Central
ItalyArt and literature have emphasized the extravagant banquets of Renaissance courts, the revelry of Medieval hunting and harvest feasts, the conspicuous consumption of the ancient Romans. Yet, barring the occasional episodes of excess, patterns of eating in central Italy have historically upheld the culture of country cooking and the virtues of simplicity and balance.
Overall the use of pasta is about evenly split between dried and fresh types in the central regions, where rice and polenta play secondary roles. Abruzzi and Molise have solid traditions of maccheroni. In Latium, spaghetti, bucatini and rigatoni share the spotlight with Rome's egg-based fettuccine. Dried pasta is produced in quantity in Umbria and the Marches, though cooks still often hand roll the dough for tagliatelle and local delights. Homemade noodles are also preferred in Tuscany, but that's one place where bread historically outweighed pasta.
Fine olive oil is made through the central hills, though the paragon of extra vergine comes from Tuscany, Umbria, Northern Latium and Abruzzi. Garden produce is rigorously seasonal. Rome is renowned for artichokes and peas, Tuscany for white beans and black cabbage, the uplands of Abruzzi, Umbria and the Marches for lentils, chickpeas and potatoes.
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Northern
Italy The eight regions of what is loosely defined as northern Italy boast the nation's highest... see more |
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Central
Italy Art and literature have emphasized the extravagant banquets of Renaissance courts... see more |
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Southern
Italy and Islands Most of the basic elements, olive oil, wine, cheese, grains, fruits... see more |
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Italian
Cookbooks Visit Barnes and Noble Booksellers online for a wide variety of Italian cookbooks... see more |