jams are used in tarts calledcrostate. Florence’s pride is zuccotto, adome-shaped sponge cake flavored withchocolate, nuts and liqueurs.

Chianti in its seven zones is thearchetypal Tuscan wine, though DOCG hasalso been granted to Brunello di Montalcino,Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the red ofCarmignano and the white Vernaccia di SanGimignano. The field of 31 DOCs, whichincludes the red and white Pomino and redMorellino di Scansano, was recentlyenhanced by Sassicaia, a Cabernet that hadbeen the monarch of an aristocratic array oftable wines sometimes referred to as "SuperTuscans." Meals often end with Vin Santo,aged in barrels to an amber hue with flavorthat ranges from lusciously sweet to dry andtoasty.

DOP PRODUCTS

Cheeses: Pecorino Toscano, PecorinoRomano (in part).Meat product: Prosciutto Toscano.Olive oils: Chianti Classico, Terre di Siena.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Vitellone Bianco dell’AppenninoCentrale (in part).Olive oil: Toscana.Produce: Farro della Garfagnana, Marronedel Mugello.

Specialties ofTuscanyacquacotta "cooked water," soup ofvegetables and herbs, often salt pork,mushrooms and other ingredients,depending on the season.

arista di maiale pork loin roasted withrosemary, garlic and wild fennel seeds.

baccalà alla fiorentina salt cod fried andthen stewed with tomatoes, onions, garlic.

cacciucco alla livornese chowder ofvarious fish, including mollusks andcrustaceans, with tomato, garlic, onion,carrots, celery, wine, hot peppers, thoughindividual versions abound.

cibreo classic Florentine chicken stewincludes giblets, embryonic eggs andcockscombs.

cinghiale in dolceforte wild boar stewedwith red wine and herbs, augmented at theend with sweet-sour sauce of vinegar,sugar, nuts, raisins, candied fruit and bitterchocolate.

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fagioli al fiasco white beans stewed witholive oil, sage and garlic in a thick glasswine flask set amid wood coals.

gramugia soup of fava beans, artichokes,peas and asparagus, an ancient recipe ofLucca.

pappa col pomodoro tomato, garlic andbasil simmered with broth and thickenedwith bread that melds into a tasty pap.

pappardelle alla lepre noodles with sauce

of hare braised with wine, carrots, celery,onions.

ribollita soup of white beans with carrots,onions, tomato, black cabbage (thoughrecipes vary) "reboiled" with bread andserved with a dousing of olive oil.

trippa alla fiorentina tripe with tomatoes,broth, wine, herbs and grated ParmigianoReggiano—served on a slice of bread atFlorence’s markets as lampredotto.

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Marches (Marche)

In this gently hilly region between the Adriatic and theApennines, cooks draw from sea and land and with enviableease bring the best of both to the table. Fish prevails in the

port of Ancona, whose brodetto calls for exactly 13 types in aspicy broth with garlic and tomato. The Adriatic provides thefreshest of seafood—sardines, hake, bream, sole, red mullet,crustaceans and mollusks—but Ancona is also famous for adish based on dried cod called stoccafisso or stocco all’an-conetana.

The Marches fits central Italian stereotypes with its fineolive oil and pecorino, as well as unsalted bread. But it alsofeels the culinary influence of Emilia-Romagna with its freshegg pasta and salumi. At Urbino, they vary Romagna’scheese-based passatelli by adding meat to the mixture.Macerata is the home of vincisgrassi, a legendary lasagnecrowned—in season—with white truffles, which flourish inthe Marches as nowhere else outside of Piedmont.

Menus cover a thorough mix of meats: quail, pigeon,guinea fowl, chicken, rabbit, lamb, pork, beef and veal(including the Marchigiana breed of cattle, which is coveredunder the IGP of Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale).

It’s curious to note that meat and seafood may be cookedin similar ways. For example, poultry, fresh fish or even driedcod are often done in potacchio (with onion, tomato, whitewine and rosemary), while duck, rabbit, ham or even seasnails may be done in porchetta (with wild fennel, garlic androsemary).

The region that stakes persuasive claims to the origins ofporchetta, also makes an impressive range of salumi.Notable are the prosciutto from the town of Carpegna, whichrates a DOP, the salame of Fabriano and the cotechino ofSan Leo. Around Macerata they make a sort of sausagecalled ciauscolo, soft enough to spread on bread like paté.

At Ascoli Piceno, giant olives are stuffed with a meat-cheese-bread filling and deep fried. Zucchine and peas arefavored in season, while beans and chickpeas are used year-round for soups. Greens include ròscani, whose spinach likeleaves have an acidic bite. Lentils grown in the Apennines tothe south of the Marches qualify under the DOP of Lenticchiedi Castelluccio di Norcia, centered in Umbria.

Pecorino is preferred young and mild, sometimes almostsweet. Casciotta d’Urbino, a DOP made from a blend ofsheep and cow’s milk, has been known since the MiddleAges. The rare ambra cheese from the town of Talamello isalso made from a mix of sheep and cow’s milk into formswrapped in cloth and buried in pits carved out of tufa where

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Ancona is the administrative center ofthe Marches, whose provinces includeAscoli Piceno, Macerata and Pesaro-Urbino. The region ranks 15th in size(9,694 square kilometers) and 13th inpopulation (1,455,000)

mold forms and accounts for special flavor.Cheese often figures in focaccia and

pizza, as well as in desserts, which areusually moderately sweet. Ravioli-likepastries are Ascoli’s calcioni (made withfresh pecorino) and Macerata’s piconi (withricotta, rum and cinnamon). Corn flour isused in Ancona’s beccute (biscuits withraisins and nuts) and frustenga (cake withfigs, raisins and walnuts).

The region’s 11 DOCs are led byVerdicchio, the paragon of fish wines,though that white may also have the weightto accompany poultry, veal and rabbit.Ancona’s unsung pride is Rosso Conero, afull-bodied red from the Montepulcianogrape. Rosso Piceno, from vineyards to thesouth, can also show class. Meals often endwith Mistrà, an anise liqueur traditionallydrunk in the coffee cup with the remains ofan espresso.

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Casciotta d’Urbino.Meat product: Prosciutto di Carpegna.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale (in part).Produce: Lenticchie di Castelluccio diNorcia (in part).

Specialties of theMarchesanatra in porchetta roast duck stuffed withwild fennel, salt pork, garlic.

minestra di ceci soup of chickpeas withpork ribs, tomato, herbs and gratedpecorino served over slices of toastedbread.

muscioli arrosto mussels filled with ham,breadcrumbs and parsley roasted in tomatosauce.

passatelli di carne ground beef and bonemarrow, spinach, cheese, breadcrumbs andeggs worked into paste and forced throughslots to form thin dumplings, cooked inbroth as soup.

pollo in potacchio spring chicken braisedwith onion, tomato, white wine, rosemary.

quaglie in tegame quails braised in a potwith white wine, salt pork, tomatoes, peas.

ravioli ai filetti di sogliola pasta envelopeswith a ricotta-parsley filling dressed with asauce of sole with white wine and tomatoes.

stocco all’anconetana dried cod cookedwith olive oil, white wine, milk, tomatoes,carrots, garlic, rosemary.

vincisgrassi lasagne layered with a sauce ofchicken giblets, mushrooms, veal brains andsweetbreads, ham, bechamel, ParmigianoReggiano and, in season, truffles—preferably white.

zucchine ripiene small marrows hollowedand stuffed with ground veal, tomato, onion,parsley and grated Parmigiano Reggianoand fried.

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The eight regions of what is loosely defined as north-ern Italy boast the nation’s highest standard of livingand its richest diet, in terms of both abundance and

variety. The plains that extend along the Po and lesserrivers from Piedmont to the northern rim of the Adriatic pro-liferate with grain, corn, rice, fruit, livestock and dairy prod-ucts. Vineyards on slopes along the great arc formed bythe Alps and Apennines are Italy’s prime sources of premi-um wine.

Restaurateurs and recipe collectors abroad acclaim thecommon heritage of what they call "northern Italiancuisine." But menus that mix Bologna’s tagliatelle andragout, for example, with Genoa’s trenette noodles andpesto, Milan’s risotto and braised veal shanks, Venice’sblack rice and soft shell crabs, Trieste’s goulash andsauerkraut or Turin’s cheese fondue and white trufflesmock historical realities. Even today, despitestandardization of tastes and the invasion of fast food, noother section of Italy maintains such diversity in regionalcooking.

Roots of local cultures can be traced to early peoples:the Liguri of the Riviera, the Salassi and Taurani ofPiedmont, the Rhaetians of the Alpine rim from Lombardyto Friuli, the Veneti of the northern Adriatic basin and theEtruscans who crossed the Apennines to control thePadana valley before the conquests of Cisalpine Gauls andRomans. The unity constructed under the Roman empirecollapsed in the Middle Ages. The northern states,domineered by foreign forces, continued to switchloyalties, leaders and borders with dizzying frequencythrough the Renaissance and on up to the Risorgimento.

The assortment of local dialects, or in some cases full-fledged languages (French in Valle d’Aosta, German in AltoAdige), attests to the historical heterogeneity of Italy’snorth. French influences remain in recipes of Piedmont,Liguria, Lombardy and Emilia to the northwest, just asAustro-Hungarian tangs linger in foods of the Tre Venezie(Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige) to thenortheast. But local tastes rule in this vast territory whereculinary customs vary delectably from province to provinceand town to town.

Still, some generalizations might be made aboutnorthern cooking. Meat has prevailed over seafood in mostplaces where butter and lard are the traditional fats.

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Northern ItalyEmilia-Romagna, Liguria, Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy,

Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige

Exceptions must be made for Liguria, withits exemplary Mediterranean diet, and theAdriatic strip where seafood and olive oilprevail. In most inland areas, diets haverelied on a wholesome mix of grains,legumes, cheeses, preserved fish andseasonal varieties of vegetables,mushrooms and herbs. A tendency tosubstitute olive oil for animal fats hasrevitalized the balance.

Pasta, rice, polenta and gnocchi figurein one form or another in each region’sdiet, though local preferences present astudy in contrasts. Fresh pasta, usuallymade with eggs, prevails south of the Po inPiedmont, Liguria and, most gloriously, inEmilia-Romagna. Rice dominates in theflatlands of Lombardy and Piedmont,where it is usually braised and stirred asrisotto, and in the Veneto, where it is oftensimmered in broth in dishes that rangetastily between risottos and thick soups.

Polenta, made from corn or also frombuckwheat or chestnut flour, was thesustenance of northern country people forages, eaten as a mush or porridge withcheese or sauces or sliced and fried orgrilled to go with meat dishes. Today’spolenta strongholds are the Tre Venezieand the Alpine flanks of Lombardy andPiedmont. Gnocchi are often based onpotatoes, though dumplings are also madefrom semolino or ricotta and greens. InTrentino-Alto Adige, round breaddumplings are called Knödeln or canederli.

Perhaps the most popular category ofprimi—though not only a first course—aresoups, which may include pasta, rice,polenta, gnocchi, bread, vegetables,beans, meats or seafood. Prominentexamples of northern minestre are thenoodle and bean pasta e fagioli of theVeneto and Friuli, the fish chowders ofLiguria and the Adriatic coast, Milan’stripe-based busecca and Emilia-Romagna’s delicate pasta in brodo (afloatin broth).

A meat dish eaten nearly everywhere inthe north is bollito misto. But the mix variesbetween beef, veal, pork sausages andpoultry, while sauces range from parsley-

based salsa verde to Piedmont’s tomatored bagnet ross, Verona’s beef marrow andpepper pearà and Cremona’s candied fruitand mustard mostarda. Fritto misto is alsoeaten in most regions, thoughcompositions of fried meats, cheeses,vegetables, fruits and pastries are neverthe same from one place to another.

