WORLD WEEK OF ITALIAN CUISINE

VI Edition - November 2021

As Consul of the Italian Republic in Freiburg, I welcome all of you to this virtual tour along the different peculiarities of Italian food, which can be undoubtedly considered as one of the most renown expression of Italy’s

savoir faire and savoir vivre. In occasion of the 2021 edition of the Italian Cuisine Week in the World, our Consulate is pleased to contribute to the worldwide promotion of Italian taste with this publication, dedicated to Italian regional cuisines..

Commonly speaking, people use to talk about an Italian cuisine, praising its originality and its high-quality standards. However, the Italian cuisine is indeed a multifaceted reality composed by multiple local and regional traditions. This actually mirrors Italy’s historical and cultural development, greatly contributing to its richness and variety. To properly know the Italian cuisine, it is therefore necessary to deepen our knowledge of the regional cuisines of our country, examined in all of their differences and complexities.

With this publication, you are given the chance to have a little taste of our local traditions. I wish therefore to all of you a good read, and buon appetito!

Freiburg, 10.11.2021

The Consul of Italy

Federico Lorenzo Ramaioli

Indice

Abruzzo Basil icata

Calabria Campania

EmiliaRomagna

Friuli VeneziaGiulia

Lazio Liguria

Lombardy Marche

Molise Piedmont

Sardinia

Sicily

Tuscany Umbria

ValleD’Aosta Veneto

Trentino-AltoAdige

Puglia

ABRUZZO

Located in central-southern Italy, Abruzzo stretches from the heart of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea and embraces an amazing coastline, beautiful lakes, breathtaking mountains, and three national parks. Still wild and unspoilt, Abruzzo fantastic food perfectly mirrors this variety of landscapes and ranges

from seafood to mountain products, from mussels to cheeses, from pasta to meats.

ARROSTICINI

These skewers of local lamb seasoned with nothing more than salt, pepper, olive oil and a little rosemary are cooked over

special barbecues until just cooked and incredibly tender. Legend has it that arrosticini were invented in the 1930s by two shepherds who cut old sheep meat into small pieces so as not to waste food, even taking it from the areas close to the bones. of the animal. The small pieces of meat would become skewers by being placed on wooden sticks of “vingh" (a plant that grows spontaneously along the banks of the Pescara river) and then cooked on the grill outdoors. The method of preparing arrosticini, originally designed to try to make less valuable cuts of meat palatable, achieved such appreciable results that it was soon applied to the best cuts.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CHITARRA

Abruzzo is home to some of the best durum wheat in Italy, which is turned into dried pasta of all shapes and sizes. But the

most famous local pasta is fresh, made with eg gs and requires a specia l instrument to create it. The name Spaghetti alla chitarra roughly translates to “pasta of the guitar” and derives from the instrument used to create them - the chitarra or maccarunàre - formed by metal strings about 2-3 mm apart with which the pasta is "cut" thanks to the pressure of the rolling pin. The result is something similar to tagliatelle, but square in shape and with a porous texture that allows the sauce with which it will be seasoned to adhere completely. Spaghetti alla chitarra are often served with a lamb and pepper ragù or

with a tomato sauce with beef meatballs.

BASILICATA

Far from the beaten touristic track, Basilicata - once called Lucania - offers incredible historic towns, beautiful beaches and an extensive and varied food tradition. A mix of simple, wholesome and intense flavours, Lucanian cuisine is poor and nutritious, colorful and seasonal, spicy and never boring.

PANE DI MATERA

Named after an ancient city and the province of its origin, Pane di Matera is a country-style s o u r d o u g h b r e a d m a d e

with  semolina dough, natural yeast, salt, and water. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like much. Yet Pane di Matera is different entirely – a hulking beast of a loaf with a hard, dark brown crust and pale yellow crumb. The locals say the shape – roughly conical – resembles the harsh nearby mountains of Murgia. The intense flavour and aroma comes in part from the quality of the wheat here – true Pane di Matera is made with a Lucanian-milled semolina grain known as “Senatore Cappelli” – but also from the fermentation process, that results in large, irregular holes in the bread. Matera bread can be eaten with practically anything – it is fantastic with local meats and cheeses, as well as fresh tomatoes, olive oil and herbs.

AMARO LUCANO

Amaro Lucano is an herbal liqueur in the Amaro category, originally created in 1894 in the Town of Pisticci (Basilicata) by a local

baker named Pasquale Vena, who experimented with different herbal infusions in his shop’s back room, eventually settling on recipe including more than thirty ingredients for his house-made amaro. By 1900, the Vena family had become an official supplier to the House of Savoy, the ruling house of Italy. When Pasquale passed away in 1937, his sons took over the business and began scaling up production capacity for broader distribution. The recipe is still a well-kept secret today and has been handed down from generation to generation in the Vena family. Silky like a liqueur, both bitter and sweet in varying degrees and aromatically complex, Amaro Lucano is perfect for all occasions. It can be enjoyed neat, chilled, with ice or orange zest and is also perfect as a base for cocktails.

