Italian Culinary History

Pasta is one of Italy's staple foods.

Italian cuisine is one of the oldest and most famous cuisines in the world. Italy's Roman empire influenced the nation's cuisine as well as the historical developments in Europe. Italian cooking reflects the European nation's socio-economical developments and regionalism, as well as it's people's particular spice for life and love of food. From Northern Italy to Rome, from Venice to Sicily, Italy's food history is delicious and rich.

Seafood

Italians eat fish at least twice a week. Fish, especially on the coast, is an important staple of Italian cuisine. Fish is commonly served as a main course. In the South, tuna and swordfish are the main catches. You may also find squid in many dishes, and some pastas and risottos have black squid ink incorporated into sauces.

Risotto

Risotto must be cooked gently.

Risotto, one of Italy's oldest and still-popular dishes, is most famously prepared between the waterways of Venice. Rice, after it was introduced in the 14th century from Asia, became a staple in the Italian diet because the grain grows easily in the Italian countryside. Risotto is gently simmered with sautéed onions, and fish, chicken or beef broth is slowly incorporated to make a creamy dish. Cooks often prepare risotto with fish and shellfish.

Pizza

Pizza is perhaps Italy's most famous food contribution.

One of Italy's most important contributions to cuisine is pizza. Ancient Greeks baked flat bread, which they used as plates that some consider the first pizza. However, Italians are the ones credited with topping flat bread with tomatoes, basil and cheese, and inventing the pizza that around-the-world eaters have grown to love. The famous Pizza Margherita is believed to have originated in Naples in the late 19th century for Queen Margherita when she was visiting the city. The pizza was topped with red tomatoes, white mozzarella and green basil to evoke the colors of the Italian flag.

Pasta

According to food historian, Oretta Zanini De Vita, Italians began eating pasta around 800 A.D., brought by Muslim conquerors in Sicily. By the 12th century, Italians had marketed dried pasta, refuting the belief that explorer Marco Polo brought noodles back to Italy after a trip to China in the 1296. For centuries, the wheat rich pasta was a luxury for many Italians, especially during World War II when wheat was scarce. Pasta comes in dozens of shapes and sizes; the range reflects women expressing their creativity throughout Italy's history. Popular pasta dishes include linguine with clams, Tuscan pasta with tomato-based sauces and the spicy sauces from southern Sicily.

Regions

Each region in Italy has a particular food history and modern day cuisine reflects these culinary traditions. Tuscan cooking continues to be rustic, with rich tomato sauces, pork dishes and potatoes. Venice is famous, not only for risotto, but for the variety of spices that represent its history as a trading center. While the Northern area of Italy is famous for lighter preparations. In the South, garlic prevails along with seafood dishes.

References

• Frommers: Food and Drink in Italy
• NY Times: Pasta
• BBC: Italian Cooking

Resources

• NPR: Venetian Risotto