Pork plays a prime role in salt-curedmeats, whose hallmark is Prosciutto fromParma and San Daniele, the salt-curedham described as dolce due to the ripeflavor and soft texture that develop over ayear or more of maturing. But the delightsof salumi range beyond pork to beef for thebresaola of Lombardy’s Valtellina, as wellas goat, goose and chamois for salameand sausages.

Northern Italy is a paradise for cheeselovers. They may begin with ParmigianoReggiano and Grana Padano, whichaccount for a major share of nationalproduction, and nibble their way throughblue-veined Gorgonzola, buttery Fontina,tangy Asiago and a vast array of mild,creamy, ripe and sharp cheeses, mainlyfrom cows but also from sheep and goats.

The eight northern regions produceabout a third of Italian wine, though theyaccount for more than half of theDOC/DOCG total. The leading region forvolume of classified wines is Veneto, whereVerona’s Soave and Valpolicella headproduction. Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia have sterling reputations forwhite wines, though they are increasinglyadmired for reds. Lombardy is noted foraged reds from the Alpine Valtellina andclassical sparkling wines from the hills ofFranciacorta and Oltrepò Pavese. Thenorth’s most vaunted reds are Barolo andBarbaresco of Piedmont, a region that alsomakes Gattinara, Barbera, Dolcetto andsparkling sweet Asti.

A byproduct of wine is grappa, whichwas long considered a common sort ofspirit. But class has been upgradeddramatically in recent times by distillers inFriuli, Veneto, Trentino and Piedmont,whose grappa often comes from selectgrape varieties and specific vineyards.

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Emilia-Romagna

As Italy’s capital of gastronomy, Bologna was known as lagrassa (the fat), a description less flattering today than itonce was. But the city still gloats over a land of plenty

that extends along the fertile southern flank of the Po. Emilia(to the west of Bologna) and Romagna (to the east) flaunt theirconsiderable differences, but together share Italy’s most luxu-riant tables.

Recipes, like the names of dishes, vary from town to townin a region that breeds culinary heroes: Ferrara’s Christoforodi Messisbugo, who cronicled the lavish menus ofRenaissance courts; Parma’s Duchess Marie Louise (wife ofNapoleon), whose tastes inspired generations of dishes;Modena’s Este dukes, who fostered the cult of acetobalsamico, the monarch of vinegars; Forlimpopoli’sPellegrino Artusi, the author known as the father of modernItalian cooking.

The honor roll of foods is led by pasta—made with fresheggs and rolled by hand by a sfoglina to achieve perfecttexture. The universal primo is tagliatelle con ragù, thoughcooks consider the meat sauce personal works of art.Bologna, whose specialties include green lasagne and curlygramigna, disputes with Modena the creation of tortellini(modeled after Venus’s navel). Parma’s prides are largesquare envelopes called tortelli and the rounded anolini,which are also made in Piacenza, home of the bean-shapedpisarei. Ferrara’s cappellacci (big hats) are stuffed withsquash. Reggio’s cappelletti (little hats) differ from pasta ofthe name in Romagna, whose specialties include the rolledtubes called garganelli and slim dumplings called passatelli.Pasticcio is pasta with other ingredients baked in a pie,though interpretations vary.

Polenta, once a staple of the country diet, now plays asecondary role to pasta in the region, as do rice and gnocchi.Vegetables, greens and legumes of all sorts are grown here,though they are often cooked in soups or with pasta.Romagna has a native species of shallot protected as IGPScalogno di Romagna. Mushrooms from the Apennines areprized, notably from around Borgotaro, where they enjoy IGPstatus. Romagna produces a bit of olive oil, protected underDOP for the town of Brisighella.

Baked nearly everywhere are hard wheat rolls of snowwhite interior and tawny crust called coppiette, due to theirshape resembling a "coupled" set of horns. Local versions offlatbreads abound. Most renowned is Romagna’s circularpiadina or piada, baked on tiles (or griddles) and folded overprosciutto, cheese or greens. Thicker focaccia is called

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Bologna is the administrative center ofEmilia-Romagna, whose provincesinclude Ferrara, Forlì, Modena, Parma,Piacenza, Ravenna, Rimini and Reggionell’Emilia. The region ranks 6th in size(22,124 square kilometers) and 8th inpopulation (3,960,000).

spianata or torta salata, though with saltpork in the dough it becomes crescentina atBologna. In Emilia’s hills, paper thinborlengo or burleng is cooked like a crêpe,dressed with salt pork, garlic and rosemary,folded into quarters and served with gratedParmigiano. Similar flavorings are used onthe muffin-like tigelle, baked between tiledisks.

Crisp fritters are made through Emilia,originally fried in lard but now more often inoil, sometimes flavored with pork crackling,prosciutto or sausage, though types vary.Examples are burtleina at Piacenza, tortafritta at Parma, gnocco fritto at Modena,chizza at Reggio. Bologna’s renowned frittomisto combines pastry fritters with friedmeats and vegetables. The filling of friedcassoni includes spinach and raisins.

In Emilia, the curing of pork is an age-oldmaster craft. Prosciutto di Parma, Italy’s

best known meat product, is protected byDOP, as is the rare but even more prizedCulatello di Zibello, a filet of rump aged inthe foggy lowlands along the Po. Bologna isnoted for giant loaves called Mortadella,though the IGP extends through the regionand beyond. Modena pig’s foot sausagezampone is eaten nationwide at the NewYear with lentils for luck. DOP protectsZampone di Modena and Prosciutto diModena, while IGP applies to Cotechino diModena, a sausage whose stuffing includesbits of rind.

Piacenza is a center of salumeproduction, with DOP applied to CoppaPiacentina, the neck roll, elsewhere calledcapocollo, as well as Salame Piacentino andthe un-smoked bacon known as PancettaPiacentina. Ferrara’s salama da sugo blendschoice bits of pork in a juicy stuffing with redwine, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

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Emilians all make lean and mildly seasonedsalame gentile.

The Romagnola breed of cattle iscovered by the IGP of Vitellone Biancodell’Appennino Centrale. Other meatsappreciated throughout the region are veal,turkey, capon, chicken and rabbit.Romagnans have a taste for duck andgrilled and roast pork, lamb and mutton.Cesenatico is the seafood haven ofRomagna, whose brodetto is among thetastiest of the Adriatic’s fish soups. Eels fromthe Comacchio lagoon may be stewed,roasted or grilled.

Emilia’s Parmigiano Reggiano, the "kingof cheeses," is firm yet brittle enough tobreak into bite-sized chunks of elegantlymellow flavor. Aging makes Parmigianogolden and hard for grating. Romagna’sformaggio di fossa from the milk of sheep orcows is ripened in caves for three months.Ravaggiolo and squaquarone are tangycream cheeses used mainly in cooking.

Sweets seem almost sinful after suchrich fare. That may explain why fruit,especially home grown peaches, cherries,strawberries, pears and muskmelons, aswell as nuts, are prominent in the diet. Ofspecial note are the cherries of Vignola andthe pears, peaches and nectarinesprotected as IGP in Romagna. Chestnutsthrive in the Apennines, where the Marronedel Castel Rio rates an IGP.

Emilia-Romagna boasts its share ofbiscuits, pastries, tarts, sweet ravioli andtortelli, sherbets and ices. Traditionaldesserts include Bologna’s certosino (spicecake), Ferrara’s torta di mele (apple cake),Modena’s bensone (lemon-flavoredcrumble), Romagna’s gialetti (cornmealbiscuits) and piada dei morti (flatbread withnuts and raisins).

Aceto balsamico tradizionale is aged atleast 12 years in barrels of different types ofwood to become dark, dense and almosttoo divine to be called vinegar. Thetraditional type is protected by a DOP inModena and Reggio, but imitations abound.The tradizionale is a unique condiment formeat, fish, and vegetables or the primeingredient in sauces. Vinegars of 20 years

old or more may be sipped from a teaspoonas a cordial or digestive.

Emilia-Romagna boasts 18 DOC wines.In Emilia, where most wines are bubbly, theperfect foil for luxury fare is vivacious redLambrusco—dry, however, not sweet. InRomagna, hearty red Sangiovese goes withmeats and cheeses and the dry whiteTrebbiano is preferred with fish. The region’slone DOCG is the white Albana di Romagna,historically sweet but today mainly dry.Emilia’s preferred digestivo is nocino, aliqueur made of green walnuts steeped indistilled spirits.

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Parmigiano Reggiano, GranaPadano (in part), Provolone Valpadana(Piacenza).Meat products: Coppa Piacentina,Culatello di Zibello, Pancetta Piacentina,Prosciutto di Modena, Prosciutto di Parma,Salame Piacentino.Olive oil: Brisighella.Vinegars: Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale diModena, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale diReggio Emilia.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat products: Cotechino di Modena,Mortadella di Bologna, Zampone di Modenaand Vitellone Bianco dell’AppenninoCentrale (in part).Produce: Fungo di Borgotaro, Marrone delCastel Rio, Pera dell’Emilia-Romagna,Pescae Nettarina di Romagna, Scalogno diRomagna.

Specialties of Emilia-Romagnaanguilla alla comacchiese eel from theComacchio marshes cooked in a tomato-onion-garlic sauce.

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anolini alla parmigiana a stracotto of variousmeats, vegetables and herbs makes a fillingfor the envelopes cooked and served incapon’s broth with a liberal grating ofParmigiano Reggiano.

asparagi alla parmigiana green asparagusserved with melted butter and gratedParmigiano Reggiano.

cappelletti romagnoli the "hats" with a fillingof cheese, pork, turkey breast, sage androsemary are served with a pork ragout or inbroth.

cappone ripieno large capon roast in theoven with a stuffing of veal, ham andMarsala.

erbazzone round tart baked or fried withspinach or chard, salt pork, onions, garlic,sometimes ricotta, typical of Reggio—calledscarpazzone when baked in a crust.

garganelli pasta tubes with ragù alla romagnolabased on chicken livers, veal, prosciutto,tomatoes, herbs and bechamel

gramigna short, curly pasta tubes oftenserved with sausage braised in wine.

lasagne verdi Bologna’s spinach greenpasta sheets layered with ragout andbechamel.

passatelli grated grana, breadcrumbs, eggsand bone marrow are worked into paste andforced through slots to form dumplings,cooked in beef broth as soup in Romagna.

pasticcio di tortellini in Bologna, the cookedpasta with ragù is baked in a pie crust withbroth, grated cheese, breadcrumbs and, ifavailable, white truffles.

pisarei e fasò tiny pasta rounds with reddishborlotti beans, tomato sauce and gratedParmigiano Reggiano—the pride ofPiacenza.

prosciutto con melone roseate slices ofParma ham with fresh cantaloupe (or figs).

riso con sugo di anatra selvatica risotto ofthe lowlands around Ravenna and Ferrarawith a sauce from wild duck stewed withwhite wine, tomato and herbs.

tagliatelle alla duchessa chicken liversbrowned in butter flavor noodles dressedwith beaten egg yolks and gratedParmigiano Reggiano, as Parma’s MarieLouise liked them.

tortelli con le erbette envelopes filled withricotta and greens are served with drawnbutter around Parma.

tortellini in brodo the pasta curls with anexquisite meat and cheese filling aretraditionally served in capon broth withgrated Parmigiano Reggiano.

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Liguria

The Mediterranean diet takes on touches of genius alongthe Italian Riviera, which extends from the central port ofGenoa in narrow strips to the east (Levante) and west

(Ponente). Ligurian cooks rely on the sea, yet their skills shinewith produce from the steep hillsides: pale golden olive oil, gar-den greens, meats and poultry, mushrooms, nuts, herbs, theingredients for the sauces they call tocchi (touches), above allbasil and garlic for the glorious green pesto.

Ligurians, whose ancestors once dominatednorthwestern Italy and southeastern France, were noted asseafaring traders long before their famous son ChristopherColumbus opened channels for foods from America. Pastatubes called macheronis were cooked in the 13th century byGenoese, who spread the cult of noodles to other Italianports and over the Apennines to Emilia. Ancient Liguriansmade polenta and breads from the flour of dried chickpeasand chestnuts. It’s been speculated that a form of pastaoriginated there as the lasagnette strips of chestnut flour thatstill appear on menus.

