If we undertake to list the types of cuisine on a geographical basis, Italian cuisine will certainly be named among the first. And this is quite fair. Indeed, despite the fact that it is traditionally considered the most refined, Italian still has a richer history. However, what do we know about cuisine from the Apennine Peninsula? Most will name famous pasta And pizza someone will remember risotto and a variety of cheeses. Of course, don't forget about olive oil . On this knowledge of the majority of our fellow citizens about Italian cuisine are running out. Let's try to figure out in more detail what Italians eat and with what. offers in today's article to find out from what products, sauces and seasonings Italian housewives prepare dinner, why, despite eating large quantities of pasta, women remain slim, and also what Italian dishes can be easily prepared at home. All this will help to understand the national characteristics of Italian cuisine, its flavor.
Famous Italian food
Italian cuisine is distinguished by its extraordinary richness, because it has absorbed centuries-old traditions since the time of the Roman Empire. The products used in the preparation of dishes are determined by the history and geographical location of Italy.
Herbs
Spices have been an integral part of Italian cuisine since antiquity. The inhabitants of the Apennines have long noticed that herbs such as parsley, marjoram, dill, basil, arugula, sage, thyme, mint, not only give dishes a more refined taste, but also have a beneficial effect on human health.
Maybe Italian cheeses are not as popular in the world as French ones, but they can safely give second place. Traditional Italian dishes - pasta and pizza - are simply impossible without cheese. Each region of Italy can offer its own original type of cheese. And varieties such as Mozzarella And Parmesan are well known far beyond the borders of this country. After all, not a single pasta can do without Parmesan cheese, with its unique taste, but tender milky taste mozzarella is ideal in desserts and when preparing risotto.
An interesting fact: in the factories where parmesan is produced, there is a staff unit, the position of which is called "listener". His duty is to determine the maturity of the cheese with a special stick, which he hits on the head of the ripening parmesan.
Meat products
Italians simply adore delicious dishes, for the preparation of which meat is taken from hams, as well as all kinds of sausages. Italian analogue of jamon - prosciutto- made from pork ham. At the same time, the pig is fed especially: corn, fruit and parmesan whey. Among the many sausages whose homeland is Italy, the most famous is salami. Classic Italian salami is a mixture of pork, beef, pork fat and spices.
The features of Italian cuisine are diverse, but the fact that every meal is accompanied by an obligatory bottle of wine remains unchanged. Italy is the world leader in the production of this drink. Here they prefer red wines, which improve digestion. The most famous Italian wine in the world is chianti. It is easily recognizable by its pot-bellied bottle in bast weaving.
In addition, Italy is home to vermouth And grappa — grape vodka. San Marino is the oldest small state, located in the heart of Italy, on the slopes of Mount Titano, where local grapes grow so well. This could not but affect the local cuisine, which preserves traditions and family recipes in which soft cheese and tart vermouth are indispensable elements.
Olives and olive oil
In addition to winemaking, Italy occupies a leading position in the world in the production of olive oil. In this country, a huge number of species are grown olive trees. Olives are used here as an ingredient for many meat, bakery and confectionery products. Salads are indispensable without them, fruits are also added to cheeses. Oil from them is widely used for cooking various dishes. It makes the taste more pleasant, not to mention the extreme benefits of oil for the body.
Fish and seafood
Since Italy is a peninsula, there is no shortage of seafood here. Therefore, dishes from fish and other marine life are constantly present on the tables of Italians. In restaurants, you can find an incredible amount of tasty and healthy treats from flounder, trout, anchovies, squid, oysters, etc.
Bread
Bread is always present on the tables of Italians. There are special varieties here: ciabatta (soft bread with large holes, covered with a crispy crust), grissini (crispy bread sticks), focaccia (flatbread made from yeast dough).
In the preparation of sauces, Italians are unsurpassed masters. In Italy, sauces can be found for every taste and from any ingredient. Of course, the main product for them is tomatoes, as well as greens, mushrooms, cheeses, olive oil, capers, etc. Among the famous Italian sauces, tender pesto, slightly spicy carbonara and meat bolognese.
If you are lucky enough to visit sunny Naples, then by all means try the sauce marinara. This universal sauce is made from seafood, which Naples is famous for, and tomatoes. And local chefs serve it with many dishes: pasta, rice, pizza or polenta. Italian polenta is a porridge made from cornmeal. She is well received not only in company with, but also with grated cheese. fontina.
There are dozens of types of ice cream in Italy. Dessert is especially appreciated. natural ingredients, which is packaged in a glass at the buyer, adding syrup to taste.
Traditional Italian cuisine
Many national dishes from Italy have long become quite common all over the world. And yet they are still associated primarily with this country.
Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza. This dish is a dough base on which various ingredients are laid out. Their set is determined by the tastes and imagination of the cook. Making pizza is a whole art, so it takes a very long time to learn it, and the one who mastered it perfectly is called pizzaiolo. It is important to know what real pizza the dough does not roll out. The round shape is given to the base by hand, by tossing and rotating the dough in the air.
