The Ultimate Guide to Italian Cuisine: Why is Italian Cuisine Called the "Mother of Western Food"? How did Italian cuisine come about? What is italian dinner like? Influences of Italian cuisine

Although many of us may not have been to Italy, we are no strangers to Italian cuisine, such as pasta, pizza, cheese, gelato, espresso, etc., which are all world-renowned Italian cuisines.

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" Data-track="3" How did Italian cuisine > formed? </h1>

Italian cooking has been famous for more than 2,000 years ago, but the original Italian cuisine was simple, and it was not until the fall of the Roman Empire that Italian food became rich and diverse.

Italy at that time was not a unified country as it is now, and italy was once just a collection of city-states, which formed today's Italy in 1861 and a common language in Italy in the 1940s.

Geographically, mountains have divided Italy, forming a series of inaccessible peaks and deep valleys, and this type of land would not have formed metropolises and large cities.

Italy is made up of small farming communities, each with its own unique recipes and cooking techniques.

The food in Italy varies greatly depending on where you go. Different regions have different types of bread, pasta and cooking techniques.

For example, southern Italy prefers to cook pasta, while northern italy prefers soft egg noodles. Braised noodles from Milan, italian dumplings from Bologna, pizza from Naples and much more.

The coastal area is famous for its fish and seafood dishes. Sardinian swordfish, sardines, anchovies, lobsters and other Mediterranean delicacies, for example.

On Sicily, another famous island region, local cuisine is heavily influenced by North Africa.

Arabia also influenced the cuisine of the island and other parts of the south, in particular the introduction of various spices and sweets, such as the Sicilian ice cream cake "cassata".

Speaking of Arabia, the famous risotto (risotto) was also born because of the Arab invasion.

On the other side of Italy, Italian cooking was also influenced by German and Austrian immigrants.

In fact, the methods of cooking food vary from region to region of Italy, but there are some similarities. Most Italian chefs are somewhat "innovative" when cooking, and their recipes are flexible.

You'll find that no two dishes are exactly the same, even if the same chef uses the same recipe, but you may find a difference in the Italian dish you eat every time you eat it.

The culinary differences in Italy today are mainly in the difference between the south and the north. Each region still maintains its own culinary traditions, reflecting the history and culture behind them.

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="68" what is an Italian meal >? </h1>

The development of Italian cuisine is also inseparable from a large number of food imports, such as the tomato that is now everywhere in Italian cuisine, which is not a native Italian product, and it was not until the end of the 1700s that tomatoes were introduced to Italy.

Roman cargo ships collected a variety of food from all over the world, including wheat, wine, exotic ingredients and spices. Some ships have even traveled to more distant places, such as our country, China, which have returned home with edible food, greatly enhancing the depth and diversity of Italian cooking styles.

Some historians believe that pasta was brought from China by the Venetian merchant Marco Polo. Of course, there is also a large part of the experts who believe that pasta is a delicacy left over from the Etruscan and Roman eras.

Typical Italian meals are a variety of dishes and side dishes around a central theme. With a mix of dishes with different flavors and textures, you can enjoy soft and crisp, tedious and simple, mild and stimulating food at the same time.

Usually, appetizers act to promote appetite, which can be Palma cheese ham melon, olive oil vegetables or Tuscan bread coated with liver sauce.

After the appetizers, the serving begins. The first is usually "primi", which means "first course", or "minestra", which is a thick soup.

The traditional "primi" can be soup, risotto or a variety of pasta with sauce or soup. Whatever the dish, it's usually in a bowl rather than on a plate.

The first course is followed by the second course.) In traditional Italian culture, diners can enjoy the first course before choosing the second course.

The second course is usually meat, beef, pork or poultry. Usually, vegetables are also used as side dishes.

After the second course is complete, the salad is ready to serve. A meal usually ends with some kind of dessert (dolci). If you want to be healthier, you can swap your dessert for fresh fruit.

The example of the traditional Italian meal of The Italian chef Marcella Hazan can be used.

Its theme is fish. An appetizer is a plate of cooked shrimp seasoned with olive oil, parsley and lemon juice and served hot.

Then the first course is pepper-flavored squid clam risotto. The second course is turbot (a European flounder) with potatoes.

Next up is the salad, made up of chicory and vegetables, whose slight bitter taste cleanses the palate. Finally there is fresh fruit, which is cut into thin slices and soaked in wine.

Here are some common foods for Italian meals:

appetizer

Fried Flowers

Fiori Fritti is a fried zucchini flower, sometimes with Ricotta cheese and vanilla added before frying.

