agrofood.ITIT
Foods

Italian foods, explained properly

What each one actually is, what it tastes like, how to say it, how it compares to the thing you already know, and what to use when you cannot find it.

Cheese

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Burrata, formaggio della PugliaIGPBurrataBurrata is a pouch of fresh mozzarella filled with stracciatella, shredded curd soaked in cream. Cut it o…Mozzarella, formaggio della CampaniaMozzarellaMozzarella is a fresh pasta filata cheese: curd ripened to the right acidity, stretched in near-boiling w…Asiago, formaggio del VenetoDOPAsiagoAsiago DOP is a cow's milk cheese from the Veneto plateau and Trentino that exists in two very different …Gorgonzola, formaggio della LombardiaDOPGorgonzolaGorgonzola DOP is Italy's blue cheese, made from pasteurised cow's milk in Lombardy and Piedmont. It come…Grana Padano, formaggio della LombardiaDOPGrana PadanoGrana Padano DOP is a hard, cooked cow's milk cheese from the Po Valley, aged a minimum of nine months. I…Parmigiano Reggiano, formaggio dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPParmigiano ReggianoParmigiano Reggiano DOP is made from raw cow's milk in five provinces of northern Italy and aged at least…Pecorino Romano, formaggio del LazioDOPPecorino RomanoPecorino Romano DOP is a hard, dry-salted sheep's milk cheese aged at least five months, made in Sardinia…Ricotta, formaggio del LazioRicottaRicotta is not a cheese. It is a dairy product made from whey, the liquid left over after cheese has been…Provolone, formaggio della LombardiaDOPProvoloneProvolone is a stretched-curd cow's milk cheese from northern Italy, rope-tied and hung to age in shapes …Scamorza, formaggio dell'AbruzzoScamorzaScamorza is cow's-milk pasta filata that has been tied off into a pear shape and hung to dry for one to t…Casu marzu, formaggio della SardegnaCasu MarzuCasu marzu is a Sardinian sheep's cheese whose ripening is carried on by the larvae of the cheese fly. It…Taleggio, formaggio della LombardiaDOPTaleggioTaleggio DOP is a square, washed-rind cow's milk cheese from the Bergamo Alps, aged at least 35 days. It …Ricotta salata, formaggio della SiciliaRicotta SalataRicotta salata is sheep's milk ricotta that has been salted, pressed and aged for at least three months: …Caciocavallo, formaggio della BasilicataDOPCaciocavalloCaciocavallo is a stretched-curd cow's milk cheese from southern Italy, aged in a distinctive gourd shape…Fontina, formaggio della Valle d'AostaDOPFontinaFontina is the DOP mountain cheese of Italy's Aosta Valley: raw whole milk from a single milking, wheels …Mozzarella di bufala, formaggio della CampaniaDOPBuffalo MozzarellaMozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP is made from the whole raw milk of Italian Mediterranean water buffalo, …Pecorino Sardo, formaggio della SardegnaDOPPecorino SardoPecorino Sardo DOP is Sardinia's table cheese: whole sheep's milk, calf rennet, two official types. Dolce…Pecorino Toscano, formaggio della ToscanaDOPPecorino ToscanoPecorino Toscano DOP is the mild one. Whole sheep's milk, calf rennet, a brief salting: soft-paste wheels…Robiola, formaggio del PiemonteRobiolaRobiola is a family of soft young cheeses from north-west Italy rather than a single cheese. The one that…Fiore Sardo, formaggio della SardegnaDOPFiore SardoFiore Sardo DOP is the shepherd's pecorino of Sardinia: raw sheep's milk, lamb rennet paste, an uncooked …Montasio, formaggio del Friuli-Venezia