Liguria remains an active producer of pasta, thoughbased almost entirely on wheat. Preferred with pesto areslender trenette noodles or the short, spiraled trofie ortroffiette. The sauce was made by pounding fresh basil inmortar and pestel with garlic and pine nuts (or walnuts), thenblending in olive oil and grated Pecorino Sardo andParmigiano Reggiano in equal parts. Some include potatoesor green beans with the noodles. Pesto, now often made inblenders, also flavors minestrone.

A pungent garlic and vinegar sauce called aggiadda oragliata goes with soups and baccalà. Beyond basil, parsley,rosemary, marjoram and thyme, cooks use a mix of wildherbs called preboggion—which includes borage, chervil,chicory and other greens in season—to flavor pasta andsoup. Other pastas include a type of ravioli called pansòuti,dumplings called fregamài and testaroli, small, round orfigure-eight stamps known as corzetti, the lasagne-likepicagge and the thinner mandilli de saea (silk handkerchiefs).

Chickpea flour and olive oil make a tasty tart calledfarinata—or panissa when made with onions and fried. Heretorta (cake) is rarely sweet. Torta pasqualina and torta verdeare laden with vegetables, torta marinara with fish. Breadusually comes in rolls or as focaccia with oil, onions orcheese. The region has its own pizza dell’Andrea (after theheroic Admiral Andrea Doria) with onions, garlic, tomatoes,black olives and anchovies—or with sardines as sardenaira.

There’s also a sweet pizza among Liguria’s desserts,

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Genoa (Genova) is the administrativecenter of Liguria, whose provincesinclude Imperia, La Spezia and Savona.The region ranks 18th in size (5,421square kilometers) and 11th in popula-tion (1,633,000).

which range through ring-shaped biscuitscalled canestrelli, fried pastries called böxìe(little lies), apple and raisin fritters calledfriscieu, Genoa’s Easter fruitcake pandolceand the chestnut-pine nut tart calledcastagnaccio.

Seafood restaurants along the Riviera offersea bass, prawns, scallops, oysters, lobstersand on occasion cappon magro ("lean capon,"

the wittily ironic name of a monumental saladthat contains plenty of fish but no fowl).Coveted are gianchetti or bianchetti (larvalanchovies and sardines available only brieflyeach year) and datteri (date-shells so rare thatfishing is banned). Yet housewives rely onmussels, squid and other humble fish forsoups called buridda and ciuppin. Recipesabound for anchovies and sardines (fresh or

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preserved), the dried tuna (or, in the past,dolphin) called mosciame and dried codbaccalà and stoccafisso.

The resourceful use of meat in the dietrelies on the versatility of veal in roasts andstews, the breast loaf called cima ripiena, therolled filets called tomaxelle, fried skewerscalled stecchi and as a source of tripe. Rabbitis popular, braised or stewed, as are poultryand lamb. Liguria produces little cheese,though Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, freshricotta and the acidic curds called prescinseuaare prominent in cooking.

The region’s olive oil known as RivieraLigure is protected by a DOP. Ligurians prizetheir limited sources of wine, first amongthem the white from the seaside terraces ofCinque Terre, either dry or sweet asSciacchetrà. Cinque Terre lies in the Rivieradel Levante to the east of Genoa, where theColli di Luni zone is noted for fine whiteVermentino. The Riviera del Ponente to thewest offers white Pigato and Vermentinoand red Rossese di Dolceacqua andOrmeasco, from the Dolcetto grape.

DOP PRODUCTsOlive oil: Riviera Ligure.

Specialties ofLiguriaburidda Genoese soup of various fish in astock with plenty of garlic, anchovy, tomato.

cappon magro layers of garlic-rubbed seabiscuits, cooked vegetables, eggs and atleast a dozen types of fresh fish form amound crowned by oysters and lobsters.

capponada the poor man’s cappon magroincludes biscuits and mainly preserved fish.

cima ripiena veal breast stuffed withvegetables, eggs, herbs, pistachios andcheese.

ciuppin the humblest of fish stewed withtomato, garlic, onions, white wine and eatenas soup thickened with stale bread.

coniglio alla carlona rabbit braised in whitewine with black olives, pine nuts, capers,herbs.

gianchetti all’agro the miniature fish servedraw or poached with lemon, oil, parsley.

mes-ciua chick-peas, beans, farro and oliveoil blend in an antique soup of La Spezia.

pansòuti con la salsa di noci pastaenvelopes filled with ricotta and thepreboggion bouquet of herbs, topped withwalnut sauce and grated ParmigianoReggiano.

sbira or sbirra tripe with tomatoes, potatoesand herbs served over slabs of toastedbread with Parmigiano Reggiano, eaten byGenoa’s stevedores and sbirri (cops) after aday’s work.

siluri torpedoes, the nickname for totani orflying squid, stuffed with cheese,breadcrumbs and garlic and stewed withwine and tomatoes.

stecchi fritti wooden skewers of variouspieces of veal coated with thick batter thatincludes artichokes, mushrooms and gratedcheese and fried in olive oil.

stocchefisce accomodou dried cod cookedwith pine nuts, olives, mushrooms,potatoes, vegetables, herbs and anchovies,in white wine and tomato sauce.

tomaxelle veal rolls with a filling ofmushrooms, pine nuts, breadcrumbs andeggs braised in tomato sauce.

torta pasqualina Easter tart based onartichokes or chard, hard-boiled eggs,ricotta and herbs, originally baked in 33layers of dough.

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Piedmont (Piemonte)

Piedmontese uphold their heritage of food and wine withunequaled staunchness. Turin, as the home of the Savoydynasty that reigned as Italy’s royal family, shared a culi-

nary savoir faire with neighboring France. But the noblestexamples of the good tastes of the past are to be found in thesubstantial cooking of the hill country.

The flavors of Piedmont reach peaks in autumn, when theharvest is in and wooded slopes from the Alps to theApennines supply game, mushrooms and white truffles,whose magical aromas enhance pastas and risottos, meatsand cheeses. Those foods call for full-bodied red wines suchas Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera.

Piedmont’s range of antipasti is so vast and varied that itrepresents a compendium of regional cooking with dishesthat elsewhere might qualify as main courses. Classicopeners are fonduta (cheese fondue), insalata di carne cruda(marinated raw beef), finanziera (a bizarre meat stew), vitellotonnato (veal with tuna sauce) and bagna caôda ("hot bath"for raw vegetables). Salads may consist of greens,asparagus, sweet-sour onions, beans or wild mushrooms.Red and yellow bell peppers are eaten with dressings or, likeother vegetables, blended in flans called sformati. Zucchiniflowers or Savoy cabbage (verza) leaves with meat-cheesefillings may be called caponet. Rice and cheese are used forcroquettes, cakes and fritters. Eggs may be fried sunny sideup with truffles or cooked with vegetables or peppers asfrittata or in an onion custard called tartrà.

Antipasto lists continue with tongue, tripe, fried pig’strotters called batsoa (silk stockings), tonno di coniglio(marinated rabbit tender as tuna) and stewed snails. Patésand terrines are made of liver and game birds. Fine porksalumi include salame alla douja (aged in lard in earthenwarevases) and blood sausages called sanguinacci. Salami is alsomade from beef, goose, trout and potatoes. Munched withvirtually everything are grissini, yard-long breadsticks firstbaked in Turin in the 17th century.

Pastas are dominated by slender, hand-cut noodles calledtajarin and ravioli-like envelopes called agnolotti, which take todifferent forms, fillings and sauces. Flatlands near the Poaround Vercelli and Novara are Europe’s leading suppliers ofrice, notably the prized Carnaroli for risotto cooked with beansand pork as panissa or paniscia or with frogs, vegetable ormeat sauces or simply with butter and shaved truffles. Polentaand potato gnocchi are favored in places, as are hearty soups,such as cisrà, with chickpeas and pork rind, and tôfeja, withbeans, corn flour, vegetables and pork.

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Turin (Torino) is the administrative centerof Piedmont, whose provinces includeAlessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo,Novara, Torino, Verbano-Cusio-Ossolaand Vercelli. The region ranks 2nd insize (25,399 square kilometers) and5th in population (4,288,000).

The region raises prized beef of thebreed known as razza piemontese to bebraised in red wine, roasted, grilled orsimmered as the base of bollito misto.Recipes abound for veal, lamb, kid andrabbit, as well as duck, goose, chicken,capon and pigeon. Pheasant, partridge,hare and venison are favorites among game.Meats and other items combine in Italy’smost ambitious fritto misto. Fried pork liveris the base of a dish called griva. Tapulone isa stew of donkey meat served aroundNovara. Anchovies and tuna flavor many adish, though fresh fish is secondary in thediet, with an exception for trout frommountain lakes and streams.

Piedmont produces quantities ofGorgonzola from Novara, as well as Taleggioand Grana Padano, DOP cheeses that arealso made in neighboring regions. Piedmontalso offers an intricate array of local cheesesprotected by DOP. Notable are the softRobiola di Roccaverano (based on sheep’smilk) and Murazzano (based on cow’s milkwith some goat or sheep’s milk blended in)and the little wheels of Toma Piemontesefrom hill towns in the region. Tome or tumeare usually based on cow’s milk, as is therare Castelmagno, sharp in flavor andflecked with blue mold. Bra, named for thetown near Cuneo, may be soft when youngor hard with age. The similar Rascheracomes from the heights of the MaritimeAlps. A pervasively pungent fermentedcheese is known variously as brôs, bruss,bruz. Fontina, preferably from Valle d’Aosta,is widely used in cooking.

Piedmont is a major producer of hazelnuts,protected under IGP. They are used inpastries, cakes, chocolates and the nougatcalled torrone. Chestnuts are roasted orcandied as marrons glacés. Among a wealthof biscuits, pastries and desserts, standoutsare corn flour (meliga) cookies, the chocolateor coffee flavored custard cake called bonèt,cream cooked with caramel as panna cotta,an opulent chocolate cake called tortagianduia and fluffy zabaione, whichsupposedly originated here.

Piedmont boasts the greatest number ofclassified wines, with 8 DOCGs and 43

DOCs, including the regionwide appellationof Piemonte to classify premium wines. TheNebbiolo grape of Barolo and Barbarescoalso makes aged reds in the northern townsof Gattinara, Ghemme and Carema. Popularreds are Barbera and Dolcetto. Notablewhites are the dry Gavi and Arneis and thesweet, bubbly Asti Spumante and its relativeMoscato d’Asti. Turin is the world capital ofvermouth, fortified wine flavored with herbsand spices.

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Bra, Castelmagno, Gorgonzola(province of Novara), Grana Padano (in part),Murazzano, Raschera, Robiola diRoccaverano, Toma Piemontese.

IGP PRODUCTSProduce: Nocciola del Piemonte.