CALABRIA

Calabria’s history stretches back to the 8th to 5th centuries BCE, when it was a colony of Greece known as Magna Graecia. Over the centuries, various cultures, including Spanish, Arabic, and Norman, have influenced the region’s culture, language, and architecture. This Southern Italian region is famous for its spicy

and robust cuisine, emphasizing powerful ingredients like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and red-hot chili peppers.

TROPEA RED ONION

Known for its amazing sweetness and aroma, cipolla rossa di Tropea (Tropea red onion) is the most famous and appreciated veriety

of onion in Italy and even abroad. The shape of its bulbs, of a deep purple color, varies from round to oval to elongated. The onion’s extraordinary sweetness, its delicate scent, its lightness and enjoyable taste are attributable to the particular micro-climate and sandy soils found in the vicinity of the sea along the Tyrrhenian coastline where Tropea red onion is grown. Though the onions grow all over the region, the sandy soil and more moderate climate near the coast produces the sweetest onions of the bunch. A good Tropea onion is far, far sweeter than your average red onion and, according to the locals, the sign of a good Cipolla Rossa di Tropea is that you can eat it like an apple!

‘NDUJA

Many of the best things in Italian c u i s i n e h a v e h u m b l e beginnings, and ‘nduja is one of these. Historically, ‘nduja - a

soft, spicy cured sausage of pork and chilli - was made with the very cheapest cuts of meat. Although today’s ‘nduja retains its rustic charm and high offal content, good producers have departed from the “waste not want not” approach and instead use only top quality ingredients to make their salumi. The addition of chilli is particularly important – it provides ‘nduja its characteristic fiery taste and a healthy boost of vitamins and antioxidants, which helps the preservation process. The simplest way to enjoy ‘nduja is spread on toasted, crusty bread, but - because of its texture, and its tendency to essentially dissolve when it comes into contact with heat - 'nduja is uniquely easy to mix into dishes both at the beginning and end of cooking.

CAMPANIA

Home to the picturesque Amalfi Coast and mainland Europe’s only active volcano, Campania boasts one of the oldest and richest culinary traditions of the entire world gastronomic panorama. From pizza-loving Naples in the north to fresh fruits, vegetables and cheeses in the countryside and along the

coast, Campania is world famous for its delicious Mediterranean cuisine.

PIZZA MARGHERITA

P izza is probably one of the most famous and appreciated dishes all over the world. There are different variants of pizza, but the original

one is called Pizza Margherita. According to a popular tradition, in 1889, during a visit to Naples of Queen Margherita of Savoy, wife of King Umberto I, chef Raffaele Esposito created a pizza resembling the colors of the Italian flag - red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil) - and named it after the Queen, Pizza Margherita. Descriptions of such a pizza recipe, however, can be traced back to at least 1866 in Francesco DeBouchard's book “Customs and Traditions of Naples”. Whatever the real origins of this pizza recipe are, all we know for sure is that Raffaele Esposito's version for Queen Margherita was the one that made it popular.

PASTIERA NAPOLETANA

Easter dessert par excellence, pastiera is a traditional Neapolitan tart that evokes all the typical aromas of Campania with candied peel and

orange flower water. Many and full of charme are the legends describing the birth of pastiera. Among these, the most famous tells of a mermaid, Partenope, whom the Neapolitans thanked for her enchanting singing by offering her the most precious gifts of nature: flour, wheat, eggs, ricotta cheese, orange blossom water, sugar and spices. Partenope, thanks to the help of the gods, mixed these ingredients giving life to Pastiera. Beyond the alleged links with pagan culture, the modern pastiera was probably invented in the 16th century in a Neapolitan convent of Benedictine nuns, who wanted to make a dessert that combined together some of the most symbolic ingredients of the Easter period.

Emilia Romagna

Nestled between the Alps and the Apennines, Emilia Romagna, with its 44 PDO and PGI products officially registered, is the Italian Region with the largest number of European origin certification. Though officially recognised as a single region, Emilia and Romagna have some significant gastronomic and

cultural differences.

TORTELLINI

T ortellini, tiny hat-shaped bundles of filled pasta, are one of the most iconic and beloved dishes of Emil ia . The or ig in of

tortellini is disputed; both Bologna and Modena claimed for centuries that they originated the dish and that their version reigns supreme. The province of Modena claims that tortellini were created there after a local innkeeper sneaked a peek through her door’s keyhole and spotted the navel of Renaissance beauty Lucrezia Borgia. Bologna, which since ancient times has had a rivalry with nearby Modena, has an even more fanciful claim, believing tortellini were invented there and modeled after the navel of Venus, the goddess of love. Whatever storyline you want to follow, tortellini is a storied and time-honoured pasta that is an absolute must-try in Italy.