GiuliaDOPMontasioMontasio DOP is Friuli's cheese: cow's milk, semi-cooked curd, wheels of 6 to 8 kilos and an ageing ladde…Squacquerone di Romagna, formaggio dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPSquacquerone di RomagnaSquacquerone di Romagna DOP is a fresh cow's milk cheese so soft it cannot hold a shape: it takes the for…Bitto, formaggio della LombardiaDOPBittoBitto DOP can only be made between 1 June and 30 September, on high summer pasture, in a dismantlable sto…Caciocavallo PodolicoCaciocavallo Podolico is made from the milk of semi-wild Podolica cattle, a rustic grey breed that yields…Canestrato Pugliese, formaggio della PugliaDOPCanestrato PuglieseCanestrato Pugliese DOP is a hard sheep's milk cheese from the Tavoliere plain of northern Puglia, presse…Quartirolo Lombardo, formaggio della LombardiaDOPQuartirolo LombardoQuartirolo Lombardo is named after quartirola, the fourth grass cut of the year in September: it was made…DOPRagusanoRagusano is a ten-to-sixteen-kilo rectangular block of raw-milk pasta filata cheese from the Iblei platea…DOPToma PiemonteseIn Piedmont, toma is not a cheese: it is a category. Dozens of different valley cheeses go by that name, …DOPCastelmagnoCastelmagno DOP is a crumbly, sharp alpine cheese made in just three villages of the Valle Grana in Piedm…Provola dei Nebrodi, formaggio della SiciliaProvola dei NebrodiProvola dei Nebrodi is a raw cow's milk pasta filata cheese from the mountains of north-eastern Sicily, h…Puzzone di Moena, formaggio del Trentino-Alto AdigeDOPPuzzone di MoenaPuzzone di Moena means 'the big stinker of Moena', and the name is earned honestly: the rind is washed wi…Valtellina Casera, formaggio della LombardiaDOPValtellina CaseraValtellina Casera is made from partially skimmed milk for a specific reason: the cream went to butter, wh…DOPSalva CremascoSalva Cremasco is a square, washed-rind Lombard cheese whose name means 'it saves': it was invented to re…DOPCasciotta d'UrbinoCasciotta d'Urbino is a two-milk cheese: 70 to 80 per cent sheep's milk, the rest cow's, a ratio written …Formai de Mut, formaggio della LombardiaDOPFormai de MutFormai de Mut means mountain cheese in the Bergamo dialect, and it is the alpine cheese almost nobody out…Pecorino Crotonese, formaggio della CalabriaDOPPecorino CrotonesePecorino Crotonese DOP comes from the flocks that summer on the Sila plateau and winter in the clay hills…Strachitunt, formaggio della LombardiaDOPStrachituntStrachitunt means 'round stracchino' in the Bergamo dialect, and behind that modest name sits the ancesto…MarzolinoMarzolino is the fresh Tuscan sheep's cheese made from the first spring milk: marzo is March, and that is…Ossolano, formaggio del PiemonteDOPOssolanoOssolano DOP comes from the Ossola valleys, the most alpine corner of Piedmont, wedged between Switzerlan…Raschera, formaggio del PiemonteDOPRascheraRaschera is one of very few Italian cheeses made in two shapes, square and round: the square one exists b…Capra Girgentana, formaggio della SiciliaGirgentana Goat CheeseThe Girgentana is the corkscrew-horned goat of Agrigento, in south-western Sicily: white, spiral-horned, …Piacentinu Ennese, formaggio della SiciliaDOPPiacentinu EnnesePiacentinu Ennese is the only Italian cheese whose specification requires saffron: the paste is egg-yolk …Vastedda del Belìce, formaggio della SiciliaDOPVastedda del BeliceVastedda della Valle del Belìce is the only stretched-curd sheep's milk cheese in the world. It was inven…