Specialties ofPiedmontagnolotti al burro e salvia pasta envelopeswith a lean meat-herb filling served withfresh sage leaves sautéed in butter andgrated Parmigiano Reggiano.

bagna caôda olive oil, butter, garlic andanchovies are the "hot bath" in anearthenware vessel into which rawcardoons, carrots, celery, fennel, cauliflower,jerusalem artichokes, spring onions andsliced bell peppers—among other items—are dipped.

brasato al Barolo beef marinated in Barolowith onions, carrots and herbs, braised toexquisite tenderness.

finanziera stew or sauce of veal brains,sweetbreads, chicken livers and cockscombs

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and mushrooms stewed with garlic, vinegarand Marsala, though recipes vary.

fonduta Fontina cheese melted with butter, milkand egg yolks and worked with a whisk into acreamy mass topped with shaved white truffles.

fritto misto piemontese or fricia this deep-friedbanquet includes lamb, chicken, veal, liver,brains, sweetbreads, pig’s feet, sausages,artichokes, cauliflower, zucchini, mushrooms,apples, pears, cheese, dumplings, almondbiscuits, though possibilities don’t stop there.

gnocchi alla bava potato dumplings withbutter, Fontina and grated Grana Padano.

grande bollito misto piemontese various cutsof beef and veal, including tongue and head,simmered with hen, cotechino sausage,onions, celery, carrots and served with bagnetverde (sauce of parsley, garlic, anchovy,breadcrumbs) or bagnet ross (peppery hotand red from tomatoes).

insalata di carne cruda finely chopped rawbeef or veal marinated briefly in olive oil, garlic,lemon juice, served with salad greens or, in

season, shaved truffles.

lepre in civet or sivè hare marinated andcooked with its blood, herbs, spices and redwine, sometimes confused with lepre in salmì,cooked without blood and served withstrained gravy.

panissa risotto tinted with Barbera, braisedwith reddish borlotti beans, pork rind andsalame alla douja, typical of Vercelli; paniscia ofnearby Novara is subtly different.

polenta cùnsa cornmeal mixed with Fontinaand toma, topped with butter and gratedgrana.

tajarin con i tartufi the noodles boiled in beefbroth are flavored with melted butter, gratedgrana and a touch of nutmeg and topped withshaved truffles.

trota alla salvia brook trout braised in whitewine and vinegar with bay leaf and fresh sage.

zabaione or zabaglione egg yolks whippedwith sugar and Marsala into a delicious cream,which also flavors ice cream and semifreddo.

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Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste

Italy’s smallest region is tucked into the loftiest corner ofthe Alps with borders on France and Switzerland, neigh-bors who influence the cooking of the French-speaking

population. Still, though Valle d’Aosta shares traditionswith Piedmont (of which it was long a province), the foodsof its Alpine valleys have rarefied character of their own.

Pasta and olive oil are novelties in a robust cuisinebased on cheese and meat, rye bread, potatoes, polenta,gnocchi, risotto and soups. Cows grazed on Alpinemeadows provide fine butter and cheese called toma,Robiola and above all Fontina DOP, which figures in manya dish, including fondua, made with milk as in Piedmont’sfonduta. Also DOP is Valle d’Aosta Fromadzo, a firm cow’smilk cheese (sometimes with a bit of ewe’s milk) that hasbeen made in the valley since the 15th century. Cheese isalso used with polenta, risotto and in thick soups, whoseingredients range beyond the usual vegetables, meat, riceand potatoes to include mushrooms, chestnuts andalmonds.

Meat specialties are the beef stew called carbonadeand breaded veal cutlets or costolette. Aostans savor thetrout that abounds in mountain streams and game:partridge, grouse, hare, venison, as well as chamois andibex (for which hunting is limited). Noted pork products areprosciutto called Jambon de Bosses, which rates a DOP,as does the Lard (salt pork) from the town of Arnad. Spicyblood sausages called boudins and salame are preservedin pork fat. Mocetta is the rare prosciutto of chamois oribex. A curiosity is tetouns, cow’s udder salt cured withherbs, cooked, pressed and sliced fine like ham.

The Alpine climate lends flavor to berries and fruit,especially apples and pears called martin sec that arecooked with red wine as dessert. The region is noted forfragrant mountain honey, almond biscuits called tegole andbutter crisps known as torcetti.

The Valle d’Aosta (Vallée d’Aoste in French) regionalDOC covers 23 types of wine and variations. But suchcurios as the red Torrette and Enfer d’Arvier and the whiteMuscat de Chambave and Blanc de Morgex (fromcontinental Europe’s highest vineyards) need to besampled locally. Meals conclude with the passing of thegrolla, a pot containing caffè valdostana (coffee with redwine, grappa and lemon peel), which is sipped fromnumerous spouts.

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Aosta is the administrative center andlone province of Valle d’Aosta, whichranks 20th among the regions in bothsize (3,264 square kilometers) andpopulation (120,000).

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Fontina, Valle d’Aosta Fromadzo.Meat products: Jambon de Bosses, Valled’Aosta Lard d’Arnad.

Specialties of Valled’Aostacapriolo alla valdostana venison stewed inred wine with vegetables, herbs, grappa,cream.

carbonade salt-cured beef cooked withonions and red wine in a rich stew.

costoletta alla valdostana breaded veal

cutlet with melted Fontina and, in season,truffles.

minestra di castagne e riso thick soup ofrice cooked in milk with chestnuts.

polenta alla rascard cornmeal cooked, cooledand sliced, then baked with layers of Fontinaand a ragout of beef and sausage.

risotto alla valdostana Fontina, toma,Parmigiano Reggiano and butter make thisone of the creamiest of rice dishes.

seupa à la valpellinentze soup of Savoycabbage, rye bread, Fontina, ham, salt pork,herbs and spices in beef broth.

seupa de gri barley soup with potatoes,onions, seasonal vegetables, salt pork.

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Lombardy (Lombardia)

Lombardy honors its richly diversified culinary heritage withdishes that are often elaborate and esoteric in taste.Milan’s gastronomic traditions differ—if more in form than

in substance—from the dining customs of the provinces in aterritory that extends from the Alps along the lakes of Garda,Como and Maggiore across the Po plains to the Apennines.

Provincial cooking merits individual attention, yet regionalpatterns of eating do show recurring themes. Risotto andpolenta still surpass pasta in popularity. The habitual use ofbutter, cream and lard has only gradually yielded to olive oilin recipes.

Lombardy’s popular cheeses are firm Grana Padano,blue-veined Gorgonzola, soft, ripe Taleggio, soft, mildQuartirolo Lombardo and tangy Provolone Valpadano, allcovered by DOP, as well as creamy Robiola and Stracchino.Some local cheeses are also protected.

Lombardians are resolute consumers of meat and poultry(especially duck, goose and turkey). Beef is the base ofbollito misto, eaten everywhere. The many recipes for vealinclude vitello tonnato, with tuna sauce, shared withPiedmont. Pork’s customary utility extends through a rangeof salame, though salume also comes from beef and geese.

The pleasures of eating in old Milan were illustrated byGiuseppe Arcimboldo, a painter who used foods to createhuman likenesses. In Italy’s rice capital the saffron-tintedrisotto alla milanese is served with ossobuco (braised vealshank). Rice (or rîs) is cooked in many ways: with erborinn(parsley), spàrgitt (asparagus), rape (turnips), rane (frogs) andcoràda (calf’s lung). The city’s soups include robustminestrone and busecca (based on tripe). Noted meat dishesare costoletta alla milanese (breaded veal cutlet), casoeûla(pork stew), fritto misto (of veal brains, liver, lungs andsweetbreads) and mondeghili (meat croquettes). Milan isknown for fine-grained pork salame, that was traditionallymade in the city, as well as in the nearby Brianza hills, whereit rates a DOP. Panettone, a fluffy fruit cake, is a nationalChristmas institution.

To the south lies Pavia and the rice paddies near wherethe intricate risotto alla certosina was created at a Carthusianmonastery. Pavia is known for zuppa alla pavese, risòtt rustì(rice with pork and beans), dishes with frogs, crayfish andsnails, and the original colomba pasquale, the Easter cake inthe form of a dove. Fine salume is made in the hills of OltrepòPavese, notably the Salame di Varzi, which rates a DOP. Thetown of Mortara is noted for goose salame and fegato grasso(foie gras).

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Milan (Milano) is the administrative cen-ter of Lombardy, whose provincesinclude Bergamo, Brescia, Como,Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova,Pavia, Sondrio and Varese. The regionranks 4th in size (23,861 square kilo-meters) and 1st in population(9,029,000).

Cremona, on the Po, is renowned formostarda (mustard-flavored candied fruits)served with platters of bollito misto.Although the city may have been thebirthplace of ravioli, its most noted pastatoday is marubini, disks filled with meat andcheese and eaten in broth. A local treat istorrone, nougat based on almonds.

Como’s Alpine lake supplies prizedpersico (perch), tiny fish called alborelle,which are fried and eaten whole, and agoni,dried and preserved with bay leaf asmissultitt, eaten like sardines. Otherdelicacies are fitascetta (pastry with redonions), polenta vûncia (with garlic, butterand Grana Padano) and miascia (breadpudding with apples, pears, raisins androsemary).

The Valtellina, near the Alpine border ofSwitzerland, is the home of bresaola (airdried beef) and violino (smoked goatprosciutto). Buckwheat (grano saraceno) isused for a cheese and grappa fritter calledsciatt, noodles called pizzoccheri, forpolenta in fiur (cooked with milk) and polentataragna (with butter and the rare scimudincheese). The valley’s legendary cheese isthe rustic Bitto DOP, though ValtellinaCasera is also protected.

The provinces of Bergamo and Bresciashare a ravioli-like pasta called casônsei andpolenta e osei, with little birds cooked crispenough to eat bones and all. That dish usedto be so popular that it inspired a cake of thename with birds sculpted in almond paste.In the Taleggio valley near Bergamo thefinest cheese of the name is ripened incaves. Formai de Mut dell’Alta ValBrembana comes from the Alpine valleynorth of Bergamo. Brescia’s menus offer risoalla pitocca (rice boiled with chicken) andpike, tench and eel from the lakes of Gardaand Iseo. Bagoss is an artisanal granacheese from the village of Bagolino.

Mantua (Mantova) in the eastern flatlandsis noted for pasta called agnolini, cookedwith a rich beef-pork filling and tortellienvelopes with squash. Vialone Nano rice isgrown locally for risotto alla pilota (withsausages). Polenta is topped with groundsalt pork as gras pistà. Mantua’s many

desserts include crescent pastries calledoffelle and cakes called bussolano (withpotatoes and lemon) and the crumbly tortasbrisulona. Pears from Mantova areprotected by an IGP. Part of the ParmigianoReggiano DOP zone is in the province ofMantova.

Although the region produces little oliveoil, two types rate DOP: Laghi Lombardi andGarda, from the shores of the lake. Twowines have been distinguished as DOCG:Franciacorta, a sparkling wine made by theclassical method of fermentation in bottle,and Valtellina Superiore, a red fromNebbiolo. Notable among Lombardy’s 13DOCs are those of Oltrepò Pavese, whichtakes in a range of reds, whites andsparkling wines, and Lugana, a fruity whitefrom vineyards to the south of Lake Garda.

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DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Bitto, Formai de Mut dell’AltaValle Brembana, Gorgonzola (in part), GranaPadano (in part), Parmigiano Reggiano (inthe province of Mantova), ProvoloneValpadana (in part), Quartirolo Lombardo,Taleggio, Valtellina Casera.Olive oils: Laghi Lombardi, Garda (in part).Meat products: Salame Brianza, Salame diVarzi.

IGP PRODUCTSMeat products: Bresaola della Valtellina.Produce: Pera Mantovana.

Specialties ofLombardybusecca or büsêca soup of tripe with saltpork, diced salame, vegetables, herbs,grated grana.

casoeûla cuts of pork, sausage and rindstewed in wine with cabbage and herbs andeaten with polenta.

casônsei ravioli filled with sausage, breadand cheese in Brescia—and with thoseingredients and more around Bergamo—always dressed with butter and GranaPadano.

costoletta alla milanese large veal cutletwith the bone, breaded, fried in butter andserved with a sprinkling of lemon.

nervetti in insalata gristle from pig’s foot andshank cooked tender with onions, carrotsand celery and served as salad with vinegarand oil.

ossobuco alla milanese veal shank (cutacross the bone to expose the marrow)

braised in wine and herbs and flavored withgremolada (chopped parsley, garlic, gratedlemon rind).

polenta e osei cornmeal shaped in a moundand topped with small birds (larks, thrush,warblers) spit roasted with sage leaves.

polenta pasticciata cooked cornmeal,sliced and baked with layers of tomato, porkand mushroom sauce.

rane in guazzetto frogs cooked with butter,onions, garlic, tomato, white wine.

risotto alla certosina rice braised withonions, peas, leeks and tomatoes, servedwith froglegs, filets of perch, crayfish andmushrooms.

risotto alla milanese the golden rice flavoredwith saffron, butter and grated ParmigianoReggiano is traditionally eaten withossobuco.

tacchina ripiena Christmas roast turkeystuffed with chestnuts, apples, pears,walnuts, minced veal, salt pork, brandy andherbs.

torta sbrisulona crisp crumb cake with cornmeal, butter and almonds.

tortelli di zucca envelopes with a filling ofyellow squash, mostarda, almond biscuitsand cheese, served with butter and gratedParmigiano Reggiano.

uccelli scappati chunks of veal and porkskewered with sage leaves and cooked toresemble "escaped birds."

vitello tonnato thin slices of roast or braisedveal served cold with a creamy sauce (ormayonnaise) flavored with tuna, capers,anchovy and lemon—though recipes vary.

zuppa alla pavese fresh eggs atop slices ofbread fried in butter are poached and eatenin beef broth with grated Grana Padano.