PIADINA ROMAGNOLA

Mentioned by the Italian poet Giovanni Pascoli as the “nat iona l bread of the Ro m a g n a p e o p l e ” , t h e

Piadina - or Piada - is a thin Italian flatbread and one of the pillars of the Romagna gastronomic culture. Born as a food for the poorest and a symbol of rustic and peasant life, over time the piadina became a popular product and began to conquer even the tourists who arrived in Romagna in the 40s and 50s. This was the period in which the Piada became renowned throughout Italy, being definitively identified with the land of Romagna and with the holidays times. Traditionally it is cut into wedges and stuffed with cured meats (ham, salami, mortadella), Squacquerone cheese or grilled sausage (often accompanied by roasted onion).

Friuli Venezia Giulia

Friuli Venezia Giulia (often simply referred to as Friuli) has the atmosphere of a frontier region. For centuries the area was fought over by Romans, Slavs, Venetians and Austrians, each of which have left their mark on its language, culture and cuisine.

PROSCIUTTO SAN DANIELE

In t e r n a t i o n a l l y a c c l a i m e d , Prosciutto San Daniele stands out from other Italian hams for its unique processing, its intense aroma and

delicate flavor and its red-rose colour, slightly veined with fine strands of pure white fat. This ham obtained the protected designation of origin in 1996, which means that a production area has been de t e r m ined and the who l e production process must comply with the r u l e s s p e c i f i e d i n t h e p r o d u c t specifications. Prosciutto San Daniele DOP is made from just two ingredients – the meat of pigs born and bred in Italy, and sea salt - and is produced in San Daniele, a small municipality in the hills of the province of Udine where North-Eastern winds blow from the Carnic Alps to the Adriatic Sea, creating an optimal microclimate, for the production of this unique and exceptional ham.

TIRAMISÙ

T iramisù is an elegant and rich layered Italian dessert made with delicate ladyfinger cookies, espresso or instant espresso, mascarpone

cheese, eggs, sugar, Marsala wine, rum, and cocoa powder. Through the grouping of these diverse ingredients, an intense yet refined dish emerges. The delicate flavour of layers of mascarpone and Italian custard are contrasted with the darkly robust presence of espresso and sharpness of cocoa powder. Different Italian regions always compete for its origin, but the true history of this soft dessert has no doubt: it was born in the kitchens of a historical Osteria in Treviso. The name itself “tiramisù” literally means “pick me up” and comes from the Treviso dialect, “Tireme su”, Italianized into Tiramisù in the latter half of the 20th century. Today, Tiramisù is the world’s most famous dessert and it is considered a modern dessert par “excellence”.

Lazio

Often identified with Roman cuisine, traditional Lazio cuisine is characterized by the simplicity of dishes and the use of poor primary products but cooked in a delicious and tasty way. Unlike other regional culinary traditions, Lazio cuisine has kept its peculiarities unaltered over time.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

There may be no more beloved Italian dish than carbonara: hot pasta - usually spaghetti - tossed with a creamy sauce of raw beaten

eggs, accentuated with crisp bits of guanciale, and finished with a shower of Pecorino Romano cheese plus freshly ground black pepper. The origins of the dish and its name are obscure. Some connect it to pasta cacio e uova, a Neapolitan dish of pasta tossed with melted lard, beaten raw eggs, and cheese. Because the name comes from the word carbonaro, “coal burner”, some believe the dish was created as a hearty easy-to-make meal by men working outdoors for long periods. Others trace it to the Allied liberation of Rome in 1944, with US GIs bringing their daily ration of eggs and bacon to local restaurants to add to the limited Italian menu. Whatever its origin, one thing is certain: carbonara has now become a symbol of Rome.

CARCIOFI ALLA GIUDIA

Among the best-known dishes of Roman Jewish cuisine, carciofi alla giudia - literally “Jewish-style artichokes” - are a

speciality of the Roman Ghetto, where they are served by Jewish restaurants in the springtime. The recipe is essentially an artichoke fried twice in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and with the particular appearance of an open rose. It is said that this dish was prepared by Jewish housewives - who used exclusively the Roman artichoke of the “mammola” species, round, soft and without thorns, that can be eaten as a whole without leftovers, typical of Lazio - to be consumed mainly at the end of the Jewish celebration of Yom Kippur. This Jewish specialty was so much appreciated even by the Romans, who were the first to call these fried artichokes "alla giudia", that is “Jewish”.