Cured meats

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Mortadella, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPMortadellaMortadella is a large cooked pork sausage from Bologna: meat ground to a silky paste, studded with cubes …DOPPancettaPancetta is Italian cured pork belly: salt, pepper and warm spices, dried for months, never smoked. That …Guanciale, salume del LazioPATGuancialeGuanciale is cured pork jowl: unsmoked, rubbed with salt and pepper, aged for one to three months. It is …Soppressata, salume della CalabriaDOPSoppressataSoppressata is a coarse-ground dry salami from southern Italy, pressed flat between boards while it dries…'Nduja, salume della CalabriaPAT'Nduja'Nduja is a soft, spreadable Calabrian pork salume that is up to 40% chilli. It is bright red, seriously …Speck Alto Adige IGP, salume del Trentino-Alto AdigeIGPSpeck Alto Adige IGPSpeck Alto Adige IGP is a boned pork leg, dry-cured with juniper and spices, cold-smoked over beech below…Prosciutto di Parma, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPProsciutto di ParmaProsciutto di Parma DOP is Italian ham made from three things only: pork, sea salt and at least 400 days.…Porchetta, salume del LazioIGPPorchettaPorchetta is a whole pig, boned, seasoned with garlic and herbs, rolled, tied and roasted for six to eigh…Bresaola, salume della LombardiaIGPBresaolaBresaola is Italian air-dried beef: a single lean muscle from the hind leg, dry-cured with salt, pepper, …Capocollo, salume della PugliaCapocolloCapocollo is the pork neck muscle, salted whole and aged in casing. The same cut is called coppa in Emili…Salsiccia, salume della LombardiaSalsicciaSalsiccia is Italian fresh pork sausage: coarsely ground meat, salt, pepper, wine and usually garlic, pac…Prosciutto di San Daniele, salume del Friuli-Venezia GiuliaDOPProsciutto di San DanieleProsciutto di San Daniele DOP is made in one town in Friuli from two ingredients: pork leg and sea salt. …Finocchiona, salume della ToscanaIGPFinocchionaFinocchiona is Tuscany's fennel salami: coarsely ground pork seasoned with wild fennel seeds and flowers,…Chianina, salume della ToscanaIGPChianina BeefChianina is the largest cattle breed in the world: porcelain-white, bulls over 1,700 kg, from the Chiana …Lardo di Colonnata, salume della ToscanaIGPLardo di ColonnataLardo di Colonnata IGP is cured pork back fat, aged at least six months inside vats carved from Carrara m…Salame MilanoSalame Milano is the salami most of the world pictures when it hears the word: large diameter, mild, even…Salame NapoliSalame Napoli is long, narrow and smoked: five centimetres across, half a metre long, chilli in the mix a…Cotechino, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPCotechinoCotechino is a large fresh pork sausage from Emilia-Romagna, made with pork meat, fat and rind, and alway…Prosciutto Toscano, salume della ToscanaDOPProsciutto ToscanoProsciutto Toscano DOP is the savoury one. It is salted harder than Parma ham and rubbed with pepper, gar…Zampone, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPZamponeZampone Modena IGP is spiced pork and rind forcemeat stuffed into a boned pig's trotter: same filling as …Culatello di Zibello, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPCulatello di ZibelloCulatello di Zibello is the heart muscle of a pork leg, boned out, sewn into a pig's bladder, tied by han…Lonzino, salume delle MarcheLonzinoLonzino is whole pork loin, dry-salted and air-cured for two to four months: the leanest cut on the anima…Sardinian Suckling PigSardinian suckling pig (porceddu, or porcheddu depending on the village) is a four to six kilo milk-fed p…Salame Felino, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPSalame FelinoSalame Felino IGP comes from a village of four thousand people in the hills above Parma. Natural casing, …Cinta Senese, salume della ToscanaDOPCinta Senese PorkCinta Senese is the black pig with a white belt across its shoulders, raised semi-wild in the oak woods s…Coppa Piacentina, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPCoppa PiacentinaCoppa Piacentina is dry-cured pork neck from the province of Piacenza, seasoned with cloves, cinnamon and…Prosciutto di Norcia IGP, salume dell'UmbriaIGPProsciutto di Norcia IGPProsciutto di Norcia IGP is Italy's mountain dry-cured ham, aged for at least twelve months between 400 a…Pancetta Piacentina, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPPancetta PiacentinaPancetta Piacentina is pork belly dry-cured with cloves and nutmeg, rolled tightly on itself, cased and a…Agnello di Sardegna, salumeIGPSardinian LambAgnello di Sardegna IGP is milk-fed lamb from the Sarda dairy sheep, slaughtered young and sold in three …Ciauscolo, salume delle MarcheIGPCiauscoloCiauscolo is the Italian salami you spread with a knife. From Le Marche, IGP since 2009, ground three tim…Podolica BeefPodolica is the grey, lyre-horned cattle breed that lives outdoors year-round in the southern Italian Ape…Salsiccia di FegatoSalsiccia di fegato is Italian pork liver sausage: coarsely chopped liver, pork fat, salt and spices in n…DOPSoppressa VicentinaSoppressa Vicentina is a large, coarse-grained Veneto salami made from heavy pigs born and raised in the …Salame d'Oca di MortaraGoose salami from Mortara began in the Jewish communities of the Lombard rice plains as a cured sausage w…Salame di Varzi, salume della LombardiaDOPSalame di VarziSalame di Varzi is a DOP salami from the Staffora valley in Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese. Its signature is a…PATTesta in CassettaTesta in cassetta is pig's head simmered until tender, boned while hot, seasoned with spices and pressed …Piedmontese Fattened OxBue grasso is a castrated Piedmontese ox, fattened slowly for three or four years to well over a thousand…Mocetta, salume della Valle d'AostaPATMocettaMocetta is an Alpine cured meat from Valle d'Aosta: a lean leg muscle dry-salted with juniper, sage and m…Spalla cruda, salume dell'Emilia-RomagnaSpalla CrudaSpalla cruda is the pig's shoulder cured the way culatello is cured, in the foggy lowlands north of Parma…Mortadella di Campotosto, salume dell'AbruzzoMortadella di CampotostoMortadella di Campotosto is a small, air-dried, lightly smoked salume from the Laga mountains of Abruzzo,…Presidio Slow FoodViolino di CapraViolino di capra is a goat leg cured like a ham in the natural rock cellars of Valchiavenna, in the Itali…Pitina, salume del Friuli-Venezia GiuliaPresidio Slow FoodPitinaPitina is a smoked, cured meatball from the Friulian Dolomites: minced game or mutton bound with pork fat…Salsiccia di Bra, salume del PiemonteSalsiccia di BraSalsiccia di Bra is the only Italian sausage made from veal instead of pork. The butchers of Bra obtained…