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Veneto

Venetian cooking has known exotic touches since thedays when crusaders, merchants and adventurers suchas Marco Polo opened trade routes to the east, provid-

ing Europe with coffee, tea and novel grains, herbs and spices.Still, though foods may be rich, varied and sometimes bizarre,Veneto boasts an enviably balanced diet from an eclecticrange of sources.

The Adriatic abounds in fish. The plains of the Po, Adigeand Piave rivers supply livestock, rice for risotto and corn forpolenta. The hills that flank the Alps from Lake Garda toCortina d’Ampezzo provide game, mushrooms, wine and abit of olive oil, along with the climate for aging prosciutto,salame and cheeses. Gardens everywhere furnish freshvegetables, notably the radicchio species of endive of Trevisoand Verona.

As a seafood haven, Venice exalts risotto nero (blackenedwith cuttlefish ink), scampi (prawns) and spider crabs calledgranseole—or moleche when males shed their shells inspring and fall. Venetians have their own lexicon for creaturesfrom the lagoon: cannolicchi or cape longhe (razor-shellclams), peoci (mussels), garusoli (spiky murex sea snails),cape sante and the smaller canestrelli (scallops), folpetti(curled octopus), schile (tiny shrimp) and sardele (sardines).But Venetians also dine on the earthly likes of risi e bisi (riceand peas), fegato alla veneziana (calf’s liver and onions) andCarpaccio. That raw beef dish originated in Venice, as didthe rampantly fashionable dessert called tiramisù.

Cured pork products include variations on salami calledsoppressata, as well as cotechino and other types ofsausage. The prosciutto from the Berici and Euganei hills inthe southern Veneto rates a DOP. Protected cheeses take inAsiago, from Alpine meadows, and Monte Veronese, fromthe Lessini hills north of Verona, as well as Grana Padano,Montasio, Provolone Valpadano and Taleggio, shared withother regions.

Rice has always found greater favor among Venetiansthan pasta. The compact Vialone Nano from Verona’slowlands rates an IGP. It excels for risotto, or risoto, usuallymade by sautéeing the rice and base ingredients thensimmering them in broth without stirring. Rice dishes, oftensubstantial, include an endless variety of meat, fish, game,vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and odd combinations suchas riso con i bruscàndoli (wild hop shoots) and risi incavroman (mutton spiced with cinnamon).

Special handmade pastas are the spaghetti-like bigoli, theravioli-like cassunziei and the tagliatelle-like paparele.

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Venice (Venezia) is the administrativecenter of the Veneto, whose provincesinclude Belluno, Padova, Rovigo,Treviso, Verona and Vicenza. Theregion ranks 8th in size (18,391 squarekilometers) and 6th in population(4,488,000).

Noodles of all types go with beans in pastae fagioli (fasioi in dialect)—the primeexample of a range of soups made with rice,meat, fish and vegetables. The red beans ofLamon in the valleys around Belluno haveIGP status.

The versatile radicchio rosso is used forsalads, cooked in risotto and soups orgrilled with oil and lemon as a separate dish.IGP status has been reserved for RadicchioRosso di Treviso and Radicchio Variegato diCastelfranco. Also prized are tenderartichokes and the white asparagus ofBassano del Grappa, eaten with eggsbeaten with olive oil and vinegar. The olive oilfrom the shores of Lake Garda and Verona’shills rate the DOP Garda.

Polenta can be a primo, though it’s moreoften part of the main course, as a mush orgrilled with meat dishes such as pastissada,stew made with beef or with horsemeat aspastissada de caval in Verona. There pearà,a sauce of beef marrow, grated bread andpepper is served with the ubiquitous bollitomisto. Polenta accompanies duck, goose,guinea fowl, turkey (sometimes cooked withpomegranate) and game—such as woodpigeon, thrush, duck—dressed withpeverade (sauce of chicken livers, salame,anchovies, oil, garlic, vinegar). Polenta alsogoes with carpione (salmon trout found onlyin Lake Garda), with stewed bisati (eels fromthe river deltas) or with dried cod calledbaccalà (but really stoccafisso), renownedfrom Vicenza.

The region’s pastries and dessertsinclude baicoli (sugar biscuits), zaleti(cornmeal-raisin cookies), frìtole (fritters,with candied fruit and nuts for Carnival) andcrema fritta (fried cream custard). Popularbeyond the region are Verona’s goldenpandoro Christmas cake, the crumbly tortasabbiosa and fregolotta (with almonds) plus,of course, tiramisù.

Verona is Italy’s first province for DOCwines, led by white Soave and red Bardolinoand Valpolicella (whose opulent Amaroneversion ages splendidly). Vineyardselsewhere proliferate in Merlot andCabernet, often drunk young, and whitePinots and Chardonnay. Bubbly white

Prosecco is preferred by Venetians forfrequent sipping of the little glassfuls theycall ombre.

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Asiago (d’allevo and pressato),Grana Padano (in part), Montasio (in part),Monte Veronese (also d’allevo), ProvoloneValpadana (in part).Olive oil: Garda (in part).Meat product: Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo.

IGP PRODUCTSProduce: Fagioli di Lamon della VallataBellunese, Radicchio Rosso di Treviso,Radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco, RisoNano Veronese.

Specialties of theVenetobaccalà alla vicentina dried cod cooked inmilk with onions, anchovies and GranaPadano.

bigoli co l’anara "spaghetti" and sauce ofduck liver and innards with vegetables andherbs.

Carpaccio the original (named for theVenetian Renaissance painter) was thin-sliced raw beef dressed with mayonnaisecontaining mustard and Worcestershiresauce, though popularity has inspiredcreations with meat, fish, cheese,mushrooms and truffles.

fegato alla veneziana calf’s liver sautéedwith onions, parsley and sage in butter andoil with a hint of vinegar.

granseola alla veneziana the meat of boiled

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spider crab pounded in a mortar and servedin the hollowed shell with olive oil, pepper,lemon, parsley.

pasta e fasioi noodles of any type andbeans in a thick minestra, often flavored withonion, carrot, celery, pork rind, thoughrecipes vary around the region.

pasticcio di polenta layers of fried polentaand stew of wood pigeon with mushroomsbaked in pie crust.

pastissada de caval horsemeat stewed withtomatoes, onions and herbs in red wine.

risi e bisi fresh peas sautéed in butter withonion, pork and parsley, then simmered withrice in broth to the consistency of a thicksoup, served with grated Grana Padano.

risotto alla sbirraglia pieces of springchicken and lean veal braised with rice andvegetables.

risotto primavera diced string beans,artichokes, tomatoes, carrots and potatoesunited with peas and asparagus tips andbraised with rice in the spring.

sardele in saor sardines fried in oil withonions and flavored with vinegar, marinatedwith pine nuts, raisins and lemon peel andeaten as antipasto.

sopa coada pigeon sautéed with wine,vegetables, herbs, boned and baked in acasserole with slices of bread laden withGrana Padano and enough broth to make ita soup.

tiramisù coffee-flavored cream ofmascarpone and eggs, layered withsavoiardi (ladyfingers) and topped with curlsof bitter chocolate.

torresani allo spiedo pigeons roasted on thespit with salt pork basted with oil containingmashed bay leaf, rosemary, juniper berries.

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Friuli-Venezia Giulia

In this attractively secluded region where the Alps almost touch theAdriatic, the homespun cooking of the Friulian hill country pre-sented historical contrasts with the more refined Venetian-style

fare eaten along the coast. Over time, though, the two cuisines havereached a happy union in dishes accented—often rather sharply—by the tastes of Austrian and Slavic neighbors, who rememberTrieste as their gateway to the Mediterranean.

In Alpine Carnia and the vine-draped hills of Udine and Gorizia,the open hearth fogolar with conical chimney is used for grillingbeef, lamb, kid, poultry, sausages and mushrooms. Theindispensable polenta goes with cheese, meat stews, bloodpuddings and game: hare and venison often cooked in salmì (highlyseasoned wine sauce) and a mixed flock of fowl, includingwoodcock, duck and little birds called uite.

Friuli’s pride is the exquisite prosciutto of the town of SanDaniele, which rates a DOP, though there are also sausages calledlujanie and muset (the local cotechino), the neck cut calledossocollo and the smoked ham of Sauris. From mountainmeadows come Montasio DOP cheese (the base of crisp frico) andricotta called scuete, also smoked and aged for grating.

The ingredients for Friuli’s medley of soups include pork, tripe,turnips, cabbage, corn, barley, mushrooms and above all fasûj,small reddish beans that also go with rice or noodles. Pastasinclude flakes called flics, tubes called sivilots and the curiouscjalçons, envelopes with sweet-sour fillings for which variousrecipes include spinach, ryebread, raisins, candied fruit, potato,parsley, mint, brandy, chocolate and cinnamon. Breads, beyond theusual wheat, are made from rye and barley flour as well as pumpkin.

Along the Adriatic between Lignano Sabbiadoro and Triesterecipes favor seafood: turbot, sardines, prawns, cuttlefish, squid,scallops, crabs, eels and even turtles cooked in soup. Chowderfrom the fishing port of Grado is called boreto alla graisana. Thereare several recipes for salt cod baccalà and many for risotto withfish, vegetables, herbs or frogs.

Trieste harbors eastern traditions in gulasch or gùlas (pepperybeef stew), cevàpcici (grilled patties of minced pork and beef),rambasici (meat filled cabbage rolls), bòbici (soup with ham, beans,potatoes, corn kernels), potato gnocchi or gnocs made with plumsor pumpkin. Pastas include lasagne with poppy seeds, the ravioli-like bauletti (with cheese-ham filling) and offelle (filled with spinach,veal, pork, onion). Wursts, sauerkraut and horseradish add to thetangs of Central Europe.

So do desserts, such as presnitz (rolls with raisins, nuts, candiedfruits), strudel (pastry with apples, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon) anda local version of the latter called strukli with potatoes in the doughand ricotta in the filling. Potatoes also go into crescent-shaped

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Trieste is the administrative center ofFriuli-Venezia Giulia, whose provincesinclude Gorizia, Pordenone and Udine.The region ranks 17th in size (7,855square kilometers) and 15th in popula-tion (1,184,000).

chifeleti biscuits. Other treats are pumpkin fritterscalled fritulis, chestnut cookies called castagnolisand the fluffy cake roll gubana.

Some of Italy’s most prestigious white winescome from the hills of Collio Goriziano and ColliOrientali del Friuli: Tocai Friulano, Sauvignon,Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and thesweet Picolit and Verduzzo. Eminently drinkableare the red Merlot and Cabernet and wines fromsuch local varieties as Pignolo, Schiopettino andRefosco. Here the tradition of grappa, or sgnape,is bolstered by production of the Slovenian plumbrandy called slivovitz.

DOP PRODUCTSCheese: Montasio. Meat product: Prosciutto di San Daniele.