In Italy, there is an incredible number of types of pizzas, we will focus only on the most famous:
- Neapolitan - made from garlic, mozzarella, anchovies, tomatoes, basil and oregano.
- Seasons - is divided into 4 sectors, each of which has its own ingredients.
- Four cheeses — cheese pizza, for the preparation of which is used famous brands Italian cheeses.
- Seafood- Pizza for seafood lovers.
- margarita- the pizza is very simple, because only tomatoes, basil and mozzarella are laid out on the base. All this with olive oil makes it taste amazing.
In the manufacture of pasta, Italians are real virtuosos. All pasta dishes here it is customary to call it by the common name - pasta. Most often served on the table pasta seasoned with one of the many sauces. Main Feature cooking pasta in Italy it is considered that they should turn out " al dente“, that is, slightly undercooked.
The love of pasta among Italians was formed in the Middle Ages. Italy is a maritime state, and sailors needed products that were stored for a long time during travel. Macarons are perfect for this.
Now there are hundreds of varieties of pasta in Italy: from plain spaghetti, long, often flat and wrapped in rings, to bizarrely shaped products. Wheat is taken exclusively for their manufacture. durum varieties, that's why eating spaghetti in huge quantities Italians manage to stay slim!
Other popular Italian dishes
Widely known in the world ravioli. This dish resembles our dumplings, but in Italy they are not limited to meat stuffing. It is very diverse here, there are even ravioli with chocolate. And here it is not complete without tomato sauces and cheeses - it is with them that ravioli are served.
The Italians also have something like pilaf. This risotto- a dish of rice, ham, mushrooms, cheese, onions and shrimp. Again, the composition depends on the chef - everyone makes risotto in their own way.
If you ever visit Milan, the world fashion capital, then walking along the famous Victor Emmanuel II Gallery, which is the first shopping arcade in Europe, you will find under its dome not only fashion houses, but also famous cafes and restaurants. There is a version that it was this city of northern Italy that gave birth to the world of risotto. Take the opportunity, be sure to try this dish to enjoy it exquisite taste, properly cooked rice with mushrooms, seasoned with juicy onions and white pepper. And don't forget to order a bottle of vermouth with him. This drink goes well with hot dishes of rice and mushrooms.
I suggest watching a video on how to cook risotto with mushrooms from the chef.
Love in Italy and lasagna. It is a wide strip of dough, on which meat, seafood, cheese, vegetables, sauces are laid in layers. It turns out such a puff cake - tasty and nutritious.
But if we talk about a real cake, then one cannot but recall the famous tiramisu. This delicious dessert is made with cheese. mascarpone and is a real masterpiece from Italian culinary specialists.
Breakfast lunch and dinner
Breakfast. The Italian breakfast is light. No scrambled eggs, sandwiches or anything like that. Italians start their day with a cup of coffee with a bagel or bread with cream or jam. Often the inhabitants of this country have breakfast in bars where you can chat with friends.
But the Italians dine very tightly. They absorb several dishes at once: appetizer, first, second, dessert and coffee. Starters include ham, vegetables and cheeses. The first dishes in the understanding of Italians are significantly different from ours. In Italy, they eat pasta or risotto first. Although served here and vegetable soups. For the second, the inhabitants of the Apennines love meat, seafood, ham with a vegetable side dish.
Lunch is accompanied by excellent Italian wine. For dessert, fruits are consumed, as well as fennel, which improves digestion and cleanses the gastrointestinal tract. And finally, the coffee is very strong and fragrant.
Dinner in fact, it is the same lunch, although often Italians in the evening refuse appetizers and the first one. Well, between lunch and dinner, during the siesta, in Italy it is customary to have a small snack of ice cream, fruit and other desserts.
The culture of food consumption
In addition to the famous national dishes, Italians are also known for their special attitude to cooking and eating. Here are some ironclad rules:
- Don't eat on the go. Dishes in which the chef has put his soul into simply do not deserve such a dismissive attitude.
- The main meal is lunch. Italians dine with a large company, with relatives and friends.
- Italians often eat in restaurants and small cafes, which are distinguished by a high level of service and excellent cuisine.
- Any Italian meal is invariably accompanied by wine.
Italians are people who love and know how to eat delicious food. And they also cherish their culinary traditions carefully passing them on from generation to generation. And although Italian cuisine is widely known all over the world, it is still possible to cook them as skillfully as they do in Italy, probably, nowhere else. And the point here is not only in special products, but also in a reverent attitude to the cooking process, elevated to the rank of real art.
Italian love for food
If you haven't been to Italy yet, you can still make a gastronomic journey without leaving your own kitchen, preparing and tasting pizza, pasta or risotto. The main thing is to prepare them correctly! So, simple recipes Italian cuisine that you can cook at home.
On the island of Capri, every resident knows that time is better spent than wasted. That's why favorite dish islanders - light salad Caprese, for the preparation of which any housewife will spend no more than 10 minutes of time. A salad is being prepared in no time: tomatoes, young mozzarella cheese with a delicate milky taste, basil, olive oil and that's it!