Pasta and bread

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Bucatini, pasta e pane del LazioBucatiniBucatini are thick spaghetti with a hole running through the middle. The hole is the whole point: it lets…GnocchiGnocchi are small boiled dumplings, in their modern form made of potato bound with a little flour. They a…FocacciaFocaccia is a flat, oil-rich Ligurian bread, dimpled with the fingertips and finished with a salt-and-oil…Tortellini, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaTortelliniTortellini are tiny ring-shaped egg pasta parcels filled with pork, prosciutto, mortadella and Parmigiano…Arancini, pasta e pane della SiciliaPATAranciniArancini are deep-fried Sicilian rice balls: saffron rice moulded around a filling of meat ragù and peas,…Spaghetti, pasta e pane della CampaniaSpaghettiA solid round strand of durum semolina and water, 1.7 to 2.0mm across. It looks like the most neutral pas…Orecchiette, pasta e pane della PugliaOrecchietteOrecchiette are Puglia's handmade pasta: semolina and water, no egg, dragged with a knife and flipped ove…Agnolotti, pasta e pane del PiemontePATAgnolottiAgnolotti are Piedmont's stuffed pasta: thin egg dough around a filling of roasted meat, not ricotta. The…Fusilli, pasta e pane della CampaniaFusilliTwo different pastas share this name. The industrial spiral is solid and holds sauce on its outside surfa…Paccheri, pasta e pane della CampaniaPaccheriPaccheri are large smooth tubes of durum wheat pasta from Campania: 4-5 cm long, 3-4 cm across, with a th…Rigatoni, pasta e pane del LazioRigatoniWide ridged tubes of durum semolina, cut straight across. The ridges and the square cut are engineering, …Strozzapreti, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaStrozzapretiStrozzapreti are hand-rolled Romagnolo pasta: strips of semolina-and-water dough twisted between the palm…Maccheroni, pasta e pane della CampaniaMaccheroniThe most misunderstood name in Italian pasta. In Naples it means dried semolina pasta in general, in Abru…Pizza Napoletana, pasta e pane della CampaniaSTGNeapolitan PizzaNeapolitan pizza has been an EU-registered Traditional Speciality Guaranteed since 2010: four ingredients…Pappardelle, pasta e pane della ToscanaPappardelleRibbons of egg pasta two to three centimetres wide, the widest pasta you still eat twirled on a fork. Tha…Piadina Romagnola, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPPiadina RomagnolaPiadina is the unleavened flatbread of Romagna: flour, water, salt and lard, rolled thin and cooked dry o…Grissini, pasta e pane del PiemonteGrissiniGrissini are Turin's breadsticks: bread reduced to almost pure crust, dried in the oven until it snaps. T…Pinsa Romana, pasta e pane del LazioPinsa RomanaPinsa is an oval, very high-hydration Roman flatbread made from a blend of wheat, rice and soy flour and …Taralli, pasta e pane della PugliaTaralliTaralli are small, crunchy savoury rings from Puglia in southern Italy, made from just flour, dry white w…Panzerotti, pasta e pane della PugliaPanzerottiA panzerotto is a hand-sized half-moon of pizza dough filled with tomato and mozzarella and deep-fried, n…Pizza al taglio, pasta e pane del LazioPizza al TaglioPizza al taglio is Roman pizza by the slab: a very wet dough baked in an oiled rectangular pan, sold by w…Tortelloni, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaTortelloniSeven-centimetre squares of egg pasta filled with ricotta and parsley, folded into a little hat. Filled p…Cappelletti, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaCappellettiCappelletti are Emilia-Romagna's filled egg pasta, folded into the shape of a little hat and served in br…Trofie, pasta e pane della LiguriaTrofieTrofie are the pasta that pesto was made for: short, tapered twists of flour and water, rolled one by one…Schiacciata, pasta e pane della ToscanaSchiacciataSchiacciata is Tuscan flatbread: bread dough pressed thin with the fingertips, brushed with olive oil and…Farinata, pasta e pane della LiguriaFarinataFarinata is a paper-thin chickpea flour pancake baked in a copper pan in a blistering wood oven. Four ing…Malloreddus, pasta e pane della SardegnaMalloreddusMalloreddus are small ridged semolina dumplings from Sardinia, about 2-3 cm long and curved like tiny she…Supplì, pasta e pane del LazioSupplìSupplì are Rome's fried rice croquettes: rice cooked in tomato sauce, moulded around a plug of mozzarella…Pici, pasta e pane della ToscanaPiciPici are fat, hand-rolled spaghetti from southern Tuscany, made from nothing but flour and water. Each st…Culurgiones, pasta e pane della SardegnaIGPCulurgionesCulurgiones are Sardinian filled pasta: potato, pecorino and mint sealed inside a semolina wrapper by han…Pane carasau, pasta e pane della SardegnaPane carasauPane carasau is Sardinian shepherd's bread: a paper-thin disc of durum semolina, baked twice, that shatte…Pane di Altamura, pasta e pane della PugliaDOPPane di AltamuraPane di Altamura is a durum-wheat sourdough from the Murgia plateau in Puglia, and in 2003 it became the …Pizzoccheri, pasta e pane della LombardiaIGPPizzoccheriPizzoccheri are short buckwheat noodles from the Valtellina in the Italian Alps, boiled with potato and c…Sfincione, pasta e pane della SiciliaSfincioneSfincione is Palermo's thick, spongy street focaccia: slow-cooked onion and tomato sauce, anchovies melte…Tajarin, pasta e pane del PiemonteTajarinTajarin are the Piedmontese answer to tagliolini: hand-cut egg noodles barely a millimetre and a half wid…Panelle, pasta e pane della SiciliaPanelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)Panelle are Sicilian chickpea fritters: a chickpea-flour batter cooked like polenta, spread paper-thin, c…Canederli, pasta e pane del Trentino-Alto AdigeCanederliCanederli are bread dumplings from Italy's Alpine north: stale white bread soaked in milk, bound with egg…Gnocco fritto, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaGnocco FrittoGnocco fritto is a diamond of leavened dough fried in lard until it puffs into a hollow pillow, then serv…Pane di Matera, pasta e pane della BasilicataIGPPane di MateraPane di Matera is a durum-wheat sourdough from Basilicata, IGP since 2008, leavened with a mother culture…Polenta TaragnaPolenta taragna is the dark alpine polenta of Lombardy: cornmeal cut with buckwheat flour, stirred for th…Casoncelli, pasta e pane della LombardiaCasoncelliCasoncelli are Bergamo's stuffed pasta: beef and salami filling laced with crushed amaretti and raisins, …Tigelle, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaTigelleTigelle are small round breads from the Modena Apennines, cooked between two hot plates and served warm, …Torta di ceci, pasta e pane della ToscanaTorta di Ceci (Cecina)Chickpea flour, water, olive oil and salt, baked in a wide copper pan in a fierce wood oven. It is the sa…Michetta (Rosetta Roll)The michetta is Milan's hollow bread roll: five petals around a small central dome, and nothing at all in…Puccia SalentinaPuccia is the round wood-fired bread of Salento, in the heel of Italy: a flat, soft loaf about the size o…Pane di Genzano, pasta e pane del LazioIGPPane di Genzano (Genzano Bread)Pane di Genzano is a sourdough loaf from the Alban Hills south of Rome, baked in a wood oven on a bed of …Pizza di scarola, pasta e pane della CampaniaPizza di Scarola (Neapolitan Escarole Pie)Pizza di scarola is Naples's Christmas Eve pie: bread dough wrapped around escarole stewed with Gaeta oli…Coppia ferrarese, pasta e pane dell'Emilia-RomagnaIGPCoppia FerrareseCoppia ferrarese is a twisted, four-horned bread from Ferrara made with lard in the dough. It is almost e…Crescia Sfogliata (Urbino Layered Flatbread)Crescia sfogliata is the layered griddle flatbread of Urbino, in the Marche hills. Lard is spread between…