Liguria

Home to the Cinque Terre, Portofino and Genoa Liguria boasts some of the best food in Italy. This mountainous region in the heart of the Italian Riviera is jam-packed with incredible fresh produce, iconic dishes known the world over and stunning seafood from its abundant shoreline.

TROFIE AL PESTO

P esto is Liguria’s gastronomic gift to the world. The word “pesto” is derived from the Italian verb pestare, to grind or crush. Created

in the port city Genova, true pesto genovese  is comprised of freshly-ground basil under the certification  genovese PDO, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts, sea salt, and garlic. Many varieties also include Parmigiano Reggiano and Fiore Sardo (because you can never go wrong by adding cheese). Remember: the pasta should “marry” the sauce. The shape, size, and texture of each type of pasta interact differently with various sauces. Pesto’s match made in pasta heaven is trofie, a twisted, spiral-shaped pasta that is also native to Liguria. The ribbed spirals perfectly pick up pesto's fine consistency, resulting in a symphony of flavors bite after bite, each guaranteed to transport you to the Ligurian seaside.

FOCACCIA

You can find focaccia all over Italy, but focaccia Genovese is the original and still the best – at least according to Ligurians!

The focaccia most of us are used to seeing – thick, soft and spiked with rosemary – is just one sort of focaccia (focaccia con il rosmarino); in reality there are dozens, all with different f lavourings. Focaccia Genovese is thinner – around two centimetres thick – and only flavoured with salt and olive oil, but there are other regional specialities too, including the sardenaira with anchovies or sardines on top and the focaccia di Recco. The town of Recco, just east of Genoa, gives its name to a specific kind of focaccia, which is thinner than regular focaccia, and stuffed (not topped) with soft stracchino cheese. Baked fresh, the cheese oozes melted from the crunchy pastry. One piece is definitely not enough!

Lombardy

When talking about Italian food, the cuisine of Lombardy is usually not the first that comes to mind, yet the region offers a range of interesting dishes and ingredients. Meat, cheese, butter and rice are the most common elements of Lombardy’s cuisine, and its hearty, luxurious dishes are famous

throughout Italy.

BRESAOLA

The peaks and troughs of Valtellina are home to one of Italy’s most famous cured meats: bresaola. Regular bresaola is all well and good,

but if you’re looking for the best of the best, you’ll need to head deep into the Bergamasche Alps in search of the one true bresaola – Bresaola della Valtellina. The altitude plays an important role in its production, ensuring a climatic balance without excess humidity that allows the correct seasoning of the meat. Today, though the production of Bresaola della Valtellina isn’t PDO-protected, it is IGP-protected – meaning that true bresaola can only be made in Valtellina – and producers must still follow strict rules that have been passed down through generations. Bresaola is typically cut very thin and served as an antipasto on its own or arranged as carpaccio with a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some Parmesan shavings.

TALEGGIO

Named after the valley of its origin, Taleggio is one of the most famous and appreciated cheeses all over the world, made

every autumn and winter using pasteurized cow’s milk from the alpine pastures. Its coarse rind is edible and stands in great contrast to the creamy interior. Together, they create a seamless blend of opposing sensations in terms of both flavour and consistency. Made from local cow’s milk, Taleggio uses five different types of mould to produce the red smear that gives it its unique look and flavour. Intense flavours are promoted in the thorough washing of the rind during the aging process, resulting in a strong aroma and a rich yet mellow taste. Soft tones of fruit play in tune with a composition of mild and buttery notes. Quick to mature, this cheese is ready to eat within 50 days of aging.

Marche

A stunning Adriatic coastline to the east, beautiful mountains to the west and an all-encompassing love for deep-fried food – Marche is one of Italy’s undiscovered gems. The cuisine in Marche is primordially characterized by its simplicity. That’s the secret: just a few ingredients, but of excellent quality.

OLIVE ALL'ASCOLANA

Olive all’Ascolana is one of the most beloved deep-fried Marche Foods. From the city of Ascoli Piceno, these meat-stuffed, breadcrumb-

covered and deep-fried olives are a must-try when in Marche. The recipe of the “Olives Ascolane” is dated back to the 1800. It is believed that the first Ascoli olives were born by mistake, or rather they came to the mind of a private chef from a noble Ascoli family, from the need to disguise and re-propose the roast left over from a lavish banquet. This new dish aroused so much surprise that it soon became a source of pride and spread like wildfire even among the people, becoming the symbol of the party, and then affirming itself as the Sunday dish in family. Either served on their own or as part of the region’s famous fritto misto, you can’t help but fall in love with Olive all’Ascolana!

