Traditional Italian Food – The Sweet Smells of Sunny Days
Italian cuisine goes back a long way and it has taken many centuries for it to evolve though the early roots go all the way back to the fourth century BC. In addition, the Greeks, Romans, Turks and the Arabs have all had a great influence on Italian cuisine. So we see that traditional Italian food is rich in history and apiece region of Italy has added its own signature dish. Traditional Italian food and Italian food recipes have become staples the world over for their simple yet succulent dishes that combine robust sauces, cured meats and a variety of delectable cheeses to produce exquisite and filling dishes. From Tuscany and Lombardy to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily traditional Italian food is a flavourful expression of the rich history of the country.
For most non-Italians the Italian cuisine is restricted to the few dishes that have managed to acquire world wide acclaim, videlicet spaghetti and pizza. People tend to adopt that traditional Italian food is all pretty much alike and that there is no such variety in the Italian way of cooking. The truth however is quite the contrary as Italian cuisine in its entirety is extremely diverse, rich and varied.
The multiplicity of the recipes that you find for pasta is a great example of the extensiveness of Italian cuisine. If you ask ten different people in the same region about how to make some pasta sauce you would end up with ten different recipes. First courses like spaghetti, risotto or gnocchi are very favourite as they are light and simple to prepare, and offer virtually unlimited recipes for the creative cook.
Pasta happens to be the most favourite food item in Italy. Any pasta base can be accented with an unlimited number of additions including sausage, chicken, red and green peppers, mussels, clams and a wide variety of other meats and vegetables.
But Italian food doesn’t stop there. You will find antipasto (starters): Cold cuts and cheeses with fresh garden vegetables and special bread. The sweet smells of nature and sunny days of spring and summer. Superb salads, beautiful breads and sumptuous puddings, make up the rest of the gloriously fresh menus. Roast fillet of salmon wrapped in pancetta served with braised lentils, green beans & a mustard dressing; braised lamb shank served with chromatic potato puree in a rich tomato sauce;. Fillet of pork in a mushroom, leek, three mustard and white wine cream sauce; stuffed beef roll with Parma ham, spinach and mozzarella cheese cooked in a red wine beef stock and artichoke sauce. The list goes on. Of course there is always a vast selection of pizza and pasta specialties for each region.
Finally we should remember that Italy is the largest producer of wine in the world so naturally traditional Italian food is always accompanied with a bottle or two of vintage red or white wine. Because of Italy’s landscape scope that includes the mountainous Alps and the southern Mediterranean beaches a rich and vibrant selection of wines can be found to accompany any traditional Italian food dish.
About the Author
Kath Ibbetson has a BSc, a diploma in aromatherapy and a certificate in counselling. But most of all she is a mom and an enthusiastic Italian cook. Italian food is her passion and she has been cooking it for 30 years. Visit her site at FoodTheItalianWay.com
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Cold Pasta Salad Recipes: Tuna Pasta Salad
Cold Pasta Salad Recipes: Tuna Pasta Salad
This pasta salad receipt features everybody’s favorite: tuna with savory stuffed tortellini pasta.
2 (6 1/2 oz.) cans tuna
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Tortellini pasta, filled with Parmesan cheese
4 boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sweet salad pickle cubes
1/2 cup celery, chopped
Mayonnaise
Directions
Cook pasta in 2 1/2-quart of boiling salted water for approximately 25 minutes; drain and let cool.
Add other ingredients to cooled pasta. Mix in the mayonnaise to taste.
=> Pasta Salad Recipes: Pasta Salad with Spam
Got some canned Spam sitting around in the cupboard? Use it to make this deliciously creamy pasta salad. A cheap and simple recipe for pasta salad.
1 (12 oz.) pkg. pasta curls
1 (12 oz.) can of Spam
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow or green pepper
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions
1/4 cup cucumber salad dressing
1/3 cup light vegetable oil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chopped olives
Paprika
Directions
Cut vegetables and Spam into julienne strips.
Prepare pasta; drain and place into a medium bowl. Combine the Spam, pasta, zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives and onions. In a small bowl, combine dressing, oil and pepper.
Add to salad mixture, then toss. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika. Cover and chill. Stir gently before serving.
=> Summer Pasta Salad: Seafood Pasta Salad
Here’s a great crab pasta salad that will be a hit at any gathering.
Salad
4 ounces pasta, uncooked
8 ounces crab surimi seafood chunks
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a massive bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
In another bowl, stir together the salad dressing ingredients.
Toss dressing into crab mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
=> Pasta Salad Italian Dressing: Italian Pasta Salad with Pepperoni
You can’t beat this zesty Italian American pasta salad featuring your favorite noodles, mushrooms and pepperoni.
7 ounce box pasta noodles
1 small can sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 ounce pepperoni, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms
Italian salad dressing
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Directions
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Drain the juice from the olives and mushrooms; add to pasta. Add in peppers and onions; stir. Mix in the Italian dressing to thoroughly coat salad.
Add in the pepperoni and Parmesan cheese to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cold Pasta Salad Recipes: Tuna Pasta Salad