Sweets

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Tiramisù, dolce del VenetoTiramisuTiramisu is an uncooked layered dessert: crisp savoiardi biscuits dipped in cold espresso, a cream of raw…Cannoli siciliani, dolcePATCannoliA cannolo is a fried pastry tube filled with sweetened sheep's-milk ricotta. One rule separates a great o…Panettone, dolce della LombardiaPanettonePanettone is Milan's Christmas bread: a tall, domed sourdough cake with butter, egg yolk, sultanas and ca…Gelato, dolce della SiciliaGelatoGelato is not ice cream translated. It carries less fat (4-8% against 10-18%), holds far less air (20-35%…Zeppole, dolce della CampaniaZeppoleZeppole are Naples' feast-day pastry for Saint Joseph on 19 March: a piped choux ring, fried or baked, fi…Pizzelle, dolce dell'AbruzzoPizzellePizzelle are thin anise-scented Italian waffle cookies pressed between two engraved iron plates. They com…Amaretti, dolce del PiemonteAmarettiAmaretti are flourless almond cookies whose bitter edge comes from apricot kernels, not almonds. They exi…Granita, dolce della SiciliaGranitaSicilian granita is churned, not crushed. Water, sugar and one flavouring (lemon, mulberry, almond, espre…Sfogliatella, dolce della CampaniaSfogliatellaThe sfogliatella is Naples' hardest pastry to make and its easiest to recognise: a shatteringly crisp fan…TorroneTorrone is Italian nougat: honey and sugar cooked for hours over a water bath, lightened with whipped egg…Cantucci, dolce della ToscanaIGPCantucciCantucci are hard, twice-baked Tuscan almond biscuits. A log of dough is baked, sliced on the diagonal wh…Pandoro, dolce del VenetoPandoroPandoro is Verona's Christmas cake: a tall eight-pointed star, at least 20% butter, no candied fruit at a…Babà, dolce della CampaniaBabàBabà is a yeasted, egg-and-butter-rich cake baked in a mushroom shape, dried out, then soaked in warm rum…Bonet, dolce del PiemonteBonetBonet is the baked custard of Piedmont's Langhe hills: eggs, milk, bitter cocoa, crushed amaretti and rum…Panforte, dolce della ToscanaIGPPanfortePanforte is a dense, chewy Sienese disc of candied fruit, almonds, honey and spices, only 2-3 cm thick an…Struffoli, dolce della CampaniaStruffoliStruffoli are tiny balls of fried dough tumbled in warm honey, heaped into a ring and scattered with cand…CrostataCrostata is the Italian jam tart: a crumbly pasta frolla shell filled with thick preserve and finished wi…Maritozzo, dolce del LazioPATMaritozzoA maritozzo is a soft, lightly sweet Roman bun split lengthways and packed with barely sweetened whipped …Cassata siciliana, dolceCassata SicilianaCassata siciliana is a layered Palermo cake: sponge soaked in liqueur, sweetened sheep's-milk ricotta stu…Colomba (Italian Easter Cake)Colomba is Italy's Easter cake: the same slow-leavened, butter-rich dough as panettone, baked in the shap…Ricciarelli, dolce della ToscanaIGPRicciarelliRicciarelli are Siena's almond biscuits: sweet almond paste, sugar and egg white, shaped into soft ovals,…Seadas, dolce della SardegnaSeadasSeadas are large fried pastries filled with fresh, tangy sheep's cheese and covered in warm honey. They a…PATMostaccioliDiamond-shaped spiced biscuits under a shell of dark chocolate, soft inside and heavy with cinnamon, clov…Panpepato, dolce della ToscanaPATPanpepatoHoney, whole nuts, candied peel, cocoa and black pepper pressed into a dense disc and cut into thin wedge…Sbrisolona, dolce della LombardiaSbrisolonaSbrisolona is the crumbly almond and cornmeal cake of Mantua, and the only Italian cake you are supposed …Cartellate, dolce della PugliaPATCartellatePaper-thin ribbons of dough, pinched into pockets and wound into roses, deep-fried and steeped in vincott…Confetti di Sulmona, dolce dell'AbruzzoConfetti di SulmonaA whole Pizzuta d'Avola almond coated in nothing but sugar and water: no starch, no flour, no gelatine. T…Pastiera, dolce della CampaniaPastieraPastiera is the Easter tart of Naples: a shortcrust case filled with sheep's-milk ricotta, wheat berries …Cassatella, dolce della SiciliaCassatellaA cassatella is a fried Sicilian turnover: thin wine-based pastry folded around sweetened sheep's-milk ri…PATPandolce GenoveseGenoa's Christmas cake: sultanas, pine nuts, candied citron and fennel seeds. It comes in two versions th…PATParrozzoA dome of ground almonds and semolina under a shell of dark chocolate, invented in Pescara in 1920 by the…Torrone di Bagnara, dolce della CalabriaIGPTorrone di BagnaraThe only Italian nougat with a European denomination: IGP since 2014. Made in Bagnara Calabra from honey,…Gubana, dolce del Friuli-Venezia GiuliaPATGubanaA long strip of enriched leavened dough rolled around walnuts, raisins, pine nuts and grappa, then coiled…Cotognata, dolce della SiciliaCotognata (Quince Paste)Cotognata is quince pulp cooked with sugar and then air-dried for days in moulds until it sets into a fir…PATTorcolo di San CostanzoPerugia's own ring cake: a lightly sweetened yeasted dough with candied citron, raisins, pine nuts and wh…