CIAUSCOLO

Rosy, fragrant, with a savory but delicate flavor, Ciauscolo is the undisputed king of marchigiani sausages. Soft and spreadable

like the more famous ‘nduja from Calabria to the south, the distinct flavour of ciauscolo comes in part from the diet and lifestyle of the pigs – which roam freely around the countryside snacking on maize and acorns – but also from two key ingredients. The first is fennel seed – an ingredient the marchigiani love for its freshness – and the second is the juniper wood, which confers a light, aromatic smokiness to the sausage. Ciauscolo is so tasty that generally speaking, the locals simply eat it with a warm flatbread called tigella. As of 2009, ciauscolo was granted PGI-protected status, which means it must be made in the area around Macerata, Ancona and Ascoli Piceno.

Molise

Molise may be small, but there’s plenty of delicious food to be found in this undiscovered country. Food in Molise has its origins firmly in la cucina povera – “the kitchens of the poor” – and as such, you can expect hearty, comforting meals that revolve around more rustic ingredients. The region

has a long-standing reputation for fantastic pasta, with dishes using the plentiful lamb and goat that graze in the mountains, as well as local vegetables and herbs.

PASTA

If there’s one thing Molise deserves respect for it’s pasta. When it comes to pasta, there are a number of traditional types well known outside

of the region and popular elsewhere. These include fusilli, cavatelli, cappellacci, tagliolini, sagne and the little known “millefanti” - tiny pieces of pasta made from flour, eggs, parsley and cheese which is served in broth. Pasta which is more likely only to be found in Molise include laianelle, ricotta filled pasta moons; calcioni di ricotta, a specialty of the region’s capital Campobasso made of fried pasta stuffed with ricotta, provolone, prosciutto and parsley and crioli, a pasta typically eaten on special occasions and holidays. This pasta is similar to spaghetti alla chitarra in neightbouring Abruzzo, but isn’t made using a “chitarra”.

CACIOCAVALLO DI AGNONE

Molise doesn't have the cheese pedigree of other Italian regions, but what it does, it d o e s v e r y w e l l . T h e

Caciocavallo of Agnone PAT (Traditional Agri-food Product) is one of the pillars of southern dairy production. Its origins are ancient and its precence is testified since the times of Magna Grecia and was linked to transhumance. Caciocavallo is a semi-hard cheese with seasoned spun cheese, wrapped in a thin shiny crust totally edible. The texture of the dough is soft and pasty, with strong hints of cooked latex and butter. Obtained from a completely manual process of processing of high quality local raw milk, it is normally aged for about 3 months, but in some cases the maturation can also exceed the year.

Piedmont

Home to Slow Food and Eataly along with some of the finest ingredients and wine in all of Europe, Piedmont's towering mountains and sprawling pastures are dream destinations for foodies. Rice paddies are common, and the Piedmontese vary their diets with plenty of cheese, meat and fresh vegetables.

BAGNA CÀUDA

Garlic, anchovies, and extra-virgin olive oil — these three ingredients meld harmoniously to create a potent, umami-rich

dipping sauce. Bagna càuda, which literally means “hot dip”, is one of Piedmont’s great delights, summing up the region's traditional cooking. More than a dish, bagna càuda is a convivial ritual. In origin it was considered a dish for farmers and ordinary people and represented a way to share the most precious ingredients - salt, anchovies, and olive oil - with the family and make them last longer: everyone used to pick a little of the dip with a vegetable from a common pot. Today bagna càuda features prominently on the menus of Piedmont’s restaurants and each diner tends to have his or her own “fujot”, a traditional Terra Cotta pot with a candle underneath to keep the bagna càuda bubbling away.

GIANDUIA

If you love Nutella, then you have gianduia - or gianduja - to thank for it. The word refers both to a traditional Carnival mask and to the delicious

creamy paste made of cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar and finely ground hazelnuts. Both of them were born in Piedmont but it’s the chocolate paste that has enjoyed wide and enduring fame all over Italy and abroad, thanks to its scrumptious taste. Gianduia paste was created in Turin in 1806 by local confectioners who were looking for a way to reduce the cocoa content in chocolates after Napoleon imposed a ban on British goods entering French-occupied harbours, putting a strain on cocoa supplies. The confectioners decided to mix what little cocoa powder they had with the paste obtained by grinding local hazelnuts. The result was an intense and velvety paste - and thus, gianduia was born.

Puglia

Puglia produces over 40% of Italy’s olive oil. This southern region has traditionally been a poor one, with cucina povera responsible for most Puglian dishes. Meat plays second fiddle to vegetables, while fish and seafood are enjoyed along Puglia’s coast. Hearty baked dishes, simple plates of pasta and wilted wild greens

such as chicory or cima di rapa are among the region’s most famous foods.

