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• Italian food is one of the most beloved of the world’s great cuisines.

• The simple approach to cooking, the use of seasonal produce and the deeply embedded culinary traditions of the Italians are loved around the world

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ITALYkey ingredients

• Balsamic VinegarBalsamic Vinegar is dark, thick and syrupy with a complex, sweet taste and much

more expensive than common vinegars. It originated in the Modena region of Italy and you should look for this on the label along with a star rating. 8 stars is excellent and more concentrated.

• BasilBasil (basilico) is an Italian herb used to flavour sauces, salads and added to pizza

after cooking.• BreadPane di Casa or Ciabatta should be crusty on the outside and not too doughy or too

airy inside. Serve with cheese, prosciutto and used for the well known bruschetta.• Extra Virgin Olive OilExtra Virgin Olive Oil is used for dipping bread into, drizzling over salads and cooked

dishes as well as for cooking with. Look for cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, it will be a rich golden, green colour.

ITALY• FormaggioFormaggio is cheese with two main categories Sweet (dolce) or with bite

(picante).• GorgonzolaGorgonzola is a creamy blue cheese used in the classic dish Gnocchi Gorgonzola.• RicottaRicotta is a very versatile cheese used in both sweet (cannolli) and savoury

dishes (ravioli).• Mozzarella and BocconciniMozzarella and Bocconcini are both a soft, mild fresh cheese. Bocconcini means

'small mouthful’.• Parmesan • Parmesan is known as the 'the King of cheeses'.

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• OlivesThere are many types available including Sicilian; a green olive

with a citrusy flavour, giant green olives and Ligurian; which are small black olives.

• Pasta dried and freshSupermarket shelves groan under the weight of the enormous

variety of pasta available. Pasta is usually eaten in most Italian households every day. Fresh pasta has a silkier texture.

• TomatoesTinned tomatoes are used for many dishes incuding pasta

sauces.

ITALYregional differences

• The Roman cuisine for example usually uses sheep's cheese and organic meat

• Tuscan cooking is using white beans and bread without salt. • In Rome the pizzas are very thin like crackers, and

Neapolitan and Sicilian pizzas are thicker. than their counterparts.

• The Northern Italian dishes are influenced by French cooking, because of the proximity of the French border.

• Emilia-Romagna is the number one with wheat production in Italy, and is also known for their stuffed pasta.

• Napoli is considered as the home of pizza and mozzarella.

ITALYmeal structure

• Traditionally, meals in Italy usually contain 5 courses.

Antipasto - these are hot and cold appetizers.Primo (The First Course), which usually consists some hot dish like pasta,

risotto or soup. Secondo (The Second Course), which is also the main dish, usually fish or

meat,Contorno (The Side Dish) usually is a salad or vegetables.Dolce, there is no better way to finish your meal by Dessert.

• Today, the traditional Italian menu is kept mainly for special events (such as weddings) while an everyday menu includes only the first and second course, the side dish and coffee.

ITALYhistory of pasta

• Nothing says Italy like its food, and nothing says Italian food like pasta

• By the 1300's dried pasta was very popular for its nutrition and long shelf life

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• Different shapes of pasta have appeared and new technology made pasta easier to make.

• However the next big advancement in the history of pasta would not come until the 19th century when pasta met tomatoes.

ITALYhistory of pasta

• Therefore it was not until 1839 that the first pasta recipe with tomatoes was documented. However shortly thereafter tomatoes took hold, especially in the south of Italy. The rest of course is delicious history.

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• It is estimated that Italians eat over sixty pounds of pasta per person, per year

• There are roughly 350 different shapes and varieties of dried pasta in Italy, even more counting regional differences.

ITALYhistory of pizza

• There are not too many nations that can say their national dish has become an international phenomenon.

• Italy has two such dishes, pasta and of course pizza.

ITALYhistory of pizza

• The word "pizza" is thought to have come from the Latin word pinsa, meaning flatbread

• By the Middle Ages these early pizzas started to take on a more modern look and taste.

ITALYhistory of pizza

• The introduction of tomatoes to Italian cuisine in the 18th and early 19th centuries finally gave us the true modern Italian pizza.

• As pizza popularity increased, street vendors gave way to actual shops where people could order a custom pizza with many different toppings.

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• Neapolitan style pizza had now spread throughout Italy and each region started designing their own versions based on the Italian culinary rule of fresh, local ingredients.

• http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food