Tip: For the perfect caprese, use juicy and sweet cherry tomatoes.
Bon appetit!
Pasta with marinara sauce and seafood
Let's collect all the tastes of Italy in one dish? It is very simple and fast: ripe and juicy tomatoes, fragrant herbs and fragrant oil. Just a song!
Ingredients
Any favorite seafood (shrimp, squid tentacles, mussels, etc.)
Onion -1 piece
Tomatoes - 2 pieces
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Bay leaf - 1 piece
Thyme, basil - to taste
Salt - one fourth of a teaspoon
Cooking
1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion, garlic and Bay leaf and herbs.
2. Scald the tomatoes with boiling water, peel and cut into small cubes, add them to the vegetables and spices in a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Marinara sauce is ready!
3. Add seafood to the finished sauce and heat it with it. Seafood should be used ready-to-eat, or brought to readiness if required by the instructions for the product.
4. Boil the pasta separately and serve with seafood and marinara sauce.
Tip: if you decide to cook Italian pasta for a group of friends, then put on the table a young wine Pinot Grigio (Pinot Grigio). This white wine is the perfect pair for light meals and pleasant conversations.
Bon appetit!
Pasta Alla Norma
Pasta alla norma is not the norm among pastas. This amazing Sicilian dish is made primarily from tomatoes and eggplant. Add to them parmesan, ricotta and aromatic herbs - and all Italy is on your plate!
In order to prepare this dish, you can not adhere to a strict recipe. After all, someone likes more in the dish the presence of pasta, and the other, so that vegetables prevail in it. The main thing is to stock up necessary ingredients: sweet, ripe tomatoes and juicy, firm eggplants. And the famous Sicilian culinary creation is being prepared simply, for one, two, three.
Cooking
1. Stew eggplant and mashed tomatoes in olive oil with Italian herbs and garlic until done.
2. Boil the pasta according to the instructions.
3. Stir in vegetable stew, add ricotta and Parmesan to taste. Serve right away!
Bon appetit!
Do you have any wine or vermouth left? It's an occasion to arrange an Italian dinner! Cook risotto and feel how delicious it is with different additions like meat, mushrooms, seafood or vegetables, or even just like that, with broth and onions.
Cooking
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil in a deep thick-walled saucepan or saucepan. Spasser in it chopped onion, half a head of grated celery root and garlic (2-3 cloves). You can use parsley instead of celery.
2. Add 400 g of washed rice, salt. Pour in 2 glasses of vermouth or white wine and simmer covered.
3. Add 1 liter of broth to the rice and cook the dish until the rice becomes creamy.
Tip : for Italian risotto Arborio rice is the best.
The finished dish can be sprinkled with grated cheese if desired.
Bon appetit!
Do you think that making a cake at home is a super-difficult task? But not for tiramisu! Italian tiramisu It's so easy to make that you'll wonder why you haven't made it yourself before!
Cooking
1. Mix Italian mascarpone cream cheese with whipped cream in a blender.
2. Soak the finished cookies in coffee.
3. Lay the whipped cheese and cookies in layers in a mold.
Dessert of unsurpassed taste is ready! Serve with a fragrant cup of coffee.
Bon appetit!
I suggest watching a video on how to cook tiramisu in 5 minutes!
Pizza Salami Mio
Salami is an unofficial symbol of Italy, about which the whole world sings about love. Prepare a delicious and hearty pizza with salt and bacon for friends or family.
Cooking
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Take the finished yeast dough cake and put salami cut into pieces, fragrant bacon pieces fried, grated cheese and tomato sauce on it.
3. Bake in the oven until golden brown.
Bon appetit!
I suggest watching a video on how quickly you can cook pizza without using the oven - in a pan.
Friends, Have you traveled to Italy? What dishes of national Italian cuisine have you managed to try and which of them amazed you the most? For those who still only dream of visiting this country, in the next article they will offer to cook Italian lasagna.
Try frittata, savory cacucco, and for dessert, delicious cannoli
© depositphotos.comItaly is the ancestor of culinary art. The taste of Italian cuisine cannot be compared, let alone confused, with any other. Despite the widespread claim that Italy is the birthplace of pasta and pizza, here you can try many other dishes that are just as hard to resist. tochka.net offers a guide to the ten most popular dishes Italian cuisine.
- Caprese salad (caprese)
Caprese salad (caprese) © depositphotos.com
This salad got its name in honor of the island of Capri. Caprese salad is one of the most popular Italian dishes. Moreover, this dish is very patriotic. Each ingredient in it symbolizes one of the colors of the Italian flag. Mozzarella cheese and tomatoes cut into pieces. Spread on a plate, alternating with basil leaves.
- Frittata (frittata)
Frittata (frittata) © depositphotos.com
This dish is just the Italian version of an omelet. It is prepared with various fillings from cheese, vegetables, sausage or meat. And in general, many different fillers are used in frittata. Including even pasta or potatoes from yesterday's dinner. Usually it is cooked on the stove and then baked in the oven. Neapolitan frittata often uses pasta. And the traditional Christian one contains leeks and parmesan cheese. On a note, Italians do not add foods containing a lot of liquid to frittata.