ORECCHIETTE CON CIME DI RAPA

Perhaps the best known dish of the Apu l i an cu l i na r y t r ad i t i on , o r e c c h i e t t e c o n c i m e d i r a p a (“orecchiette with turnip greens”)

is a real institution for all pasta lovers. Orecchiette is a fresh or dry pasta made from durum wheat flour. It has several names, but the most common ones are recchie or recchietelle, meaning “small ears” because that’s what their shape resembles. Orecchiette can vary in shape and size, and for handmade orecchiette there are different production methods: the handmade orecchiette in the style of Foggia are turned on the thumb, while the orecchiette in the style of Bari are finished using a knife. Cime di rapa, also known as broccoli rabe or rapini, refer to the dark leafy green tops from turnips. This simple, flavorful, and hearty dish comes from a peasant tradition; it blends rustic and strong flavors into an unbelievably tempting dish.

TIELLA BARESE

Not the usual risotto, nor is it the usual baked pasta. Tiella barese (also known as riso, patate e c o z z e ) i s a l a y e r e d d i s h

consisting of rice, potatoes, mussels, onions, and tomatoes all topped off with breadcrumbs and a healthy grating of pecorino. It is a dish rooted in Bari’s traditions which, like many other local recipes, owes its origins to farmers who made it to feed the family returning from the fields. The women of the family would gather fresh or leftover vegetables, accordin to wathever was to hand, and place them in a pan together with rice and potatoes. The pan used was called “tiella”, hence the origin of the name of the recipe. From the countryside, the recipe travelled to the coast, encountering maritime culture and Spanish influence, and that’s why the mussels are still present in the Bari and Taranto tiella.

Sardinia

Sardinian cuisine makes use of simple ingredients and recipes that come from the encounter of different Mediterranean cultures, marking the history of the island surrounded by one of the most beautiful seas in the world and the scents of wild and unspoiled nature.

PORCEDDU

Among the most famous main c o u r s e s o f t h e i s l a n d ’s gastronomical traditions, the porceddu - “suckling pig”, also

called porcheddu and Italianized with the name of porcetto - is a treasured delicacy in Sardinia, and locals prepare it in their own signature style. Myrtle and juniper are both plentiful on the island – you’ll find them frequently used in Sardinian dishes – and they give a beautiful smokey, menthol aroma to the suckling pig, which is completely wrapped in myrtle leaves before being slow-cooked over juniper wood until melting and tender. According to some, the tradition of porceddu dates back to the Spanish rule and was originally consumed by Sardinian shepherds exclusively during Easter because the pig was an important food resource for families.

SEADAS

Even when you’ve eaten more than your share of incredible pasta, seafood and roasted meats, there’s always a bit of

room for seadas. These gorgeous little dough parcels are deep-fried and drizzled with honey, and crispy pastry gives way to a soft filling of fresh pecorino. They’re often finished with a bittersweet grating of orange peel, too. The seadas were not originally served at the end of a meal; they were usually a nutrient main dish prepared by women for their husbands when they returned from the transhumance. We don't know much about this dessert's history, but there are many references about the seadas or about dishes similar to the seadas in different times and ages. Anyway, all the mysteries that surround this dessert disappear the moment you taste it: you will absolutely love it!

Sicily

Influences from Arabia, Africa, Spain (and, of course, Italy) make Sicilian cuisine a veritable melting pot of flavour. Bread is topped with sesame seeds, couscous is found next to pasta on menus, raisins turn up in spaghetti, and gelato is eaten stuffed in a brioche bun—for breakfast. Today, Sicily is one of Italy’s most popular

tourist destinations, and food is what keeps people coming back year after year.

ARANCIN*

Arancini (or arancine) - round or cone-shaped balls of saffron-flavoured rice, moulded around tasty morsels of meat, peas and

tomato ragù -  are one of the best known Sicilian street foods in Italy and in the world. Traditionally, Sicilians won’t compromise on food and one of the interminable diatribes is precisely around the name of these rice balls. Not only will Sicilians disagree about their essential ingredients and their proper shape – depending on their region – they will even dispute their gender, which determines how their name is spelt and pronounced. Are they male or female? In Palermo they are considered to be feminine, so they are called arancina and two or more are arancine. But in Catania they are thought to be masculine, and so they are called arancino, and a pair or more are arancini. Whether you know them as arancine or arancini, visiting Sicily without eating arancin* is like not having visited it at all.

