Italian food culture has a close connection to the country’s different geographical regions and also historical development. Some claim that Italian cooking originated in Sicily because it was over 2000 years that the Greeks and Phoenicians introduced their food art to this island. saffron, rice, and sugar in the cooking.
From Sicily, this food inspiration then spread to the Italian mainland, and olives and lemons are today some of the most widely used ingredients in Italian cuisine.
During Renaissance Italy, the food culture flourished in the palatial palaces. People began to slowly but surely use local ingredients in a simple but accurate way, which still characterizes Italian cuisine today. Wine has also played an important role at times and together with France, Italy is the world’s largest wine producer with over 400 different types of wine.
For many, Limoncello is a must after food, the classic drink is made just as the name reveals of lemons from Capri.
When it comes to pasta, virtually every region has its own way of cooking pasta, where the different climates affect ingredients and raw materials in particular. Northern regions were slightly later than the southern ones to use tomatoes, which is why the northern parts offer a large selection of rescued pots of various kinds as well as pasta with cream sauce. In the north, a lot of veal is also eaten, as well as beans and vegetables, which are often used in soups.
A typical Northern Italian dish is Osso buco, sliced veal that is cooked with celery, carrot, lemon, parsley, and marjoram. The dish is often served with white rice cooked with saffron. Fungus risotto is another classic and appreciated dish from northern Italy.
In the southern regions, it is mainly seafood and fish that mediate Italian cuisine together with different types of cooked tomato sauces. Pasta Frutti di mare is a classic Italian dish with seafood in white wine sauce. Desserts are also strongly represented by southern Italy, including cinnamon and raisins as two sweet ingredients.
It is also the southern part of the country that accounts for the largest cheese production, with mozzarella as one of the Italian cuisine’s famous classics. Caprese salad is a popular antipasto consisting of fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil.
The coastal city of Naples is also said to be the place of origin for the classic pizza baked in just a few minutes in the wood-burning oven and is characterized by a thin bottom with fluffy inviting edges. In the south, you will also find the largest selection of sausages, including the really strong peperoncini sausage, which is delicious in both pasta dishes and pizza ingredients.
The Tuscan region is strongly influenced by food prepared with natural and local ingredients with a focus on meat and fish. Here the bread also has an important role on the dining table, which is flavored with all the region’s spices such as basil, oregano, thyme, and coriander.
Italians eat their food with great passion, here you must not make the mistake of letting something cool – on the contrary, the pasta should be eaten at the moment and many times under silence. Even though the restaurant life is part of every Italian’s everyday life, it is always mom’s food that is the most appreciated!