- Bruschetta (bruschetta)
Bruschetta (bruschetta) © depositphotos.com
As a light snack or before a meal in Italy, you will be served something like hot sandwiches. Bruschetta means "bake on charcoal". For bruschetta, mainly ciabatta is used, but there may be other similar types of bread. The base remains unchanged - slices of bread dried on a grill or grate, rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with olive oil. And spread the filling on top - ham, mozzarella, tomatoes, olives and more. The most popular type of bruschetta is with tomatoes and basil.
- Cacciucco (cacciucco)
Cacciucco © depositphotos.com
Seafood soup, very popular in the port town of Livorno, in Tuscany. Kachukko is very thick and similar in texture to goulash. This dish is prepared from a mixture of fish broth, tomato paste and red wine with seafood. According to legend, kachukko was first cooked by a fisherman's widow. Each of his friends shared with the woman something that was not a pity. The Italians have quite original traditions. According to custom, there should be as many varieties of fish in cacciucco as there are letters "c" in the word cacciucco.
- Cannelloni (cannelloni)
Cannelloni © depositphotos.com
This is one of the varieties of pasta so popular in Italy. Cannelloni is a pasta in the form of tubes with a diameter of 2-3 cm and a length of about 10 cm. Usually there are 4-5 of them in a serving. They are first boiled, and then the tubes are filled with a filling of cheese or cottage cheese, spinach, meat and other ingredients. Then baked in the oven and eaten with pleasure.
- Gnocchi (gnocchi)
Gnocchi (gnocchi) © depositphotos.com
This slightly scary name characterizes a very light and extremely tasty dish. Gnocchi are Italian dumplings. It is made from potatoes, semolina, cheese, served with tomato or other sauce. Gnocchi is eaten as an independent dish or as a side dish. It is worth noting that in different parts of Italy it is prepared according to different recipes. Also, in addition to dumplings of the usual size (about 2 cm), they also cook small ones - gnocchiti.
- Calzone (calzone)
Calzone (calzone) © depositphotos.com
Calzone - one of the types of pizza, but not easy - closed. After laying out the filling, it is folded in half, in the shape of a crescent. This dish is typical of the central and southern regions of Italy. Here it is used as an appetizer. Calzone is stuffed with anything - vegetables, mushrooms, sausage, cheese and even fruits. You may also meet another Italian name of this dish - panzerotto. The real flavor of calzone (“pants”) can only be felt when you open the stuffed dough. Small pizzas of this type - "calconcellas" ("pants") look like pies in the shape of a semicircle.
- Milanese cutlets (cotoletta alla Milanese)
Milanese cutlets (cotoletta alla Milanese) © depositphotos.com
Only one name of this dish sounds beautiful and a little bit fashionable. In fact, this dish is not exactly like cutlets, but rather like a Wiener schnitzel. Until now, there is a lot of controversy, it was the Italians who stole the recipe from the Austrians, or vice versa. It is not known for certain, but the recipe for Milanese cutlet can be found on the menu of 1134 of one of the royal dinners. It would be more correct to even call this dish Milanese chop. For cooking, use pork chops on the bone, they are carefully fried in breadcrumbs.
- Tiramisu
Tiramisu © depositphotos.com
And, of course, desserts. And not simple, but known all over the world. Tiramisu is served in restaurants in almost every country. However, what a real tiramisu is, you will only know in Italy. By traditional recipe it is not baked and does not look like a cake at all. Most likely, this is a dessert well soaked in cream. Interestingly, the name translates as "lift me up". Perhaps because of the high calorie content. Or maybe because of the exciting properties of its ingredients. However, no one can say for sure today.
- Cannoli (cannoli)
Cannoli © depositphotos.com
This is a dessert you must try in Sicily. It is served everywhere. Cannoli is a waffle crispy tube. They are filled with mascarpone cheese, whipped cottage cheese or ricotti with the addition of various syrups (often vanilla and chocolate), Marsala wine or rose water. Previously, cannoli was served only during the carnival. It's good that this tradition is now unpopular. You can try this delicious dessert at any time of the year.
Food for Italians is not just a standard meal. With the energy and ardor characteristic of their character, they turned an ordinary meal into an exciting show, in which the main thing is to experience maximum pleasure. From what? From life, from the taste of dishes, from a charming interlocutor who is located opposite. I wonder what Italians eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- The place, the price of the dish for Italians do not really matter. For them, the mood, the surroundings, the exquisite beauty of each plate of food, the ability to enjoy food at an energy level are important.
- Italians are ardent adherents of traditions. They will never serve red wine with seafood, they will never allow pasta with truffles to be abundantly studded with parmesan.
- All residents, natives of Italy, are passionate fans of excellent coffee. During the day, they manage to absorb up to 10 miniature cups of this divine drink. Espresso is especially appreciated by them, they not only love it, they adore it.