CANNOLI SICILIANI

C annoli, one of Sicily’s best-known desserts, are deep-fried cylindrical pastry shells filled with sweetened sheep’s ricotta cream with a

sprinkling of chocolate or pistachio and candied fruit at both ends. But who should we thank for this “heritage of humanity”? There are many legends that tell the origins of the Sicilian Cannoli but no absolute confirmations, and that’s most probably because Sicily, over the centuries, was subjected to the domination and to the cultural influence of many civilizations very different from each other. According to historians, something very similar to a Cannolo already existed in the Roman period. According to others, the first Cannoli were invented in a harem located in Caltanissetta by the concubines of princes looking to capture their attention. Another theory says that Cannoli were invented by a group of nuns who used to make this delicacy during the Carnival.

Trentino - Alto Adige

Trentino - Alto Adige cuisine reflects the unique Alpine ecosystem, rich with unusual fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and more. Italian and Germanic heritage sites side by side on menus – rich stews come with polenta, dumplings and filled pasta are interchangeable in hearty broths, and pasta often comes in

the form of spätzle – a fresh egg pasta with medieval German origins.

SPECK

Speck's secret can be enclosed in one simple phrase: “little salt, little smoke, and plenty of fresh mountain air”. Speck is a type of

cured, lightly smoked ham. Although a close cousin to prosciutto crudo, speck is worthy of its own distinction when it comes to cured hams. True authentic speck is known as Speck Alto Adige IGP. One of the key contributors to speck's unique flavour is the smoking process. This is typically done outside, following a special technique that incorporates “a little smoke, and lots of fresh mountain air”. Speck is excellent served on its own as a savoury snack or antipasto; in the kitchen, speck can be used in a variety of dishes. For an authentic South Tyrolean meal, you can use it to make canederli, bread dumplings typical of the Trentino Alto-Adige region.

VIN BRULÉ

Red wine, sugar, aromatic spices: these are the basic ingredients for vin brulé (mulled wine), one of the most popular hot alcoholic

beverages throughout europe and beyond. The origins of vin brulé date back to ancient Rome, where it was called “conditum paradoxum” and consisted of a heated wine, sweetened with honey and then spiced with pepper, saffron and dates and served to guests at the end of the meal. A specialty that has gone through centuries of history, undergoing modifications and variations according to the eras and areas of diffusion, vin brulé has taken hold, above all in Trentino-Alto Adige, a region rich in references to the Central European culture and marked Nordic atmosphere, becoming the symbolic product of Christmas markets in Merano, Bolzano and in many other tourist destinations.

Tuscany

Tuscany is an inheritance of historic treasures, a region full of artistic cities and little picturesque villages with a huge cultural heritage but is also extraordinary because of its fascinating landscape, with its bucolic countryside and rolling hills. Tuscan cuisine is based on the use of the most fresh and simple seasonal

ingredients including many legumes, cheeses, vegetables, and fruits.

RIBOLLITA

On e o f T u s c a n y ’ s m o s t traditional dishes is Ribollita, made of bread, beans and vegetables. Ribollita means “re-

boiled”, and simply refers to a leftover minestrone or vegetable soup, mixed with stale bread and then reheated. Like most Tuscan cuisine, this soup has peasant origins and is typical of “cucina povera”, a traditional style of Italian cuisine that literally translates to “poor cooking”. Cucina povera was developed by frugal Italian cooks who made the most with what they had. Typically containing cavolo nero, savoy cabbage, cannellini beans and stale bread, ribollita dates back to medieval times when servants and peasants were given leftover bread, which they boiled into a soup along with vegetables and herbs from their fields.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO

The king of every Sangiovese wines comes from Montalcino, where it has always called Brunello - hence the name

Brunello di Montalcino. The vineyards around the village of Montalcino have always been giving good red wines, however, it was only in 1800, with the intuition of Clemente Santi, pharmacist of Montalcino with the passion for viticulture, that Brunello came to light. The grape with which Brunello di Montalcino is produced is a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese referred to as Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso - a dark coloured, dusky brown berry. Brunello is a noble wine, one of the greatest expressions of the Italian wine and one of the most exciting incarnations of a noble grape such as Sangiovese.

Umbria

Home to stunning hill towns, forests full of wild boar and truffles and one of Italy's largest lakes, Umbria - known as “Italy’s green heart” - retains a quiet, undisturbed charm that’s full of authentic Italian ways of life. And the food there is some of the best in all of Italy.

NORCIA BLACK TRUFFLES

Truffles are more abundant in Umbria than in any other part of Italy and truffle hunting is pursued just as eagerly as

treasure hunting: every Umbrian either hunts truffles themselves or knows someone who does, but that doesn’t mean they’ll happily talk about their successes on a particular day; hunting spots are fiercely guarded secrets, passed down through families over hundreds of years. Norcia black truffle contends the title of “King of Norcia” with the rival local ham and is the most prized black truffle on the market worldwide. Besides being famous for its strong flavour, the “Nero di Norcia” truffle is known, above all, as being the only type that maintains its organoleptic properties even during cooking, allowing its use in various recipes which have now become cornerstones of the local culinary tradition.

