While some of the most popular dishes associated with Italian culture include a tempting slice of pizza and a heaping plate of pasta, there is so much more to the world of Italian cuisine. Throughout the many regions of Italy, the distinctive cuisine of Italians shines through a wide range of eating habits, cooking styles and selection of local ingredients. The change of times has also influenced Italian food, as the meals served in the pre-Roman era have both similarities and differences with today’s cuisine.
Italy’s culinary history established a reputation over 2,000 years ago, including an illustrious movement during the Roman Empire. Culturally, food preparation was quite important in the past, where glimpses of importance have been captured in the only surviving cookbook (Apicius), dating from the 1st century BC.
The spread of the diversity of Italian food began after the fall of the Roman Empire when individual city-states began to maintain separate identities and traditions. Each region began to showcase its own unique way of cooking, from the formation of a meatball to the characteristic cheeses and wines produced in one place. The north developed Tuscan meat, while black truffles were very popular in the Marches. Provolone and mozzarella cheeses developed in the South, as well as a number of interesting citrus fruits.
Various types of bread, variations on pasta, and various food preparation techniques also differed by region. The southern regions of Italy prefer hard spaghetti, while the north often prefers soft egg noodles. Milan is known for its risotto, while Bologna has a deep history regarding tortellini and Naples is famous for its pizzas.
Over the years, Italian cuisine has come a long way in part due to a host of outside influences that have added to its distinctive flavor and appeal. At first, ancient Greek cuisine became an integral part of Italian cuisine. Eventually, a host of imports found their way into the kitchens of the early Italians, who sent out Roman ships to collect a variety of important foods, including wheat, wine, exotic ingredients, and fine spices from around the world. Some ships even traveled to distant places, such as China, to bring food resources that catapulted the depth and variety of Italian cooking styles.
The coastal regions are known for their developments in delicious fish and seafood dishes. For example, the island of Sardinia offers a more traditional and simple style of cooking, often incorporating delicacies associated with the sea. Swordfish, lobster, anchovies, sardines and other Mediterranean delicacies represent the Italian cuisine of the area. In Sicily (another island region), much of the cuisine was heavily based on North African influences. An Arab influence also affected cuisine on the island and in the rest of the south, especially with the introduction of various spices and sweets, such as the Sicilian ice cream cake called cassata.
As for one of the most popular Italian dishes, while history books often claim that pasta was a product of the Chinese brought by the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, it was actually a rediscovery of a food eaten during Etruscan times. and roman. The first pasta in Italy is believed to have been made similar to today’s noodles, from the same durum wheat, which was cooked in ovens rather than boiled in water.
Today, the differences in Italian cuisine are still manifested in the distinctions between north and south. Each region still has its own traditions in cuisine reflecting a deep history and culture with an endless supply of entrees, appetizers and desserts that continually tempt the taste buds.