- A whole set of rules exists for drinks. Every Italian knows, adheres to unshakable rules. Early in the morning on a day off, you can see a glass of rose or red wine in the hands of an Italian. On weekdays, it is successfully replaced by prosecco, one of the options for champagne. In the process of eating food to improve appetite, digestion, a glass or two of grappa grape vodka is often skipped. After the end of the meal - a digestif.
- Surprisingly, Italians have a special love for fat. This is a primordially national food, for which some deviations from the law are even allowed. The registry at the state level allows some deviation from sanitary standards in the production of this unique product.
- Breakfast for an Italian is never heavy. People usually wake up very early, the very first thing that enters the stomach is coffee with milk. You can supplement it with a light sandwich, in which the main ingredients are cheese, butter, sausage.
- Dinner for an Italian is a sacred event. It is characterized by the presence of soup with pasta at first. On the second - mainly fish or meat with an abundance of vegetable salads, sauces, seasonings. For dessert - sweet dishes, cheese, fruits in unlimited quantities.
- Dinner is traditionally served at the Italian table. meat dish with vegetables. It can be a light meat appetizer with a spicy sauce, then vegetables are served fried, stewed, boiled. After that, traditional spaghetti with all kinds of sauces and pastas enter the arena. Appetizers from meat, fish act as a partner. The final chord of dinner in Italy is a cup of strong fragrant coffee with dessert.
Traveling to Italy offers tourists the chance to experience original kitchen Europe. We will tell you about what is worth trying in Italy from food.
are true gourmets when it comes to food. The total number of ingredients and options for their use in the cuisine of the people exceeds the mark of 1000 dishes and combinations! You will find the best examples of Italian cuisine in every famous restaurant located in the tourist city of the country.
Ancient Italian traditions in cooking have been preserved since ancient times, transferring the tastes of their ancestors to modern residents and guests of the country. Apart from classic test, tomato and lettuce, National cuisine Italy contains other ingredients:
- spicy garlic,
- meat,
- mushrooms,
- olive oil,
- oysters, shrimp and other seafood.
Doesn't look like the classic set of products that we used to think of when talking about Italy, right?
Italian soups
Unlike the culture of most countries, it is customary to eat Italian soups in the evening. Not sure what dishes to try in Italy for dinner? This the best option! The main difference between Italian cuisine and many other national varieties is the richness of soup types. Ingredients can be different: from seven varieties of meat to vegetables and seafood.
Tomato is considered a common delicacy. mussel soup prepared from fresh seafood and juicy tomatoes. The pleasure costs from 5 to 15 euros: the price depends on the chosen institution.
For the title of the most unusual soups, according to tourists, claim Neapolitan giblets And pavese. The first is distinguished by the use of offal as the main ingredient. Animal giblets are mixed with cheese and fresh vegetables, which gives the soup original taste, satiety and aroma. Paveza made from eggs and bread, which is fried in a pan. The components of the soup are poured with rich broth, after which hard cheese is rubbed into the plate.
It's interesting that:
- Residents of the land of wine and passion eat soup exclusively for dinner. Few restaurants can offer this dish to tourists at other times.
- Often a tourist can meet on the menu minestrone is a traditional and incredibly tasty soup consisting of 7 types of meat, 7 types of vegetables and a wide range of various seasonings.
- Veneto region ( Veneto) is a place where residents prefer not a traditional Italian dish (pizza, risotto, pasta or other classic dishes), but dozens of varieties of soups.
Italian hot dishes
What can be an article about a national Italian dish without mentioning pizza? It is Italy that is the ancestor of this dish, and its inhabitants have come up with hundreds of recipes, combinations of ingredients and varieties of pizza. There is no need to describe this food, which has conquered all the ratings of Italian hot dishes. Any restaurant and pizzeria in Italy will offer several types of a masterpiece of world cuisine to choose from.
Among the less common, but delicious meals meet:
1. Italian meat dishes. Saltimbocca alla Romana And Coda alla vaccinara- these are the dishes about which it is illegal to remain silent. First - the most delicate dish with veal prosciutto (local ham) and fragrant sage leaves. Second - stewed calf tails, which for 4 hours simmer on low heat in tomato sauce. Both dishes are an unforgettable pleasure and a feast of taste!
2. Hot appetizers. The Italians managed to bring the understanding of snacks far beyond the usual boundaries of the inhabitants of other countries. More than a hundred options with different bases, from pasta to seafood, are served as an aperitif before meals and as independent dishes with wine. The most popular hot snacks: Apulian Panzerotti(Italian dumplings that use pasta instead of dough), vegetable risotto, battered seafood, etc.
Italian cuisine desserts
No meal in Italy is complete without dessert. Sweet in Italian cuisine - common in the world confectionery borrowed by chefs from dozens of countries. In different regions of Italy, you can try many variations of the dessert:
- Ice cream. Features of Italian cuisine have extended to a popular dessert in the world. In any weather and time of day, Italians love ice cream, which, according to the Sicilians themselves, was borrowed by the locals from the Arab peoples. Recipes can be the most amazing: an abundance of fruit, dairy, cookies, ice and more unusual shapes ice cream is offered in Italian cafes.