TORTA AL TESTO

T orta al testo, also known as crescia, is a traditional unleavened bread hail ing from the heart of Umbria. Every single Umbrian

family has a closely-guarded secret recipe and so the bread may vary somewhat, but it is still instantly recognizable: it may look like a focaccia, but it’s more compact, or like a “piadina”, but it’s softer and thicker. Its origins date back to the Roman Empire, where a mixture of flour and water was cooked on a slab of brick (like a tile) called “testum” and heated over coals. Today, the name testo refers to the cast iron pan on which the torta – a word otherwise associated with “cake” – is traditionally cooked. Torta al testo is best enjoyed freshly made, as a snack or antipasto, alongside your favourite cured mea t s and cheese. Pecor ino and prosciutto di norcia are natural pairings.

Valle d ’Aosta

Located between France and Switzerland, Valle d’Aosta is the smallest region in Italy. In Valle d’Aosta, dairy is arguably the most important part of the local diet, with milk, butter, and cheese used in most dishes. Beef and wild game meat are the most popular meats, while locally grown nuts and orchard fruits are

renowned for their incredible flavour.

FONTINA CHEESE

Produced in Valle D’Aosta region, traditional Fontina is the product of Alpine pastures and milk from Valdostana cows. It has an

aromatic, slightly pungent aroma and a thin rind that ranges from reddish yellow to dark brown in colour. Characterized by a natural orange rind and a pale, firm, semi-soft interior studded with “eyes” (little holes), it is an excellent and versatile cheese for cooking. The origins of the name are unclear, although many believe it is either named after the local village of Fontinaz or is derived from the old French word fontis, used to describe a cheese’s ability to melt. The milk for the production of Fontina comes from local cows that graze on Alpine pastures dotted with wildflowers and native herbs and munch on locally grown hay.

POLENTA CONCIA

P olenta is a typical dish from all norther Italy, a typical poor food of rural culture that accompanied the daily life of the winter days of

those who often could not eat anything else. Polenta in fact is based on simple elements: corn flour, water and salt. Polenta concia (or cunsa in local dialect) is a rich, creamy version of polenta from Valle D’Aosta that is traditionally prepared in a copper pot. The list of ingredients explains why it is also known as polenta grassa, meaning fat polenta: the dish consists of cooked polenta and Fontina Valdostana cheese that are topped with sizzling melted butter. Just like many other mountain dishes, polenta concia definitely isn’t low on calories, but it is a perfect comfort food for cold winter days, especially when paired with a glass of full-bodied local red wine.

Veneto

Venice, capital city of Veneto, makes it among the first destinations in Europe in the number of visitors. Even if pasta is made and eaten in Veneto like in all the rest of the country, it is far less common than rice and polenta, and vegetables are treated with the same respect as meat and fish. This means the

cuisine of Veneto is one of the most varied in Italy, with all sorts of dishes making the most of local ingredients.

BACCALÀ ALLA VICENTINA

One of the most delicious ways to make baccalà has got to be baccalà alla vicentina, or in the style of the northern Italian

city of Vicenza, slowly simmered in milk flavored with a savory soffritto of garlic, onions and anchovies. The “baccalà” in the dish is actually what in other parts of Italy would be called stoccafisso, or stockfish, codfish that is not salted but sun and air-dried until it is almost rock hard. The Vicenza chefs have managed to make tender (as well as delicious) a fish that by nature is stodgy and woody. The secret? A long soaking and a long cooking in which the fish must not be touched. Over the long cooking hours, stockfish meat becomes amazingly tender, while milk tends to soften the typical strong taste and aroma of dried cod. Baccalà alla Vicentina is traditionally served over soft polenta, and it is recommended to pair it with local white wines.

PROSECCO

P rosecco is a sparkling white wine from north-eastern Italy, though its heartland is a small region in the Veneto called Conegliano

Valdobbiadene. Light, bright, and bubbly, it’s often compared to fine Champagne. While Champagne and Prosecco are both sparkling wines, they have some important differences. Champagne comes from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France, while Prosecco is made from Glera grapes grown in Italy. Another key difference between Prosecco and other sparkling wines, like Champagne, is how the bubbles are made. Unlike traditional fermentation, where spirits are finished in individual bottles, Prosecco goes through a second fermentation in sealed pressure tanks before bottling This process - called Charmat method or tank method - is cheaper, faster and less labor intensive than the traditional method and it also helps retain more natural aromas and flavors.

BUON APPETITO! Realizzazione

Francesca Cavani Andrea Staffa

Supervisione Console Federico Lorenzo Ramaioli