Italy’s Food Culture - Sarina Swalm

Italian Food Culture — Delicious Foods Found Throughout Italy

Italian food culture is defined by simple, fresh ingredients and generational traditions. Today, Italy is a food empire that continues to delight tourists worldwide.

The most popular ingredients include wine, olive oil, bread, cheese, and pasta. However, Italian food culture offers much more than pizza and pasta. Dive into the rich and delicious history of Italian food and how that shaped modern Italian dishes.

What Is Italy’s National Dish?

The national dish of Italy is Ragu Alla Bolognese. It derives its name from Bologna, Italy, where the recipe began. It’s now an international favorite and has evolved in different regions to include delicious variations.What is Ragu Alla Bolognese?

Ragu Alla Bolognese is pasta mixed with a savory meat sauce. Traditional recipes require a long process where you braise, sweat, and sauté the meat.

Traditionally, chefs made Bolognese with Tagliatelle, which are long, flat noodles. However, modern variations often use spaghetti noodles instead. Other changes in recent years include the addition of a tomato base, beef and pork, and the addition of milk and white wine. Furthermore, modern chefs will often simplify the preparation process to reduce cooking time.

The History of Bolognese Sauce

Historians have found records of Bolognese sauce as early as the 18th century. They found this record in the town of Imola, which is located near Bologna.

However, Pellegrino Artusi wrote the most recognized version of the sauce. He was a 19th-century Italian chef and published his authentic recipe in 1891. He gave it the name Maccheroni Alla Bolognese because of its origin. His original recipe listed lean veal, butter, carrot, onion, and pancetta.

Today, chefs say the most authentic version of that recipe is in the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina cookbook from 1982.

Where to Find the Best Food in Italy

What are the best food cities to visit in Italy?

Visit these regions for the most authentic and mouth-watering Italian cuisine. Be sure to add some — or all — of these to your Italian travel bucket list.

Emilia-Romagna Region

The Emilia-Romagna region is the food center of Italy. Travelers from around Italy and the world flock to this region to sample some of the many traditional cuisines of the country. When you visit, here are some cities you can’t miss that provide the best sampling of the region’s greatest food:

●  Parma: Home to Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, more commonly known by its global variant, Parmesan cheese.

●  Bologna: Birthplace of Ragu Alla Bolognese.

●  Modena: Best place to try balsamic vinegar.

Veneto Region

Veneto is different from other regions as pasta dishes aren’t the area's staple food. Instead, you’ll find alternative carbohydrates that make up most of their regional dishes. They also serve fish in many of their cuisines.

●  Verona: Known for having delicious Risotto and Gnocchi, they also offer some of the best red wines.

●  Venice: One of the most prestigious cities in the region, offering a variety of fish dishes and authentic risotto.

●  Rovigo: Has influences from the Emilia-Romagna region. It’s also famous for its fish dishes, including fritture di Pesce, or fresh fish fried in batter.

●  Vicenza: Serves delicious Asiago cheese, especially over a plate of white asparagus from Bassano.

Tuscany Region

Tuscan cuisine centers around inexpensive ingredients for dishes you can make in bulk while still maintaining the charm and flavor of traditional Italian cuisine.

●  Florence: Try a traditional bruschetta dipped in fresh olive oil.

●  Livorno: Check out their street food, including the Torta di Ceci. 

Campania Region

The Campania region is known for having the best pizza in the world. However, pizza is just one of the many foodie draws of this culturally rich area.

●  Naples: Most famous city for pizza.

●  Caiazzo: Another town known for delicious pizza and calzones.

What Are the Differences Between Northern and Southern Italian Food?

Italian cuisine is often categorized as either Northern or Southern, with each region adding its unique twist on classic dishes. Explore some of the main differences in cooking styles!

What Food Is Northern Italy Famous for?

Northern Italy has more mountains, and much of the region is landbound. Because of its geography, the area has many cattle farms. The cooking reflects this in its use of cheese, cream, and beef in addition to veal. As a result, some of the best cheese and pasta come from Northern Italy.

What are the best restaurants in Northern Italy?

●  La Cusina

●  Le Bistrot de Venise

●  Al Covo

●  La Taverna di Via Stella

What Food Is Southern Italy Famous for?

Southern Italian cuisine is heavily influenced by its location on the Mediterranean Sea. Many dishes include seafood, fresh herbs, and local vegetables. However, one of the most notable dishes of Southern Italy is its pizza. Neapolitan pizza combines Southern Italy’s fresh herbs and vegetables with its famous pizza crust for a savory pie that has attracted visitors worldwide.

What are the best restaurants in Southern Italy?

●  Ristorante Don Alfonso

●  Concettina Ai Tre Santi

●  Ristorante La Caravella

●  Il Focolare

Italian Cooking Classes (In Italy) for Couples and Tourists

If you want to turn your passion for Italian cuisine into a hobby, consider taking an Italian cooking class while visiting the region. These classes will teach you authentic Italian cooking traditions, along with recipes that will wow your guests for years to come.

How much does a cooking class in Italy cost? On average, you can expect to pay between $40 and $80 for a class that lasts several hours.

Osteria Santa Domenica

When you visit Taormina, Sicily, stop by this famous organic restaurant that was once a wine bar. These intimate classes take several hours and start with a delicious breakfast. Next, you purchase fresh ingredients from the local market before learning to cook traditional cuisine, including pasta and fish dishes.

You also get to sample some of the region’s best wines. You will leave with a full belly and a head full of new knowledge.

Eating Europe

Florence offers one of the best cooking classes in the region. First, learn about Italian cuisines as you tour the region’s fresh markets and local bread, cheese, and meat shops. Then, cook your authentic pasta dishes from scratch in a professional kitchen. There are several classes to choose from.

Tiffin Academy

If you love pizza, learn how to make the world-famous pizza of Napoli in this cooking class. It covers three different pizza dishes and allows you to try some of the region’s fresh foods.

Time to Dig in

Italy has rightly earned its reputation for having the best food in the world. It should be near the top of every foodie’s bucket list. However, it isn’t the only destination that offers you unique treats for your tastebuds.

Read about Famous Foods in Paris and learn more about different foods and cultures!