- Crostat. In the capital of Italy, tourists will be allowed to try soft cakes, among which the crostata stands out brightly - a shortbread type of pie with delicate stuffing from ricotta or ripe fruit.
- Tiramisu. The most popular dessert in Italy and beyond. There is no person in this region who has never tasted the liquor-soaked sweetness melting on the tongue. To date, there are at least 100 recipes for making tiramisu.
- Panettone. Peculiar Easter cake, which you can try in any region of Italy. One of the ingredients is candied fruits, which are ideally combined with soft and tender pastries.
Italian traditional cuisine includes a variety of dishes, each of which is definitely worth a try. A wealth of tastes, an acceptable price for European countries and a unique recipe - everything for which you need to enjoy at least once in your life traditional dishes country of wine and passionate love.
Once Elena came to visit us in the evening. She said that she had just been with a friend, also not for long. I offered her tea - and she looked at me with strange eyes and said: "Actually, I thought that we would drink a bottle of beer, but if you don't have it, then I'll bring it from the car, only it's not cold..."
No, Elena does not suffer from beer alcoholism, and I am not a strict teetotaler and I don’t even drink tea anymore, as I used to.
I just messed up the time.
Do you know that if you ask an Italian if he is hungry, he will first look at his watch, and then, based on the time of day, he will give you his answer? This is not a tale, but the pure truth - I also adopted this feature, and my feeling of hunger is now strongly tied to the time of day in Italian.
I want to talk about how Italians eat during the day. It is important to know about this both for tourism purposes and as a tribute to the inhabitants of a beautiful country, the world stronghold of culinary and gastronomy. And in general, some things have to be explained, otherwise Italians often seem strange - and in the same way we seem strange to Italians with our<пельменями на завтрак>gastronomic habits.
Breakfast
The morning of an Italian begins, of course, with breakfast. It is usually not missed, and it is difficult to miss such a "micro breakfast" - it consists of coffee (espresso or cappuccino) and a croissant (a croissant is called a brioche). All! Both in summer and in winter, regardless of the cold and heat, breakfast looks exactly like this. There are, of course, other trends, for example, in the southern regions of Italy - people there have a heartier breakfast (any meal in the south is much larger in size than in the north), they can eat pizza (small pizza) or something else salty, instead of a croissant they eat an impressive bun with ice cream (brioche con gelato), plus granita is a drink consisting of finely crushed ice with a sweet additive (coffee, lemon, strawberries, etc.). Granite is cool, very refreshing in the heat. You will see such a breakfast at the bar, while at home, most likely, there will be coffee from geyser coffee maker(it's called moka or macchinetta del caffe"), biscuits, toast with butter/jam.
Once I ate a banana for breakfast, Davide looked at me in surprise and was afraid that it would be hard for me after such a meal.
Once I ate nuts for breakfast, Davide was also afraid for my well-being.
Sometimes I eat oatmeal, and every time Davide tries not to show his fear and horror about this dish.
By the time breakfast is not defined in a strict framework, but the bars start their work early, at 6-7 o'clock, which I especially like. You walk around the city in the morning, and open bars smell of coffee and pastries, your mood automatically improves. By the way, when you hear the word "bar" - it's not what you imagine. I will also need to tell you more about Italian catering establishments, for now we will agree that you can have breakfast and lunch at the bar.
Breakfast in Italy is one of the headaches for Russians who come to rest, relax and eat well, but are accustomed to cereals and sandwiches for breakfast with a hearty burger. A Russian doesn't get enough of an Italian breakfast, and I usually don't even know what place to recommend for a "normal" meal. hearty breakfast. At the bar, you can ask for a panino, even if it is not in the window. Most likely, they will make it to you; but if bread is delivered to the bar only for dinner, then you won’t see panini in the morning, only sweet pastries. Sandwiches and paninis are usually easy to find in the city center, but... this is lunch!
These are sandwiches and panini with prosciutto (ham). Panino + bottle of water + espresso = classic lunch (especially in the north). You can dine this way at the bar. Strict time frames are already appearing here: the traditional time for lunch is from 13.00 to 15.00, up to a maximum of 16.00. Of course, instead of a bar, you can go to a restaurant and take the first and / or second course for lunch, but very often Italians limit themselves to panini. Panino (panino) is a sandwich made from fresh bread (while a sandwich is made from toast) and toppings. Also typical piedina (piedina) is something like pita bread. That's what a stuffed piedina is called, piedina. The most common filling options are mozzarella + tomatoes + boiled ham (prosciutto cotto), arugula + tomatoes + dry-cured ham (prosciutto crudo), tuna (tonno) + green salad + tomatoes and many others. You can ask for your own version or add ingredients. Looks like Subway, right? By the way, in Italy they are practically non-existent due to competition (and you won’t find Starbucks either, welcome to the endless bars offering excellent coffee). So, walking around the city from one attraction to another, do not forget that you need to have lunch from 13 to 15! Panino, piedina, sandwich. By 4 p.m., the food in the bars is usually over, and the kitchens of the restaurants are closed, and you run the risk of being left hungry.