Oil and preserves

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Giardiniera, conserva della LombardiaGiardinieraGiardiniera means two very different jars. In Italy it is a mild mix of vegetables pickled in wine vinega…DOPBalsamic VinegarTwo different products share the name. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP is cooked grape must and nothing …Limoncello, conserva della CampaniaLimoncelloLimoncello is made from lemon peel steeped in alcohol, never from the juice. It comes from the Sorrento p…SaffronSaffron is the three red stigmas inside a Crocus sativus flower, pulled out by hand and dried. One kilo t…Pesto genovese, conserva della LiguriaDOPPesto GenovesePesto Genovese is a raw sauce of basil pounded in a marble mortar with garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano Regg…Mostarda, conserva della LombardiaMostardaMostarda is candied fruit suspended in sugar syrup and spiked with mustard essence. It is not mustard, an…Olio extravergine di oliva, conserva della ToscanaExtra Virgin Olive OilExtra virgin olive oil is a legal category, not a marketing adjective: free acidity below 0.8% and a tast…Mostarda di Cremona, conserva della LombardiaMostarda di CremonaWhole candied fruit suspended in clear syrup and charged with mustard essence. Mostarda di Cremona is the…Castelbuono MannaManna is the sap of the manna ash, drawn out through cuts made in the trunk in high summer and left to dr…Strawberry Tree HoneyStrawberry tree honey is bitter, and the bitterness is the product rather than a fault: it is one of the …

Fish and seafood

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Bottarga, pesce della SardegnaPATBottargaBottarga is the salted, pressed and air-dried roe sac of grey mullet or tuna: a firm amber block you grat…Baccalà, pesce del VenetoBaccalàBaccalà is North Atlantic cod preserved in salt. It is not the same thing as stoccafisso, which is the id…SardinesSardines are not small anchovies. They are a different species with a different snout, a different mouth …Tonno Rosso, pesce della SiciliaBluefin TunaAtlantic bluefin, Thunnus thynnus, is the fish Sicily and Sardinia built their tonnare around, with a voc…Cantabrian AnchoviesCantabrian anchovies are caught in the Bay of Biscay in spring, cured under salt for six to eighteen mont…Colatura di Alici di Cetara, pesce della CampaniaDOPColatura di Alici (Italian Anchovy Sauce)Colatura di alici is the amber liquid that drains from anchovies packed in salt in chestnut barrels at Ce…Stoccafisso, pesce del VenetoStoccafissoStoccafisso is cod air-dried on wooden racks in the Norwegian Lofoten Islands, with no salt at all, until…Gamberi rossi di Mazara, pesce della SiciliaMazara Red PrawnsMazara red prawns are trawled between 400 and 700 metres down in the Strait of Sicily, where the water st…Presidio Slow FoodComacchio EelIn the lagoons of Comacchio, eels have been caught for centuries with lavorieri, chevron-shaped brick tra…Cozze di Taranto, pesce della PugliaPATTaranto MusselsTaranto mussels are farmed in the Mar Piccolo, a near-enclosed lagoon where freshwater springs called cit…Presidio Slow FoodMenaica AnchoviesMenaica anchovies are ordinary Mediterranean anchovies caught in an extraordinary way: in a wide-mesh dri…Presidio Slow FoodPortonovo Wild MusselsMoscioli are wild mussels that settle on the rocks of the Conero headland, south of Ancona, and grow ther…