Specialties of Friuli-Venezia Giuliaboreto alla graisana chowder of fish (preferablyturbot) stewed with olive oil, garlic, vinegar.

fasûj e uardi bean and barley soup with pork,

onion, celery and herbs.

frico aged Montasio grated, mixed withcornmeal and fried flat and crisp; some recipesadd chopped onions or potatoes.

granzevola alla triestina spider crab meat bakedwith breadcrumbs, garlic, lemon, parsley.

gubana yeast cake rolled around a filling of nuts,raisins, candied orange and lemon peels, bits ofchocolate and cinnamon.

gulasch or gùlas beef stewed with onion,tomato, herbs, chili peppers and paprika.

jota or jote beans, potatoes and sausagessimmered with broth in an earthenware pot areflavored with sauerkraut and sage sautéed ingarlic in the Trieste version of the soup.

muset e bruada pork-rind sausage boiled andserved with bruada or brovada (turnips pickled invinegar), sautéed with onion, garlic, salt pork.

paparot corn meal with chopped spinach andgarlic in a tasty gruel.

risotto di Marano rice boiled in fish stock servedwith sautéed shrimp, squid and mussels.

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Trentino-Alto Adige

Amid the towering Dolomites of this northernmost region,Latin and Teutonic cultures mingle but don’t always mix.In Alto Adige (or Südtirol, the German-speaking

province of Bolzano), Austro-Tyrolean cooking prevails withwursts, cabbage, potatoes, rye bread and dumpling soups. InTrentino (the province of Trento to the south), Italo-Venetiantraditions of polenta and pasta take on Alpine accents withbutter, cheese, game and wild mushrooms.

By now, though, many recipes are shared. SouthTyroleans may dine on pizza or spaghetti as readily as Trentinieat crauti (sauerkraut) or canederli (the bread dumplingscalled Knödeln in German).

Trentino thrives on polenta, usually made from corn butalso from potatoes or buckwheat, which is used in a sort ofcake called smacafam, baked with sausage, salt pork andsometimes cheese. Beyond conventional ravioli andtagliatelle, first courses include bigoi (similar to the Veneto’sbigoli) and strangolapreti ("priest strangler" gnocchi ofspinach, flour, eggs and cheese).

Soups contain tripe, pork, various vegetables, potatoes andturnips. Cornmeal and wheat flour with milk and butter make anancient gruel called trisa—or Mus in Alto Adige. Along withrecipes for dried cod stoccafisso, omelets and frittate, comes aselection of meats: poultry, rabbit. pork, blood sausages calledbiroldi and salt-cured beef called carne salata.

Alto Adige’s gastronomic pride is Speck, boned porkflank smoked and aged by artisans, mainly in the Venostavalley. Speck dell’Alto Adige, which rates an IGP, is eaten asan opener or snack sliced or cubed with wedges of darkBauernbrot or with crisp rye flatbread.

Knödeln, which often contain bits of liver or Speck, alsocome in a dark version with rye bread, buckwheat flour, leeksand bacon. Both may be served in broth or dry toaccompany meats and vegetables. Popular soups containbarley and tripe. Sausage called Hauswurst is served withsauerkraut, pickles and horseradish. Noodles called Spätzlioften go with beef dishes, such as peppery Rindsgulaschand Sauerbraten, pot roast with onions, wine and vinegar.From the lofty wilds come brook trout, venison and rarechamois and mountain goat.

Trento’s prominent cheese is Grana Trentino, thoughGrana Padano DOP and Asiago DOP may also be made inthe province. Every Alpine village makes its own versioncalled nostrano (ours). Alto Adige’s many local cheesesinclude the grainy, sharp Graukäse, soft, mild Pusteria andPustertaler and goat’s milk Ziegenkäse.

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Trento (Trent) is the administrative cen-ter of Trentino-Alto Adige, whose otherprovince is Bolzano (Bozen). The regionranks 11th in size (13,607 square kilo-meters) and 16th in population(930,000).

The region is Italy’s leading producer ofapples, which appear in strudel and thefritters called Apfelküchel. Krapfen arebaked or fried pastries with jam. Zelten is arye flour Christmas cake with candied fruit,nuts, honey, cinnamon and liqueur, thoughrecipes vary between provinces. Trentino’ssweet version of buckwheat smacafamcontains raisins, nuts and aniseed.

In a region that exports a major share ofits wine to Germany, Austria andSwitzerland, reds prevail in easygoingKalterersee (or Caldaro) and St. Magdalener(Santa Maddalena), plucky Marzemino andopulent Lagrein and Teroldego Rotaliano.Cabernet and Merlot also do well here. ButTrentino-Alto Adige has gained a modernreputation with whites, which reach fragrantheights in the Alpine air as Gewürztraminer,Sylvaner, Müller Thurgau, Sauvignon and thePinots and Chardonnay that also make first-rate sparkling wines.

DOP PRODUCTSCheeses: Asiago (Trentino in part), GranaPadano (Tentino in part), ProvoloneValpadano (Trentino in part).Olive oil: Garda (Trentino in part).

IGP PRODUCTSMeat product: Speck dell’Alto Adige.

Specialties of Trentino-Alto Adige biroldi con crauti blood sausages stuffedwith chestnuts, walnuts and pine nuts,flavored with nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon,served with sauerkraut.

Blau Forelle trout poached in white winewith vinegar, lemon, bay leaf and clove,served with melted butter.

carne salata beef marinated for a month ormore in brine with juniper berries, pepperand herbs, eaten either sliced raw or cookedin butter and served with beans or polenta

Gemsenfleisch chamois Tyrolean style withred wine vinegar, salt pork, herbs and sourcream served over toasted country bread.

orzetto or Gerstensuppe barley soup withonion, garlic, vegetables and herbssimmered with Speck—eaten in bothprovinces.

Leberknödelsuppe dumplings of breadcrumbled and mixed with flour, milk andeggs and flavored with chopped calf’s liverand herbs served in broth.

minestra di trippa Trento’s tripe soup withonion, carrot, celery, garlic, potatoes, gratedbread and tomato sauce.

Sauresuppe Tyrolean tripe soup with onion,herbs and nutmeg soured by white winevinegar.

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Glossary

Commonly used Italian terms for food and beverages are defined here. The names of dishesand foods often differ from region to region. Local dishes and dialect terms for foods such aspastas, soups, cheeses, fish, meats, breads and desserts are given in regional chapters.

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ACCIUGA or ALICE anchovy.

ACETO vinegar; acetobalsamico tradizionaletraditional balsamic vinegar(see in Emilia-Romagna).

ACQUA MINERALE mineralwater, gassata bubbly,naturale still.

AFFETTATI sliced salumi(salame, prosciutto, etc.) orother meats, cold cuts.

AFFUMICATO smoke cured,as in meat, fish.

AGLIO garlic.

AGNELLO lamb. Milk-fedlamb is called abbacchio inRome and environs.

AGRODOLCE sweet-sour orbittersweet.

ALBICOCCA apricot.

AMARETTO liqueur ofbittersweet almond flavorused for amaretti biscuits.

AMARO bitter taste, alsobitter liqueur, usually basedon herbs.

ANANAS pineapple.

ANATRA or ANITRA duck.

ANGUILLA eel.

ANIMELLE sweetbreads.

ANTIPASTO appetizer or pre-meal course; antipasti cover amiscellany of raw, cooked orpickled vegetable, meat andfish dishes, salads, cheeses,canapés, fritters and tarts.

APERITIVO aperitif, pre-mealdrink.

ARANCIA orange; aranciataorange-based soft drink.

ARROSTO roast, normallymeat cooked in an oven oron a spit or grill.

ASPARAGO asparagus.

ASTICE lobster; aragosta isspiny Mediterranean rocklobster.

BACCALÀ or BACALÀ salt-dried cod, base of popularrecipes throughout Italy;often synonymous withwind-dried stoccafisso (see).

BARBABIETOLA beet orbeetroot.

BASILICO basil.

BESCIAMELLA béchamel,white sauce based on milkor cream.

BEVANDA or BIBITA beverageor drink.

BIETOLA chard.

BIGNÈ pastry puff or fritter,often filled with sweetcreams, sometimes withcheese.

BIRRA beer. Birreria is abrewery or a place thatserves beer.

BISCOTTI biscuits or cookies;biscottini are tiny types.

BISTECCA beef steak,though the term also appliesto veal or pork chop.

BITTER English term usedfor beverages of bitter flavor.

BOCCONCINI bite-sizedmorsels, as in stews or friedtidbits of meat or cheese.

BOLLITO boiled; b… mistomixed simmered meats, alsocalled lesso.

BOTTARGA or BUTTARIGAeggs of mullet or tuna driedfirm and sliced over pasta orsalad.

BRACIOLA cutlet or chop ofpork, veal, lamb; in southernItaly bracciola or brasciolamay refer to a stuffed roll of

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meat or fish similar toinvoltini (see).

BRANDY English term usedto describe a spirit distilledfrom aged wine.

BRASATO braised, usuallybeef cooked in red wine.

BRESAOLA air dried filet ofbeef, specialty of AlpineLombardy.

BRIOCHE light pastry roll orbun; various types includethe croissant of Frenchorigin, also called cornetto.

BROCCOLETTI broccoli, butcuriously broccoli in Italianrefers to various cabbagefamily sprouts or leaves,including turnips andcauliflower.

BRODETTO or BRODETO soupor chowder, usually madewith fish in many versionsalong the Adriatic Sea.

BRODO broth or stock fromboiled meats, vegetables orfish.

BUDINO pudding, originallysweet, though molds orpurées of rice, vegetables ormeat may use the name.

BUE beef from fully maturemale cattle or oxen (seemanzo, vitellone).

BURRO butter.

CACCIAGIONE gameprocured by hunting(caccia), distinguished asc… da pelo (furry) and c…da penna (feathered). See

selvaggina.

CACCIATORE hunter; allacacciatora refers to hunter’sstyle stews or sauces.

CACIO ancient term forcheese, still in use as asynonym for sheep’s milkpecorino and other types from goats and cows,such as caciocavallo in thesouth and caciotta in thecenter.

CAFFÈ coffee; c… espressois thick and strong fromsteam pressure forcedthrough fine grounds;espresso is the base of c…macchiato (with a dab offrothy steamed milk) andcappuccino or cappucciowith more frothy milk; c…latte contains still more milk.

CALAMARI squid;calamaretti are tiny squidoften confused with seppieor cuttlefish.

CALZONE or PIZZA RIPIENOpizza dough folded over afilling and baked or fried.

CANNELLA cinnamon.

CAPPERI capers.

CAPPONE capon, roostercastrated to heighten flavorof meat.

CAPRETTO kid.

CAPRINO goat’s milk cheese.

CAPRIOLO roebuck orvenison; cervo, the onceprized stag, is rare.

CARAMELLO caramel orother candy; caramellizzatocaramelized or glazed.

CARCIOFO artichoke.

CARDO cardoon, a thistlesimilar in taste and textureto artichoke; also calledgobbo.

CARNE meat.

CAROTE carrots.

CASSATA Sicilian cake, alsopopularly ice cream coveredwith a chocolate shell.

CASTAGNA chestnut;marrone is the largest andmost prized version.

CASTRATO mutton.

CAVOLFIORE cauliflower.

CAVOLO cabbage; c… verzaSavoy cabbage; cavolini diBruxelles brussel sprouts.

CECI chickpeas.

CENA supper or dinner; seepranzo.

CERVELLO brain, veal andlamb brains may be cookedin various ways.

CETRIOLO cucumber.

CHINA quinine, used inliqueur called china and toflavor beverages describedas chinato.

CHIOCCIOLE snails, alsocalled lumache (see).

CHIODI DI GAROFANO cloves.

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CICORIA chicory, bothcultivated and wild, as wellas its relative endive,ranging from white cicoria diBruxelles (Belgian endive) togreen-speared catalogna(asparagus endive) toradicchio. See indivia,radicchio.

CILIEGIE cherries; amareneand marasche are bittervarieties.

CINGHIALE wild boar.

CIOCCOLATO chocolate.

