La Cucina Italiana

Introduzione

• The Italian cuisine is divided into three parts: the North, Central and South

• Great regional differences

• Main ingredients are: pasta, rice, vegetables, meat, seafood and different dairy products

A tavola

• Breakfast – colazione:caffé latte or cappuccino with biscuits, crackers or a muffin

• Lunch – pranzo: around 2 pm, a plate of pasta or rice (primo piatto) and maybe meat afterwards (secondo piatto)

• Dinner – cena:8-11 pm, a menu of many different dishes, e.g. salad, meat, French fries, pizza

• Antipasti – starters

• Primi piatti – pasta / rice

• Secondi piatti – meat, often veal, chicken or rabbit

• Contorni – vegetarian dishes

• Dolci – desserts

• Different kinds of food are not mixed but eaten separately

• Most Italians eat both lunch and dinner at home

• Food is VERY important for the Italians – they live to eat!

L’Italia del Nord

Typical products – Prodotti tipici

• Rice Risotto• Corn Polenta • Butter • Cheeses:

• Taleggio, mascarpone, ribiola, Grana Padano, gorgonzola

• Sausages, steakes• Fish, seafood

• Influenced by southern France and Austria

Piatti famosi del Nord

Lombardia• Risotto alla milanese• Osso bucco con

gremolata• Bresaola, pancetta,

salsicce, salame • Tiramisù –”drag-me-

up”, panettone

Liguria• Pesto• Foccaccia• Gnocchi

Emilia-Romagna• Bolognese sauce –

ragù • Parmigiana alle

melanzane• Parmigiano –

parmesan • Parma ham,

culatello, mortadella• Zuppa inglese

L’Italia Centrale

Prodotti tipici• Pork, lamb• Black truffles• Beans – white and

red• Olive oil• Fresh pasta• Famous wines

Prodotti famosi dell’Italia Centrale

Lazio

• Vegetarian food• Sheep and goat milk

cheeses• Artichokes• Green peas

Toscana

• Ribollito• Zabaglione• Chianti

L’Italia del Sud• The ”real” Italian food

Prodotti tipici

• Dried pasta• Tomatoes, eggplant• Olive oil• Mozzarella di bufala,

provola• Peperoncino-spiced meat,

salami• Pizza• Fish, seafood

Piatti famosi del Sud

Campania• Pizza – Pizza

Margherita• Insalata caprese• Pasta ai frutti di

mare, ai quattro formaggi...

• Different stews

Sicilia• Pasta alla siciliana• Famous lemons• La granita• Ricotta

Da bere

• Red and white wines• Grappa – liquor from rests of grapes, north Italy • Limoncello – lemon liqueur, Capri• Amaretto

Caffè

• Espresso• Doppio, macchiato

• Cappuccino• Caffè latte• Latte macchiato• Caffè mocca

Buon Appetito!