We were in Ikea the other day, on Sunday. A bunch of people, no crowding. We arrived there at 12 o'clock, while walking, it was already 15, we were hungry and went to an Ikeev restaurant. It was EMPTY, a few people besides us. Despite the fact that there are a lot of people in the darkness, even with children - everyone, without exception, tried to have lunch until 15 o'clock, and had lunch. Although the restaurant is quietly open all day. This can only be found in Italy...
If you want a "normal" and hearty lunch, then you need to go to a restaurant. Italians usually order only the first or second course for lunch. The first in Italy includes pasta and risotto, the second - meat, poultry, fish. A side dish for the second often needs to be ordered separately, it can be polenta (porridge from corn grits), potatoes in one form or another, grilled vegetables, light green salad and more. From drinks - water with gas / without gas, a glass of wine, and at the end of the meal - espresso.
Budget options hearty snack- These are fast foods and tourist pizzerias where pizza is sold in pieces. Kebabs and other similar establishments - but I don’t eat them and don’t understand them, I can’t say anything about this, unfortunately.
Afternoon (merenda)
The afternoon tea in Italy is called merenda, it is at 16-17 hours, and usually this is when children eat a bun, biscuit or some kind of sweetness and drink juice, for example. Adults can also take a break for merenda, and this is the only and unique case when an Italian drinks TEA. Alleluia. I don't remember if I mentioned it or not, but not all Italians know how to use a kettle. Just accept it as a fact. Don't be surprised, don't ask. They just don't know what to do with this metal canoe; and I have never seen electric kettles in Italian homes. Tea exists only in bags, and only grannies and Kamila Zavalina buy it by weight. So, many Italians take a kettle (a large one in which they boil water - there are no brewers anywhere), pour water into it, bring it to a boil, turn off the fire, open the lid of the kettle, put the bag directly into the kettle with the label out and close the lid, fixing the bag . Wait 5 minutes and the magic drink is ready! Is it just wildness for me? .. That's from something from something, but I didn’t think that I would wean my husband from this :-D And not only Davide did this, his friends also cook gulls this way. Okay, scoffed and that's enough, we are too pasta we cook so that the eyes of the Italians climb on their foreheads.
Aperitivo
The aperitif principle alcoholic drink before the main meal (lunch, dinner). To "warm up", so to speak; start digestion. In Lombardy (the northern region of which Milan is the main center), the aperitif only exists before dinner, before dinner I see aperitif in the rest of Italy, but not here. In general, an aperitif before dinner is more popular. Approximate hours - from 17 to 21. I have already written about this wonderful phenomenon, I repeat that often a good aperitif can replace dinner. The Milanese aperitivo is famous for the fact that snacks are often free with a drink, in the rest of Italy you have to pay for both a drink and snacks, but the price for a drink in Milan is more expensive than in other cities. When you walk around the city, pay attention to the signs in the establishments - they usually write how much an aperitif and how much it costs. For Milan, the average price of a drink is 5-6 euros, accompanied by light snacks; the more expensive the drink, the larger and more satisfying snacks are. Typical aperitivo drinks are a bright orange spritz cocktail (based on campari or aperol), americano cocktail (not coffee!, based on vermouth and campari), negroni cocktail (based on gin and vermouth), red/white wine, beer. Among the snacks you will see chips, light vegetable salad, frittata, polenta, focaccia and more. I really love traditional cocktails, they have a rich and multifaceted taste, and you will not find anything "diluted". There is also a custom to visit several aperitifs in one evening - first in one bar, then in another, then in a third. During this time, you can not only eat, but also get tired, but punchy Italians go ahead to dinner.
Remark: now you understand why I offered tea and Elena was ready for beer. She told us that she would first visit her friend, and then to us, and I should have immediately understood that at 17 o'clock she would have an afternoon snack with her friend, and with us at 18 o'clock - an aperitif. I would have immediately offered her a beer, but I thought that the time was 17, not 18. Such things.
Dinner starts no earlier than 19:00, usually at 20:00 or later. In the south, dinner can easily begin at 22:00. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day, despite all our notions of "breakfast like a king, dine like a prince, dine like a pauper". Italians are really looking forward to dinner time, you can’t ignore this meal and get by with dietary bread and fruit - you need to at least cook hot, as much as possible ... as much as possible, arrange a feast with friends or relatives, in which there will definitely be wine, snacks (antipasti), the first ( primo), the second (secondo), salad (insalata), dessert (dolce), digestivo (digestivo) - these include coffee (caffe ") and liqueurs (amaro).
Snacks (antipasti) are usually what is served with an aperitif. It can also be prosciutto, cheeses, olives and other marinade (pickled onions, artichokes, tuna peppers, etc.). Thus, you can arrange an aperitif right before dinner, eating antipasti with a glass of wine.
The first (primo) and the second (secondo) I have already described above.
