Italy

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is an Italian pasta dish known for its salty sauce containing olives, anchovies, capers, peppers and garlic. The mixture of olive and anchovies bring an umami flavor to the sauce while the garlic and pepper make for an aromatic meal. This dish is eaten as the main course for an evening meal …

Pearà is a traditional sauce from Verona, Italy, made from stale bread, marrow, broth and black pepper. The marrow is melted before adding the grated or crumbles stale bread. Then broth is added as the sauce cooks over several hours. The ground pepper is reserved for last. Pearà sauce is popular mostly in the Verona …

A marron glacé is a confection that includes a chestnut candied in sugar syrup and glazed. It can be used as an ingredient in several desserts, although they can be served on their own too. Invented in northern Italy and southern France, marrons glacés are known to have a woody fragrance and a nutty flavor. …

Carpaccio is a traditional Italian dish prepared using raw meat or fish (such as beef, veal, venison, salmon or tuna), thinly sliced or pounded thin. The meat is usually arranged in a single layer on a plate and drizzled with a dressing, often made with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sometimes, additional ingredients …

A Spritz Veneziano, also known as an Aperol spritz, is a wine-based cocktail generally consumed in Northeast Italy. The drink is prepared using prosecco, digestive bitters, and sparkling mineral water (typically club soda). It is commonly served as an aperitif, a drink that helps with the stimulation of one’s appetite prior to a meal. Spritz …

Pizza quattro formaggi, also known as four-cheese pizza, is an Italian variety of pizza that is typically topped with a mix of four different types of cheeses: mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmigiano reggiano and goat cheese. All four cheeses are generally melted together along with tomato sauce. However, one can also find it served as a white …

Sea urchins are spherical, hard-shelled animals generally found on the seabed of every ocean. They usually live in cracks and crevices on coastal rocks and reefs. Despite the fact that it may appear odd to consume the spiny sea urchin, it is in fact relished in several countries around the world. Some of them include …

Salsiccia is a type of Italian sausage prepared using minced or ground pork meat, pork fat and several spices. The mixture is then filled into a natural pork or sheep casing, and it is hardly ever cured or smoked. The sausage is usually sold fresh and is planned for grilling or frying. Apart from pork, …

Casu Marzu is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that comprises of living insect larvae (commonly known as maggots). It is considered to be one of the most unusual dishes in the world. Beginning with the creation of Pecorino cheese, Casu Marzu is prepared by exceeding the typical process of fermentation until the cheese is …

Bombardino is an Italian alcoholic cocktail which is typically prepared with egg liqueur, cream and whiskey (or rum or brandy). It is among the most popular winter cocktails in the world.  Thanks to the warm temperature at which it is served and the alcohol content, the bombardino is a great relief on cold winter days. …

Cotoletta Milanese, also known as the Milanese veal chop, is a typical Lombard dish similar to the German Wiener Schnitzel but cooked with the bone-in. It is traditionally fried with butter and is often taken as a second course of the Lombard culinary tradition, a symbolic dish of the city of Milan, Italy. Together with …

Quattro Stagioni Pizza is a classic traditional Italian pizza that comes with 4 different flavors in one. Even though each pizza topping is varied, you will still find an ingredient for each of the seasons. Origin and Cultural Significance The word “pizza” came from the Latin word ‘pinsa’ which means flatbread. According to legend, Roman …

Conchiglie is an Italian seashell-shaped pasta well known for its design and ability to hold sauces. It is made from Durum wheat flour and has different colour varieties where squid ink or tomato or spinach extract was used to colourize the pasta. Origin & Cultural Significance Conchiglia, an Italian word for seashell, is where the term …

Sfogliatella is an Italian pastry that has the texture of a French croissant but is shaped like a shell or a lobster tail, within which you can put any kind of filling. Almond paste, candied citron peel or orange flavored ricotta are some of the most common fillings of Sfogliatella. As you would expect with …

Agnolotti is a type of Italian stuffed pasta which originated in the Piedmont region. Italian cuisine, considered as one of the finest in the world, has produced various iconic dishes with Agnolotti being one of those. Viewed by many as a work of art, this amazingly delicious dish is made by filling roasted meat or …

Traditional Italian food is arguably the most popular and well known cuisine in Europe and indeed the entire world. Typical Italian ingredients, methods and dishes influence other palettes across the globe, and even spawn sub-cultures such as American-Italian food. Generally Italian dishes are characterised by their simplicity, focusing heavily on fresh, quality, seasonal ingredients. Of …