From its alpine peaks to its southern shores – and all points in-between – Joanna Savill
takes you on a voyage of discovery as she explores the myriad regional foods, cuisines
and specialties that make a foodie tour of Italy so incredibly rewarding.and specialties that make a foodie tour of Italy so incredibly rewarding.ITALY – A COUNTRY OFITALY – A COUNTRY OF many many cucinecucine
(Italian for cuisine, plural!).(Italian for cuisine, plural!).
If you want to talk about Italy’s many If you want to talk about Italy’s many
food traditions, you could just start with food traditions, you could just start with
pasta. From all points of the country, the pasta. From all points of the country, the
primoprimo that starts your meal will be as that starts your meal will be as
varied as the centuries of history and varied as the centuries of history and
geography that created it.geography that created it.
Juicy crescent-shaped pillows of Juicy crescent-shaped pillows of
egg-yellow dough in the Alpine regions egg-yellow dough in the Alpine regions
of Alto Adige are filled with poppy of Alto Adige are filled with poppy
seeds and beetroot. These are seeds and beetroot. These are casunzeicasunzei..
By the time you hit Lombardy, 100 or By the time you hit Lombardy, 100 or
so kilometres away, they’ve become so kilometres away, they’ve become
casoncellicasoncelli and are filled with ground and are filled with ground
meat and breadcrumbs – in Brescia, that meat and breadcrumbs – in Brescia, that
is. In nearby Bergamo, the stuffing may is. In nearby Bergamo, the stuffing may
see the addition of ground amaretti see the addition of ground amaretti
biscuits and sweet spices like nutmeg. biscuits and sweet spices like nutmeg.
At the other end of the country, in the At the other end of the country, in the
desert-like moonscape of Basilicata desert-like moonscape of Basilicata
wedged in the arch of the Italian boot, wedged in the arch of the Italian boot,
the daily pasta is a dish of the daily pasta is a dish of orecchietteorecchiette, ,
made simply and sparsely with only made simply and sparsely with only
semolina flour and water. semolina flour and water.
There are tubes and squares and There are tubes and squares and
butterflies, tiny ‘hats’ like the tortellini – or butterflies, tiny ‘hats’ like the tortellini – or
cappelletticappelletti – of Emilia Romagna. There are – of Emilia Romagna. There are
ribbons – Bologna’s tagliatelle – and ribbons – Bologna’s tagliatelle – and
square-edged strings like the square-edged strings like the chitarrachitarra
(guitar) strings of Abruzzo, pressed over (guitar) strings of Abruzzo, pressed overthe wires of an instrument-like box. There the wires of an instrument-like box. There
are condiments: from rich sauces to simple are condiments: from rich sauces to simple
combinations like Naples’ marinara combinations like Naples’ marinara
(tomato and garlic). A serve of spaghetti (tomato and garlic). A serve of spaghetti
may hide the flavour bomb of something may hide the flavour bomb of something
that seems barely there, such as Rome’s that seems barely there, such as Rome’s
cacio e pepecacio e pepe – topped simply with grated – topped simply with grated
hard cheese and pepper – or Sardinia’s hard cheese and pepper – or Sardinia’s
bottarga, a sprinkling of dried mullet roe bottarga, a sprinkling of dried mullet roe
ground into a pungently flavourful powder ground into a pungently flavourful powder- Italian umami.– Italian umami.
An Italian pasta journey makes for an An Italian pasta journey makes for an
informative – and appetising – excursion. informative – and appetising – excursion.
And it reflects the complexity of a nation And it reflects the complexity of a nation
that is technically less than 150 years old. that is technically less than 150 years old.
As authors and academics Massimo As authors and academics Massimo
Montanari and Alberto Capatti write in Montanari and Alberto Capatti write in
their fascinating their fascinating Italian Cuisine: A Cultural Italian Cuisine: A Cultural
HistoryHistory, “Italy, the country with a hundred , “Italy, the country with a hundred
cities and thousands of bell towers, is cities and thousands of bell towers, is
also the country with a hundred cuisines also the country with a hundred cuisines
and thousands of recipes... ” Read their and thousands of recipes... ” Read their
book if you want the full picture of just book if you want the full picture of just
how diverse that heritage is and yet how diverse that heritage is and yet
deeply unified by a common approach deeply unified by a common approach
to the fundamentals of cooking: a sense to the fundamentals of cooking: a sense
of place, time and seasonality as well of place, time and seasonality as well
as an overwhelming commitment to as an overwhelming commitment to
frugality. Making do. Wasting nothing.frugality. Making do. Wasting nothing.
Many influences have left their mark Many influences have left their mark
over centuries of invasion, conquest, over centuries of invasion, conquest,
political manoeuvring, kingdoms, political manoeuvring, kingdoms,
dukedoms, city states and principalities. dukedoms, city states and principalities.
The Arabs left their saffron and The Arabs left their saffron and
sweets in Sicily. And the sweets in Sicily. And the
earliest forms of earliest forms of
dried pasta. dried pasta.
After the After theBuon APPETITO
REGIONAL ITALIAN.