Salad (insalata) - attention, in Italy salad is served after the second, because it is considered as a refreshing dish. Russian salads are very often quite heavy, with ingredients such as meat, eggs, mayonnaise, etc., while Italian salad is a trough of greens in which vegetables dangle. You won’t get enough of them, but you will pleasantly complete the meal. Refuels 99% of the time balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Dessert (dolce) - tiramisu, panna cotta, sorbets, cakes, macedonia
A digestivo is essentially a strong alcoholic/non-alcoholic drink that aids in digestion. You ate so much, you need to help the poor stomach. You will be offered espresso and liqueurs - braulio, mirto, grappa, limoncello, etc. Grappa and limoncello are more or less known, myrto and braulio are typical of the north, they taste like cough syrup, but I personally like them much more than grappa and limoncello.
This is how Italians eat during the day. All this, of course, does not mean that every Italian daily observes all the above meals with all dishes. But I can say with confidence that the traditional breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, aperitif and dinner look something like this. There are a few more features that probably not everyone knows about:
- cappuccino is really only a morning drink, which is ordered before 12 noon. I can't explain it, but if you live in Italy and adopt this habit<морщиться от отвращения, когда кто-то пьёт капучино после 12 дня>then perhaps you will understand. I don't really know how to explain this tradition. This is probably coffee for a smooth morning awakening, it is not as strong as espresso and acts softer. Cappuccino after 12 will only be taken by people who cannot drink for some reason strong coffee type of espresso - with stomach problems or pregnant women, for example.
- Pizza is ordered whole for one person. Usually they order beer with pizza, this is a classic. But ordering wine and/or water is fine too. There are tourist pizzerias in which pizza is sold in pieces. There is also a trattoria in our area where you can order pizza in pieces (pizza al trancio - pizza al trancho). But in a classic pizzeria, pizza is always a whole one per person.
- since in Italy there is a certain dinner order (which I described above), in a restaurant you can usually calculate after what time this or that table will be free. That is, you look around at the tables and you can say that this one next to it will be free in 5-10 minutes (they finished dessert, finish their coffee and liqueurs), and the one in the depth is only in the middle of the meal (they eat the first and / or second). That is why you see queues on the streets to the restaurant. People come up and ask the administrator or waiter how long to wait, and you will always be answered; if you are not dying of hunger, then you can wait, the table will definitely be free. Only you need to say how many of you a person will have dinner. I just now thought, well, no one will ever decide to order something else after dessert. Or after the second order antipasto or the first. If an Italian orders dessert, then coffee and liquor can be expected from him as a maximum.
- The most common combinations of dishes that people order in a restaurant are antipasto + first, antipasto + second, first + second. It took me a year to understand how it is. Because you don’t always understand whether you can eat only antipasto + first, and whether it will not be too much to order first + second. But since the portions are usually quite large and satisfying, I can take only the first or only the second, and antipasto does not always inspire me - often it's seafood that I don't eat. But a cheese plate - with pleasure
- the seasonality of vegetables and fruits is very important for Italians, so there are seasonal dishes based on these products. This is great, such a habit is not only good for health, but also saves the budget, since products in their season are always cheaper.
- coffee. Whole poem. When an Italian says caffe "normale -" regular coffee"- he means espresso. Americano coffee exists as a species, but it's certainly not what is sold in fast foods for 200-400 ml ... Italians don't drink fast food coffee and call it acqua sporca, "dirty water." I I'm used to it, its plus is that it is concentrated (read - real) and allows you to quickly cheer up, while a large glass of coffee fills the stomach and weighs it down, although, by analogy with tea, I sometimes want such McDuck's Starbucks coffee.
- in Italy there is no cafe and there is no concept of "sitting in a cafe and drinking coffee for a long time." There are bars in Italy - they are called that because they have a bar where you order and drink coffee. Drink it quickly, literally on the go, and move on.
- bread in the restaurant is served free of charge, sometimes it’s not even ordinary bread, but something like focaccia, with tomatoes, with herbs.
- Italians eat a lot of starchy foods: bread, pasta, buns, pizza... Despite this, they are a very healthy nation. When you arrive in the northern and central part of Italy, pay attention to overweight people - there are practically none. The Mediterranean diet works wonders - Italians look young, have no health problems and live very long. In the south, there is a lot of fatty food, so there are already more overweight people there. The habit of eating fresh and seasonal food is also important for good health. In a country like Italy, of course, it is easy to eat only fresh, not frozen meat and vegetables, they were lucky.
- soups and cereals are the food of a sick person. If you are sick or need to comply the strictest diet then you eat soups and cereals. And also if you are Russian. If you suddenly crave porridge, then in almost any city you can find a Russian grocery store, where you can find oatmeal, buckwheat, and millet. In supermarkets, pay attention to green buckwheat, you just need to roast it in a pan until golden brown, and you get the buckwheat that we are used to. And green it is cooked for 40 minutes and has no taste (although it is considered even more useful than the usual buckwheat). You can also find porridge in eco-bio food stores, but they are a little expensive, at least in a Russian store in Milan they are cheaper.
That's all; good day and good travels!