CIPOLLA onion; cipolline orcipollette small or springonions; erbe cipolline chives.

COLAZIONE lunch or morningsnack; prima colazionebreakfast; see pranzo.

CONCHIGLIE generic term forhard-shelled mollusks(clams, mussels, scallops,etc.); conchiglia di SanGiacomo pilgrim scallop,also known as cappasantaor ventaglio.

CONDIMENTI condiments,from condire (to season ordress); the term covers avast range of sauces andflavorings.

CONFETTURA jam, alsocalled marmellata, whichoriginally meant citrus fruitmarmalade.

CONIGLIO rabbit.

CONTORNO side dish orgarnish, usually vegetablesor salad.

COSTATA rib steak of beef orveal, also called tagliata.

COSTOLETTA cutlet or chopof pork, lamb or veal,synonymous with cotoletta,the popular term forbreaded veal cutlet.

COTECHINO large porksausage traditionallycontaining rind or cotica,hence the name.

COTTO cooked; ben cottowell done.

COZZE mussels; also calledmitili, muscioli, muscoli,peoci.

CREMA pastry cream orother viscous substance,also custard, cream soup.Dairy cream is panna.

CRESCIONE cress; crescioned’acqua watercress.

CRESPELLE crepes,sometimes sweet butusually served with fillings orsauces like pasta.

CROSTA crust; crostata fruittart; crostino crouton ortoast with a spread.

CROSTACEI crustaceans,such as shrimp, lobster,crabs.

CRUDO raw.

CUCINA kitchen (also stoveor range); cooking, cookery,cuisine.

CUOCA/CUOCO cook; inrestaurants often known aslo chef.

DATTERO date; dattero dimare sea date or date-shellmollusk.

(AL) DENTE "to the tooth" forpasta cooked to properfirmness.

(ALLA) DIAVOLA "devil’sstyle" referring to hotseasoning or cooking overred hot coals, as with grilledchicken called pollo alladiavola.

DIGESTIVO after dinner drink,such as amaro or liqueurs,said to aid digestion.

DOLCE sweet; dolci coverpastries, cakes and othersweets of the course alsoknown in Italian as dessert.

DRAGONCELLO tarragon orestragon.

ERBE herbs; erbearomatiche are scentedtypes, such as basil,rosemary, sage, thyme andparsley; erbe selvatiche arewild.

ESPRESSO express; seecaffè.

FAGIANO pheasant.

FAGIOLI beans, specificallyshelled varieties—such aswhite cannellini or reddishborlotti—cooked freshlyshelled (sgranati) or oftendried.

FAGIOLINI green (or yellow)beans in their pods, notablystring beans.

FARAONA guinea fowl or hen.

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FARINA flour, from wheat aswell as other grains, nutsand legumes.

FARRO grain, predecessorof hard wheat, used insoups, breads, polenta.

FAVA fava or broad bean.

FEGATO liver; f… d’oca foiegras; fegatini di pollochicken livers, fegatellipieces of pork liver.

FICO fig; f… d’India is theedible fruit of prickly pearcactus.

FILETTO fillet or filet of meat,fish.

FINOCCHIO fennel;f…selvatico or finocchiella iswild fennel, whose seedsand green leaves are usedas seasoning.

FIORE flower; fiori di zuccaor zucchini squash flowers;fior di latte cow’s milkmozzarella.

FOCACCIA flat bread made inmany styles, usually salty,sometimes sweet.

FONDUTA fondue.

FORMAGGIO cheese. Varioustypes are described in ItalianSpecialty Foods andregional chapters.

FORNO oven or bakery; alforno baked or roasted inthe oven; fornaio baker.

FRAGOLA strawberry; f… dibosco or selvatica is thewild type.

FRANTOIO mill where olivesare processed for oil.

FRITTATA eggs mixed withvegetables, meat or cheeseand fried like a thick pancakeon both sides. See omeletta.

FRITTELLE fritters orpancakes, often with sweetingredients but also meat orcheese.

FRITTO fried; f… mistomixed fried foods.

FRUTTA fruit.

FRUTTI DI MARE assortedseafood, chiefly mollusksand crustaceans, raw orcooked.

FUNGHI mushrooms.

GAMBERO name used forvarious crustaceans; g…rosso and g… imperiale ormazzancolla are largeMediterranean prawns, alsocalled gamberoni; gamberelliare smaller prawns,gamberetti tiny shrimp; g…d’acqua dolce freshwatercrayfish.

GASTRONOMIA gastronomy;gastronomo or buongustaiogourmet, ghiottone glutton.

GELATO frozen dessert,such as ice cream orsherbet, of wide-rangingflavors, chiefly fruit, nuts andchocolate.

GINEPRO juniper, whoseberries are used asseasoning.

GNOCCHI dumplings from

potato and flour orsemolino, usually serveddressed as a first course;g… verdi are green fromspinach mixed with ricotta;gnocchetti are smaller.

GRANA hard cow’s milkcheese of grainy texture,notably Grana Padano,Parmigiano Reggiano.

GRANCHIO crab of varioustypes; the large granciporrois prized; grancevola orgranzeola is spider crab.

GRANITA slushy gelatomade by freezing liquid—often coffee or lemonjuice—into crystals of grainytexture.

GRANO grain; g… durodurum wheat; g… saracenobuckwheat; granturco ormaìs corn.

GRAPPA spirit distilled frompomace of grapespreviously crushed for wine;usually clear but sometimesamber from wood aging.

GRIGLIA grill; terms forgrilling over coals includealla griglia, ai ferri, alla brace;grigliata mista mixed grill ofmeats or seafood.

GRISSINI breadsticks.

GUANCIALE salt pork fromthe cheek or jowl.

GUSTO the sense of taste;gustoso tasty.

INDIVIA endive; i… ricciaand scarola (curly andbroad-leafed escarole), i…

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belga (Belgian endive, alsocalled insalata belga orcicoria di Bruxelles). Seecicoria, radicchio.

INSACCATI generic term forsalumi (see) encased inmembrane or othercoverings.

INSALATA salad, popularexamples are i… mista(mixed), i… verde (greensonly); i… russa (mixedcooked vegetables dicedwith mayonnaise).

INVOLTINI envelopes or rollsof thinly sliced veal, pork orfish cooked with stuffing.

LAMPONE raspberry.

LARDO fat cut of pork fromthe lower back, salt cured,sometimes smoked, andconsumed sliced raw or aslarding for cooked meats.Lard is called strutto (see).

LATTE milk; latticini dairyproducts.

LATTUGA lettuce, covering arange of types.

LAURO laurel or bay, alsocalled alloro.

LENTICCHIE lentils.

LEPRE hare.

LIMONE lemon; limonatalemonade; limetta or limonebergamotto lime, limoncellolemon liqueur.

LINGUA tongue.

LIQUORI liqueurs; the term

covers the range of distilledspirits, such as grappa andbrandy, and compositions,such as amaro, limoncelloand sambuca.

LOCANDA inn, ancient termfor a simple place withrooms, often serving meals;today synonymous withosteria or trattoria.

LOMBATA loin of beef, vealor lamb; lombo is pork loin.

LUMACHE snails,distinguished as l… di terra(land varieties) and l… dimare (sea); both are alsocalled chiocciole.

MACCHERONI macaroni; inparts of southern Italymaccheroni is a genericterm for dried pasta, thoughelsewhere it usually refers toshort pasta tubes.

MACEDONIA mixed freshfruits, a dessert.

MACELLERIA butcher shop,macellaio butcher.

MAGGIORANA marjoram.

MAIALE pork.

MANDARINO mandarin, atangerine like the largermandarancio and smallerclementina.

MANDORLA almond;mandorlata meanscontaining almonds or theirflavor.

MANZO beef from adult maleor female cattle, thoughyounger than bue (see).

(ALLA) MARINARA mariner’sstyle, usually referring todishes with tomato sauce.

MARINATA marinade.

MARZAPANE marzipan,sweet almond paste, usedin pastries; also called pastareale.

MASCARPONE lightlyfermented cream whippedsmooth; unsweetened itmay be used in pasta orrisotto, sweetened with fruitor desserts.

MAZZANCOLLA large prawnalso called gamberoimperiale.

MELA apple; mela cotognaquince.

MELANZANE eggplants oraubergines.

MELONE or POPONEcantaloupe or muskmelon;watermelon is cocomero oranguria.

MENTA mint; many species,wild and cultivated, are usedin cooking and beverages;m… piperita peppermint;mentuccia is a tasty varietypopular in Rome.

MERENDA snack, light mealor picnic, also calledspuntino.

MIELE honey.

MINESTRA generic term forsoup and also for firstcourse (covering pasta,risotto, gnocchi, etc.);minestra in brodo broth with

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pasta or rice; minestronevegetable soup; minestrinalight soup or broth. Seezuppa.

MITILI or MUSCIOLI orMUSCOLI mussels, alsocalled cozze.

MOLINO flour mill.

MOLLUSCHI mollusks,including octopus, squidand shellfish, such as clamsand mussels.

MORTADELLA large porksausage, originally ofBologna.

MOSTARDA candied fruitflavored with mustard seed,specialty of Cremona. Seesenape.

MOZZARELLA smooth, softwhite cheese originally frommilk of water buffalo (bufala),though cow’s milk fior dilatte may also use thename.

NOCCIOLA hazelnut.

NOCE walnut; the plural nociis the generic term for nuts;n… di cocco coconut; n…moscata nutmeg; noce alsorefers to rumpsteak of beefor veal; noce di burro is aknob of butter.

NOCINO bittersweet liqueurmade with green walnuts intheir husks.

NORCINERIA butcher shopspecializing in pork andsalume; norcino porkbutcher.

OCA goose.

OLIO oil, comestible typesinclude o… di arachide(peanut), girasole(sunflower), mais (corn),noce (walnut), semi vari(seeds).

OLIO DI OLIVA olive oil. SeeItalian Specialty Foods foran explanation of quality andtypes. Olives are also curedfor eating and used incooking.

OMELETTA omelet, beateneggs cooked thin andfolded, often over a filling ofvegetables, cheese, meat orfish. See frittata.

ORIGANO oregano, herbfrom dried marjoram leaves.

ORTO vegetable garden;ortaggi fresh gardenproduce.

ORZO barley, used mainly insoups but also toasted andground as a coffeesubstitute.

OSSOBUCO cut of veal shankexposing the bone and itsmarrow-filled hollow.

OSTERIA simple tavernserving local wine and oftenfood, though the namesometimes applies to fancierplaces.

OSTRICHE oysters.

PANCETTA cut of pork or vealfrom the belly or lower rib.The pork is often salt curedand eaten sliced raw orcooked; when smoked it is

pancetta affumicata or bacon.

PANE bread; also writtenpan and applied to cakes,such as pan di Spagna(sponge cake).

PANINO bread roll, alsowhen split and filled as asandwich.

PANNA dairy cream; p…montata is whipped.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO tradename of the cheese oftenknown abroad asParmesan; alla parmigianarefers to dishes cooked withthe cheese.

PASTA paste or dough, alsothe generic term for noodlesand the like made from flourand liquid in two basicversions: p… secca (dried)and p… fresca (freshly made).

PASTA ASCIUTTA cookednoodles served dry(asciutta), usually withsauce, as opposed to pastain brodo, cooked in broth orsoup; pastina small pastaused in soups; pastificiopasta factory.

PASTA FILATA cheese madeby "spinning" or stretchingcurds (pasta) into strandsmolded into spongy formsas in mozzarella or aged firmas in caciocavallo andprovolone.

PASTICCERIA pastry orpastry shop.

PASTICCIO bakedcomposition of variousingredients, such as pasta,

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polenta, meat, vegetables,cheese.

PASTO meal, repast. Seealso cena, colazione,pranzo.

PATATA potato.

PECORINO sheep’s milkcheese.

PEPE NERO black pepper;p… bianco (white) and p…rosso (red) are alsocommon.

PEPERONCINI hot red orgreen peppers, especiallychili.