Omelette

Frittata is famous for its Italian quiches. Usually, ingredients such as artichokes or asparagus are mixed into eggs and then fried into a cake. Frittata is usually cut into thin slices and eaten cold.

Panzanella

Panzanella is a Florentine bread salad that soaks Tuscan bread in water along with tomatoes and onions. The bread is then drained and stirred with tomato, onion, basil and olive oil.

Fried Polenta

Polenta Fritta is a tortilla that can be sliced, fried and pickled.

Suppli al Telefona

Suppli al Telefona is a type of fried rice balls stuffed with mozzarella cheese. When you take a bite, the brushed hot cheese is even more tempting.

Head dish

Pappa al Pomodoro

This is a bread tomato soup made with high-quality ingredients for bread, tomato and olive oil. It is seasoned only with chicken broth, garlic and basil.

Naked Fish Ravioli

Ravioli Nudi di Pesce is a puree of raw fish, mixed with egg yolks and flour, rolled into a ball and cooked in boiling water.

Ribollita

Ribollita literally means re-boiling. It is a Florentine soup that is traditionally reheated after the macaroni left over from the previous day is added to the farmer's bread.

Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese is a Milanese risotto made by sautéing italian rice in butter and then adding it to the hot soup.

Milanese risotto can be thin or solid, and saffron is usually added to it, with a strong saffron flavor.

Risotto with Pumpkin

Risotto con le Zucca is a squash risotto, and pumpkin is also one of the favorite foods of Italians. Sauté the onion is added to the risotto and then simmered with chicken broth.

Timbale by Piccioni

Timballo di Piccioni is made from pastry skins filled with a mixture of pigeons, macaroni and Italian white sauce, which is then cooked.

Tortelli with Rabbit

It is a round or square pasta stuffed with potatoes and parmesan cheese. Its sauce is made from rabbit meat, rabbit liver, bacon, wine and vegetables.

Tripe alla Fiorentina

Cut the tripe into slender strips, cook until tender, then stir with vegetables, wine and herbs, and finally top with Parmesan cheese.

Stracciatella

Stracciatella means "little rag". It is a famous soup in the Roman region, made with parmesan cheese, raw eggs, lemon flavored batter and hot soup. It's actually a bit like our egg flower soup.

Second course

Arista

Cut the pork tenderloin open and add the mixture of black pepper, garlic and rosemary. Then tie it up with thread and bake it.

Mixed Boiled Meat

Bollito Misto is a traditional dish popular in the northern Italian city of Modena and the surrounding area.

It is made from a mixture of various meats, including chicken, beef tongue and pork knuckles, which are stewed very tenderly.

Chicken Devil

This is a dish that is found in both Rome and Tuscany in the north. After a chicken has been flattened, spread it with olive oil, garlic, lemon and some rosemary and roast over a fire.

Mixed Fried

Fritto Misto is made by deep-frying sweet bread, vegetables, cheese, chicken and other ingredients wrapped in breadcrumbs.

Ossobuco

Ossobuco's literal translation is "mouth or hole in a bone." Cut the calf leg in half, revealing the part of the bone marrow, and stew with bacon, wine, tomato, carrots, onions and celery. Scoop out the bone marrow with a special spoon when eating.

Chicken Cacciatora

It's a rustic stew that's traditionally made with game and can now be used with other meats. In addition to meat, there are vanilla, garlic, wine and olive oil.

Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca is a Specialty of Rome, and the veal is fried in breadcrumbs and eaten.

dessert

Castagnaccio (Chestnut)

Castagnaccio is made from chestnut flour, pine nut nuts and raisins.

Pear Timbale

It is a combination of pastry skin, soaked pear and whipped cream.

Zabaglione

Mix the egg yolks, sugar and masala wine with water until thickened into a frothy custard. Zabaione is known in France as "sabayon".

<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="232" > the influence of Italian cuisine</h1>

Italian cuisine has had a huge impact on the cuisine and diet of all of Europe, especially on France.

The Venetians of Italy were the first in Europe to use forks, while the Florentines invented various "rules", such as the order in which dishes should be served, which dishes should be paired together, which dishes should be paired with which drinks, and so on.

In addition, Italians were the first to introduce sweets, jams and preserves to Western culture.

Part of the reason Italian cuisine is so popular in the world is that Italians emigrated to North America, the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe.

Southern Italy is not wealthy, so many people move abroad for a better life. They bring pasta, pizza, ice cream and more to the rest of the world.

And these Italian cuisines quickly became popular, and thousands of Italian restaurants sprang up around the world.

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