Vegetables and fruit

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Pomodoro San Marzano, prodotto della CampaniaDOPSan Marzano TomatoesSan Marzano is a long, thin-skinned plum tomato grown in the volcanic plain between Naples and Salerno, a…DOPBergamotBergamot is the most geographically concentrated citrus on earth: around 90 per cent of world production …Riso Carnaroli, prodotto della LombardiaCarnaroli RiceCarnaroli is the risotto rice with the highest amylose content: it sheds enough starch to build a creamy …ChestnutsItalian chestnuts are the fruit of Castanea sativa, the tree that fed the Apennines for a thousand years:…White truffleThe Italian white truffle, Tuber magnatum Pico, is the most expensive edible fungus on earth: 2,000 to 4,…Pistacchio di Bronte, prodotto della SiciliaDOPBronte PistachioBronte pistachios grow on the lava fields of Etna, are picked by hand in odd-numbered years only, and hav…IGPSicilian Blood OrangeSicilian blood oranges are three cultivars, Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinello, plus one piece of chemistry th…Puntarelle, prodotto del LazioPuntarellePuntarelle are the hollow inner shoots of a jagged-leaf Catalonian chicory, sliced into thin strips, curl…Radicchio Rosso di Treviso, prodotto del VenetoIGPTreviso RadicchioTreviso radicchio comes in two forms that are effectively different vegetables. The late one, tardivo, is…Nocciola del Piemonte, prodotto tipicoIGPPiedmont HazelnutNocciola Piemonte IGP is a single cultivar, the Tonda Gentile Trilobata of the Langhe hills: round, yield…Cipolla Rossa di Tropea, prodotto della CalabriaIGPTropea Red OnionTropea red onions are grown on a narrow strip of sand along Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast, and they are swe…Limone di Sorrento, prodotto della CampaniaIGPSorrento LemonThe Sorrento lemon is a rifiorente femminello grown under chestnut-pole pergolas on the cliffs south of N…FriarielliFriarielli are the young flowering shoots of a wild turnip grown around Naples for its greens, never its …Lenticchie di Castelluccio, prodotto dell'UmbriaIGPCastelluccio LentilsCastelluccio lentils grow at 1,400 metres on the Pian Grande, a treeless karst plateau inside the Sibilli…Carciofo Romanesco del Lazio, prodotto tipicoIGPRomanesco ArtichokeThe Romanesco is Rome's artichoke: round, large and completely spineless. The apical head, the cimarolo o…Farro della Garfagnana, prodotto della ToscanaIGPGarfagnana FarroFarro della Garfagnana IGP is emmer wheat, Triticum dicoccum: the grain the Romans called far, still sown…Peperone CruscoPeperone crusco is a sweet Basilicata pepper, sun-dried on strings and then flash-fried for two or three …DOPPiennolo TomatoPiennolo tomatoes grow on the volcanic ash of Vesuvius with no irrigation at all, are cut in whole bunche…Mela della Val di Non, prodotto del Trentino-Alto AdigeDOPVal di Non AppleVal di Non apples are three varieties (Golden Delicious, Renetta Canada and Red Delicious) grown between …Asparago bianco di Bassano, prodotto del VenetoDOPBassano White AsparagusBassano white asparagus is white because it never sees daylight: the spear grows inside a ridge of soil a…Carciofo di Paestum, prodotto della CampaniaIGPPaestum ArtichokeThe Paestum artichoke is round, tightly closed, completely spineless and dimpled at the tip: it takes a m…Cicerchia (Grass Pea)The grass pea is the oldest and most awkward legume in Italy. It grows where nothing else will, tastes be…Fagioli di Lamon, prodotto del VenetoIGPLamon BeansLamon beans are mountain-grown borlotti with a skin so thin it disappears in the mouth and flesh that tur…Aglio rosso di Sulmona, prodotto dell'AbruzzoSulmona Red GarlicSulmona red garlic is white on the outside and red underneath: the colour is in the skins wrapping each c…Citron of Santa Maria del CedroYou do not eat the flesh of a citron: there is barely any and it is fiercely sour. You eat the albedo, th…Zolfino BeanThe zolfino is a small, round, sulphur-yellow bean with a skin so thin it dissolves as it cooks. It grows…Fico Bianco del Cilento, prodotto della CampaniaDOPCilento White FigThe Cilento white fig is a Dottato fig dried in the sun on cane racks in the hills south of Salerno. It i…Cipolla rossa di Acquaviva delle Fonti, prodotto della PugliaAcquaviva Red OnionThe Acquaviva red onion is wide, flat as a discus and sweet enough to eat raw in thick slices with nothin…IGPSila PotatoSila potatoes are grown above 1,000 metres on the granite plateau in the middle of Calabria. The skin is …IGPCanicattì Table GrapeCanicattì grapes are Italia grapes: big oval berries, thick skin, crunch, and a clear muscat perfume. In …Broccolo Fiolaro di Creazzo, prodotto del VenetoFiolaro BroccoliFiolaro broccoli is not grown for its head but for the fioi, the side shoots that sprout along the stem. …Melanzana Rossa di Rotonda, prodotto della BasilicataDOPRotonda Red EggplantThe Rotonda red eggplant looks exactly like a ribbed tomato and is not the eggplant you know: it is Solan…Trevi Black CeleryTrevi black celery is not black: it is a dark, almost blue-green. It has no strings at all, reaches a met…

Wine

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Prosecco, vino del VenetoDOPProseccoProsecco is made from Glera grapes by the Martinotti tank method, not the traditional bottle method used …Chianti Classico, vino della ToscanaDOPChianti ClassicoChianti Classico is the Black Rooster wine: at least 80 per cent Sangiovese from nine communes between Fl…Barolo, vino del PiemonteDOPBaroloBarolo is one hundred per cent Nebbiolo from eleven villages in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, aged at lea…Brunello di Montalcino, vino della ToscanaDOPBrunello di MontalcinoBrunello di Montalcino is pure Sangiovese aged five years, at least two of them in oak, made only in the …Amarone della Valpolicella, vino del VenetoDOPAmarone della ValpolicellaAmarone is made from Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella dried on racks for 100 to 120 days until they lose…Lambrusco, vino dell'Emilia-RomagnaDOPLambruscoLambrusco is not one wine but a family of Emilian grape varieties. Sorbara is pale and sharp, Grasparossa…DOPVino Nobile di MontepulcianoVino Nobile di Montepulciano is a Tuscan red made from at least 70 per cent Sangiovese, known locally as …Vin Santo, vino della ToscanaDOPVin SantoVin Santo is Tuscany's dried-grape wine: Trebbiano and Malvasia laid on reed mats or hung from the rafter…