PEPERONI sweet or bellpeppers, red, yellow orgreen.

PERA pear.

PESCA peach; p… nocenectarine.

PESCATORE fisherman; allapescatora refers to fishsauces, usually on pasta orrice.

PESCE fish. Many speciesand seafood dishes aredescribed with regionalfoods.

PESTO sauce or dressingwhose ingredients aremashed with a pestel in amortar, notably in p…genovese (see in Liguria).

PETTO breast, usually ofpoultry.

PIATTO plate or dish, also acourse in the meal, such as

primo p…, secondo p…See explanation of mealterms under Eating in Italy.

PICCANTE piquant orpeppery flavor.

PICCIONE pigeon; wild orwood pigeons arecolombacci or palombacci.

PIGNOLI pine nuts.

PINZIMONIO olive oil withsalt, pepper and sometimesvinegar into which rawvegetables are dipped andeaten as salad or antipasto.

PISELLI peas; pisellini aresmall or baby peas.

PIZZA Naples’ familiarflatbread is baked bypizzaioli in pizzerieeverywhere, thoughtoppings and cooking stylesvary; alla pizzaiola refers totomato-garlic sauce, notonly for pizza but for pastaand meat.

POLENTA cornmeal boiledand eaten as a mush withsauce, gravy, butter, cheeseor meat, or cooled andsliced to be fried or grilled;porridge-like pastes frombuckwheat, farro (see) orchestnut flour may also becalled polenta.

POLLAME poultry.

POLLO chicken, gallo iscock or rooster, gallina hen;the free-range variety is p…ruspante; pollastro orgalletto is a young chicken.

POLPETTA or POLPETTONE

meatball or croquet ofminced fish or vegetables;polpettone may also bemeat loaf.

POLPO or POLIPO octopus;moscardino is the tinycurled octopus.

POMODORO tomato.

POMPELMO grapefruit.

PORCHETTA whole pig,boned, stuffed with herbsand roasted in a wood-burning oven; porchetto(also maialino or porcellino)is suckling pig.

PORRO leek.

PRANZO lunch (synonymouswith colazione) in parts ofItaly, dinner or supper(synonymous with cena) inothers; pranzo also refers toan important meal orbanquet: p… d’affarebusiness lunch or dinner;p… di nozze weddingbanquet or feast.

PREZZEMOLO parsley.

PROSCIUTTO ham, whethersalt-cured crudo (raw), cotto(cooked) or affumicato(smoked). The term mayalso apply to a leg of wildboar, goat, goose or turkey.

PRUGNA plum; p… seccaprune.

PURÈ or PURÈA purée ofvegetables or fruit; p… dipatate mashed potatoes.

QUAGLIA quail.

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RABARBARO rhubarb andalso the liqueur made fromit.

RADICCHIO endive orchicory, best known as thered-leafed varieties ofTreviso and Verona.

RAFANO horseradish, alsocalled cren.

RAGÙ ragout or stewed orbraised meat sauce.

RANA frog, usually eatenfried or in risotto.

RAPA turnip, whose greensare called cime di rapa.

RAVANELLO radish.

RAZZA ray or skate flatfish.

RIBES currants, black, redor white.

RICCIO DI MARE sea urchin,eaten as frutti di mare and insauces.

RICOTTA reheated, or"recooked" whey moldedinto a soft, white moundthat may be eaten fresh orused in pasta fillings,gnocchi and pastries,though it may also be saltedand dried for grating.Traditionally from milk ofsheep or goats, it alsocomes from cows.

RIPIENO stuffing or filling forpasta, meat, vegetables.

RISO rice; Italy grows manyvarieties for use in soups,salads, puddings, etc.,though the prized varieties

are for braised rice dishescalled risotto. See ItalianSpecialty Foods fordescriptions of types.

RISTORANTE restaurant,Italy’s top category of diningestablishment.

ROGNONI or ROGNONCINIkidneys, lamb and veal arepreferred.

ROSMARINO rosemary.

ROSTICCERIA shop or eatingplace specializing in roastmeats and poultry.Sometimes called girarrosto,in reference to the large spitthat typifies such places.

RUCOLA salad green (Erucasativa) resembling cress butwith spicy, slightly bitterflavor. Also called arugulaand rocket in English andoften confused with sharperflavored wild ruchetta, whichis prized in salads of fieldgreens.

SALAME salami, coveringmany types and forms ofpreserved minced meats.

SALAMOIA brine or saltysolution in which foods suchas olives, pickles, cheese,fish and meats areconserved.

SALE salt, a fundamentalflavoring and preserver offoods.

SALSA sauce, covering awide range of dressings andcondiments.

SALSICCIA sausage.

SALTATA or SALTATOsautéed.

SALUME generic term forsalt-cured meat, such assalame, salsiccia, prosciutto,bresaola. See Salumi underItalian Specialty Foods.Salumeria shop wheresalumi are sold.

SALVIA sage.

SAMBUCA liqueur of anice orlicorice-like flavor based onwild elder (sambuco)flowers.

(AL) SANGUE cooked rare,usually beef.

SAPORE flavor or savor;saporito flavorful.

SARDINE sardines preservedin oil; fresh sardines arecalled sarde.

SCALOGNO shallot.

SCALOPPINE scallops orflattened slices of veal—alsopork—often breaded andfried.

SCAMPI prawns or jumboshrimp; the term is usedloosely in Italy.

SEDANO celery, also calledaccia.

SÉGALE rye, used for breadand crackers mainly inAlpine areas.

SELLA saddle of lamb, veal,rabbit or venison.

SELVAGGINA game procuredby either hunting or

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breeding. See cacciagione.

SEMIFREDDO "partly frozen"dessert of soft ice cream orcustard with meringue, fruit,mascarpone, zabaglione orcake.

SEMOLA coarse durumwheat flour used to makepasta as semola di granoduro; semolino (calledsemolina in English) is thefiner flour used for pastaand gnocchi and in soups.

SENAPE mustard, thecondiment made frommustard seed, wine andvinegar, not to be confusedwith mostarda (see).

SEPPIA cuttlefish, oftenconfused with calamari(squid).

SFORMATO mold of cookedand minced vegetables, alsodessert similar to custard orflan.

SOPPRESSA minced pork"pressed" into form similarto a large salame in Veneto;soppressata refers tovarious types of salumi inItaly.

SORBETTO sherbet or sorbetof soft texture based onfruit, sometimes with wine orspirits.

SOTTACETO foods preservedin vinegar, generallyvegetables or mushrooms,pickles.

SOTT’OLIO foods preservedin olive (or other) oil, such asvegetables, mushrooms,

tuna, sardines, anchovies,small cheeses, salami.

SPALLA shoulder of veal,lamb or pork, or porkshoulder salt-cured likeprosciutto.

SPEZIE spices.

SPEZZATINO meat stewconsisting of small pieces.

SPIEDO spit for roasting;spiedino skewer orbrochette of meats or fish.

SPINACI spinach.

SPREMUTA juice of freshlysqueezed fruit; succo is thegeneric term for juice.

SPUMONE ice cream offoamy texture frommascarpone and beatenegg yolks.

SPUNTINO snack or lightlunch—also called snack inItalian.

STOCCAFISSO stockfish, codor other wind dried onpoles, also called pescestocco or simply stocco orstocche; often synonymouswith salt-cured baccalà.

STRACOTTO beef braisedlong and slowly, similar tobrasato.

STRUTTO lard, renderedpork fat, not the same aslardo (see).

STUFATO meat, usually beef,stewed very long.

SUGO sauce or gravy (also

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called intingolo), whenbased on cooked meatsynonymous with ragù,often used with pasta.

TACCHINO turkey.

TARTUFO truffle,subterranean fungus prizedas white Tuber magnatum(shaved raw over specialdishes) and black Tubermelanosporum (eaten rawor preserved); t… dicioccolato chocolate truffle;t… di mare small clam.

TAVERNA tavern, bar or innserving drinks andsometimes meals.

TAVOLA or TAVOLO table;tavola calda shop or snackbar serving hot dishes.

TÉ tea, made from dryleaves of the tea shrub andother plants; tè freddo icedtea.

TERRINA terrine, ceramiccooking vessel and the pâtéor gelatin of meat, fish orvegetables cooked in it,usually served cool; t…d’anatra ai pistacchi duckand pistachio pâté.

TESTA or TESTINA head ofbeef, veal or lamb and itsparts, usually used forsalumi, though also prized inbollito misto (see).

TIMO thyme.

TONNO tuna, eaten fresh ormore often preserved in oil;tonnato refers to tuna-flavored sauce.

TORDI thrush, the choicestof the little game birdsknown collectively asuccellini.

TORRONE nougat, candyfrom honey and whippedegg whites with almond andhazelnuts.

TORTA cake as well as tartor pie or focaccia, rangingover numerous sweets aswell as torte salate, saltytypes with meat, cheese orvegetables.

TRAMEZZINO bread slicedand filled as a sandwich (theEnglish term is a popularsynonym).

TRATTORIA unpretentiouseatery, often family run,specializing in local cooking.

TRIPPA tripe.

TROTA trout.

(IN) UMIDO meat cooked indense liquid, includingbrasato, spezzatino,stracotto, stufato.

UOVO egg; uova is plural.

UVA grape; u… da tavolatable grape; uva passa driedgrape to be used for wine;uvetta, uva secca orsultanina are terms forraisin.

VANIGLIA vanilla.

VERDURA green-leafedvegetables, though the termrefers to garden produce ingeneral, including legumesand roots.

VINO wine, v… da tavolatable wine, vino da arrostorobust aged red wine suitedto roast meats.

VITELLA or VITELLO veal;vitellone beef from youngcattle.

VONGOLE small clams usedmainly in pasta or soups, ledby the preferred vongolaverace (the "authentic"Venerupis decussata).

ZABAIONE or ZABAGLIONEfluffy amalgam of egg yolks,sugar and wine (usuallyMarsala), eaten warm like acustard or with cake or ingelato or semifreddo.

ZAFFERANO saffron.

ZAMPONE sausage encasedin the skin of pig’s foot(zampa).

ZENZERO ginger, though theterm is used in Tuscany forhot pepper.

ZUCCA squash, includingpumpkin, whose pulp isused mainly as pasta filling;the smaller zucchine arecalled zucchini, marrows,courgettes; flowers of bothare a fried delicacy.

ZUCCHERO sugar.

ZUPPA soup, covering arange of vegetable, bean,meat and fish-basedrecipes, in theory thickerthan a classical minestra,though the division isn’talways clear; z… inglesecustard cake soaked insweet wine or liqueur.

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Italian Trade Commission

About the Author:

For further information on the foods and wines ofItaly, please contact:Italian Trade Commission33 East 67th StreetNew York, New York 10021Tel. (212) 980-1500Fax: (212) 758-1050

E-mail: newyork@newyork.ice.it

Web: http://www.italianmade.com

Burton Anderson is the author of Burton Anderson’s BestItalian Wines; Wines of Italy (pocket guide); The Wine Atlas ofItaly and Traveller’s Guide to the Vineyards; Franciacorta,Italy’s Sanctuary of Sparkling Wine; Vino, the Wines andWinemakers of Italy and Treasures of the Italian Table.

The Italian Trade Commission (Istituto Nazionale per il Commercio Estero) was createdas an Italian government agency in 1926, with the primary purpose of establishing andenforcing controls on Italian agricultural exports. Today it is one of the leading

governmental organizations, supporting the Italian companies in their efforts towardsglobalization, through trade promotion, development of industrial and financial cooperation,information and marketing assistance.

The Italian Trade commission is headquartered in Rome and manages a network of over80 offices worldwide in more than 70 countries, with the mission of enhancing Italian traderelations and of promoting “Made in Italy” products.

In the United States, the Italian Trade Commission has five offices located in New York,Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle, each devoted to assisting Italian and Americancompanies in establishing commercial relationships.

Each office has specific territorial jurisdiction, as well as product category specialization.

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