Author: da

Italy on your Plate

More than pizza, pasta and gelato: Italian cuisine offers a great variety of authentic dishes influenced by its history, culture, climate and geography. Join us for a culinary journey through the 20 regions of Italy!

Italian cuisine couldn’t be more diverse – from mountains and bordering countries such as Austria, France and Switzerland in the North, to the fantastic coastline and Arab, Greek and Catalan influences in the South. Every single of its twenty regions offers great local products and typical specialities. We picked one regional speciality each region – but of course there is much more than that!

Abbruzzo

Once in the region of Abbruzzo, a very tasty dish is “maccheroni alla chitarra” (guitar maccheroni) with lamb ragout. The name comes from the tool that is used to get the particular shape of the maccheroni: a wooden frame with thin strings – like a guitar.

Basilicata

Basilicata is the home of “salsiccia”, the typical Italian sausage. Highly recommended for barbecues!

Calabria

A typical, Arab-inspired Calabrian dish is “pasta ccu ri sarde” – a sweet and salty pasta dish made of fresh sardines, onion, raisins, pine nuts and breadcrumbs.

Campania

The home of “pizza napoletana” – a flat but thick-rimmed pizza from a wood-burning oven – is famous for it’s traditional “pizza Margherita”. Representing the colours Italian flag (red, white and green), it consists of tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.

Emilia-Romagna

The region of Emilia-Romagna is famous for its “tagliatelle Bolognese”. Be aware that spaghetti Bolognese is a no go for locals!

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Once in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, try “cjarsons”– sweet and salty ravioli made of potatoes and filled with a mixtures of ricotta, cinnamon, cocoa, raisins and wild herbs. It’s served with melted butter and grated smoked ricotta on top.

Lazio

If you travel to Lazio, a must eat is definitely “bucatini all’amatriciana”– a certain kind of pasta served in a sauce of pancetta and tomatoes.

Le Marche

The region of Le Marche if famous for its high variety of fish. Enjoy “brodetto”– a rich fish soup made of many different kinds of fishes, loads of garlic, onion and tomatoes.

Liguria

Liguria is all about basil: if you are keen to learn how to make the real “pesto alla Genovese”, attending a cooking class with a local chef is a must do.

Lombardy

Once in Lombardy, you should try the famous “cotoletta alla Milanese” – a fried breaded cutlet. For vegetarians we highly recommend “risotto alla Milanese”– rice with butter, saffron and cheese.

Molise

The region of Molise if famous for its “baccalà con le patate” – roasted codfish with potatoes.

Piedmont

Piedmont is all about truffles: Go for “linguine al tartufo” – delicious truffle pasta.

Puglia

Once in Puglia “orecchiette con cimi di rape” is a must! The little pasta “ears” (orecchiette) are made by hand are typically served with broccoli rabe – a bitter green.

Sardinia

A typical Sardinian dish with rich flavours is “malloreddus”– a pasta dish with tomato sauce, onion, saffron, salsicce (sausages) and pecorino cheese.

Sicily

If you go to Sicily, try “arancini” – deep fried rice balls with bread crumbs. There is a surprise in the middle: arancini are typically stuffed with mozzarella and bolognese sauce. However, you find lots of variety, such as aubergines or pistacchio.

Trentino-Alto Adige

The North of Italy is influenced by its bordering countries. “Canederli” – dumplings basically made of bread, eggs, milk, parsley with cheese, spinach or Speck – and “strudel”– traditionally with apples – represent the Austrian accent of the regional cuisine of Trentino-Alto Adige.

Tuscany

If you are a meatlover and in Florence, you should try the famous “bistecca Fiorentina” – a huge high quality veal steak. However, the Tuscan cuisine is caracterized by simple but extremely rich dishes, such as “ribollita” – a vegetable soup.

Umbria

Once in Umbria try a very delicious speciality: “pappardelle al cinghiale” – wild boar sauce with pappardelle pasta.

Valle d'Aosta

A typical dish of the hearty Alpine cuisine of Valle d’Aosta is “carbonade” – a beef stewed in wine with polenta.

Veneto

The Venetian cuisine is rooted in the cucina povera (peasant kitchen). A typical dish with rich flavours is “risi e bisi”– a rice and peas.

Picture Diary

City of month: Pienza

Situated in the valley “Val d’Orcia”, Pienza is a small town in the province of Siena in southern Tuscany. Since 1996, the “ideal city of the Renaissance” is one of currently 55 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy. Pienza is located between Montalcino and Montepulciano, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and lovely hills.

Renaissance architecture at its best

Pienza (meaning “the city of Pius”) was named after its most famous son, Enea Silvio Piccolomini who became Pope Pius II in 1458. With the support of architect Bernardo Rossellino, he aimed to transform his home town – back then known as Corsignano – into a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance (“the Utopian city”).

The capital of “cacio”

Strolling through the narrow streets of Pienza, you will discover numerous little shops selling the most famous local product: Pecorino cheese (“cacio”) – made of sheep’s (in Italian “pecora”) milk. If you like cheese, Pienza is definitely your place to be as it is known to be the capital of pecorino cheese. A must eat in Pienza is probably the most famous local dish: “Pici con cacio e pepe” – handmade pasta with pecorino cheese and pepper.

About love and kisses

Pienza is considered to be also a very romatic city: With street names such as “Via dell’Amore” (love) and “Via del Bacio” (kiss), you will find Italy’s most romantic streets in Pienza. However, be aware that it can get quite busy on the streets of love on Valentine’s Day. The streets of love and the kiss are surrounded by “Via della Fortuna” (luck) – with a magnificent panoramic view overlooking the valley – and “Via Buia” (darkness), reminding its visitors that wherever there is light, there is also darkness.

From rolling chesses to flowers and chestnuts

If you happen to be in Pienza in early September, don’t miss the famous “fiera del cacio” – a fair dedicated to pecorino cheese and other typical local products. Great fun is “palio del cacio fuso”, a game in which participants – representing each quarter of the town – roll an entire round of “cacio” around the “fuso” (a wooden spindle centered in the main square). Other highly recommended fairs are “Pienza e i fiori” (flowers) in May, “Festa di Primavera” (spring) in April or May and “La Festa Della Castagna A Pienza” (chestnuts) in November.