Italian cuisine

Vegetables reign absolutely in the Italian cuisine and in the region of the Mediterranean Sea, and tomato is their king. We can see ther  whole tomatos, pureed or in a form of paste. They can be smoked, grilled, marinated or dried.

 

The Republic of Venice was a real power of the Mediaeval world and an important trade centre. This is why even back then in recipes there appeared exotic for those times oriental spices: ginger, saffron, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg. Only in the period of Napoleonic wars they started to be replaced with herbs. In the Venitian cuisine very popular ingredients are fish and fruits of the sea. Some dishes, such as pesce in saor, are clearly influenced by Arabic cuisine, which characterizes itself by, for instance, combining sweet and sour taste. The further from the sea, the more meat is included in the meals (especially game and poultry - but not only). The most famous meals are: wild duck with herbal-anchovy sauce and calfs liver Venitian style served with polenta, which has Austrian origin (Venice came under Austrian dominion after the Congress of Vienna). Other Venetian specialties are extra-thin slices of raw veal sirloin, sprinkled with a marinade made of mayonaise, lemon juice, Worcester sauce, milk, salt and white pepper. In the region, risotto enjoys greater popularity than pasta. When made with cuttle-fish black ink, it bears the name of risotto nero. Polenta also plays an important role – once it used to be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

Milan is the capital of Lombardy, a rich region in northern Italy. Although it is no longer an agricultural region, Lombardy is still famous of its delicious rice. Rice started to be grown there in the 15th century – first, Saracens brought it to Spain, and from there, Aragonian rulers took it to Lombardy. A traditional meal is risotto alla milanese, risotto Milan Style, served with saffron. Also pasta dough is very popular, like ravioli or agnolotti with pumpkin filling. The specialties of this cuisine are meat dishes prepared with wine, different kinds of salami and frog’s legs. At the end of a meal, often cheese is served, such as gorgonzola, mascarpone and grana padano. Which does not mean that Lombardy is not famous of its tasty deserts – for example, tiramisu is prepared from mascarpone cheese. The region prides itself with such cakes like panettone (leavened cake) and colomba pasquale, leavened cake with the shape of a dove. Also, in Lombardy such famous liqueurs like Amaretto and Campari are made.

 

Before the great conquests, culinary culture of the inhabitants of the land in Tiber area had been quite modest. It got changed together with the coming of the culture of feasting, taken from the Greeks. Such feasts would often become commom drinking-bouts the more that the Romans, unlike the Greeks,were not accustomed to diluting wine. When choosing the menu, often prestige played the deciding role. Using expensive spices and complicated methods of preparing food were highly valued. The peak of the culinary art were so-called “fake meals” - e.g. preparing veal in such a way that it would taste like cod..In ancient Rome, because of fire threat it was forbidden to prepare meals at home on fire. Perhaps this is the reason why today the Romans visit restaurants much more often than the inhabitants of other Italian regions. Besides, Rome is the city of cafeterias, trattorias and pizzerias where pilgrims and tourists who visit the capital of the Western Christianity have had their meals for centuries. The main course (most often it is pasta) is preceded by cold appetizers – antipasti. The choice is wide: Parmesan ham, eggplant in olive oil, baked peppers, slices of zucchini or dried tomatoes in oil, olives or onions with vinegar, salami, white beans with vinegar and oil, toasted croutons with capars and garlic, bread with garlic, oil and herbs.

 

The cuisine of the region of Emilia-Romagna with the capital in Parma abounds in delicacies. The most famous ones are Parmesan ham and Parmesan cheese. The region is also known of its world’s finest balsamic vinegar, Aceto Balsamino Tradizionale, produced only by a few manufacturers. Prosciutto Di Parma, i.e. Parmesan ham is prepared with great care and diligence. The whole process is supervised by a special consortium which guarantees the observance of all the requirements, concerning very exact species of hogs, the way of feeding them and the production process itself. Real Prosciutto Di Parma, appropriately salted, matures from 10 to 12 months in a cool room. But it can mature much longer than that, then it acquires even more tender and finer taste. Parmesan cheese – Parmigian Reggiano isn’t any less popular. Its name comes from two cities: Parma and Reggio, where it has been made since the 13th century. The name “Parmesan” is reserved only for cheese made in a few provinces: Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantua or Bologna. Milk must come from cows fed on fresh grass in pastures. Parmesan matures from over 10 up to 36 months – depending on the time of maturing there are different types: young (fresco), medium-old (vecchio) or old (stravecchio). Also, each of these types is used for different purposes. Young Parmesan is used as table cheese while the old one – for pasta or rice meals, salads, soups and sauces.