Carbohydrates come in the form of pasta, rice (risotto), polenta, and pizza.
The main difference between Italian cuisine and for example traditional French cuisine is that products are usually prepared in such a manner as to preserve their ingredients' natural qualities, appearance, and taste. Cooking techniques are usually simple and preparation time relatively short (an exception to this are the braised dishes, such as ossobuco and risotto).
However, there is no such thing as Italian cuisine with a unique nation-wide tradition of preparing food. Italy was only unified in 1861 and the Italian cuisine still reflects the strong regional traditions. As a consequence, Italian cuisine is extremely varied with each region having its own (often locally grown) ingredients, traditional recipes and local specialities. See: regional culinary specialities of Italy.
The structure of a traditional Italian menu:
The structure of a traditional Italian menu is followed everywhere in Italy and consists of a(n):
1. antipasto (a cold or hot appetizers)
2. primo, which is usually the main source of carbohydrates of the meal. Usually this will be a plate of pasta prepared with a sauce, be it can also be a risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup, depending on the region and the type of restaurant.
3. secondo, the main dish, consists of fish, seafood or meat. If you wish you can ask for a contorno (a salad, vegetables, or potatoes) to be served together with or following your secondo, as the meat or fish of the main dish are usually served without accompanying vegetables or potatoes (except of course for those included in the recipe).
6. digestivi (liquors). Nearly every region has it's own liquor (limoncello, grappa, amaro) that is served after the meal and, as the name indicates, is supposed to facilitate digestion.
Italian cuisine (as it is cooked in Italy) combines the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet with a wide choice of seasonal ingredients and regional flavors. See traditional Italian cookbooks
It relies on fresh ingredients cooked on the spot and a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, and tasty seafood, fish, meat and olive oil.
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is a basic manual for cooks of every skill level. After introducing essential concepts od Italian cuisine, the author gives a very detailed tour of the most important ingredients in Italian cooking and presents recipes for some typical and traditional Italian dishes, such as polenta, risotto, squid braised with tomatoes and white wine, sautéed swiss chard with olive oil and garlic...
Includes a very large chapter on vegetables and separate chapters on Soups, Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi, Crespelle (Italian for crepes), Polenta, Frittate, Fish and Shellfish, Fowl and Rabbit, Veal, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Variety Meats, Salads, Desserts, Breads, and typical Italian menus.
A whole chapter is dedicated to information about herbs, spices, and cheeses used in Italian kitchens. More information>>
Giuliano Bugialli is one of the foremost teachers of Italy's revered cooking techniques with more than 20 years of teaching and cooking experience. His incomparable cookbook includes:
- Over 300 recipes from Tuscany and other regions of Italy
- Suggested dinner menus and wine recommendations
- Chapters on pasta, breads, sauces, antipasti, meat and fish, poultry, risotto, vegetables, and desserts
- Notes on olive oil, Italian herbs, and cheeses More information>>
First published in 1950 and revised over time, Italy's bestselling culinary "bible," Il Cucchiaio d'argento The Silver Spoon, is now available in English. The Silver Spoon boasts over 2,000 recipes and arrives in a handsome photo-illustrated edition.
The cookbook combines both traditional Italian recipes, and more contemporary Italian recipes influenced by other cuisines. It includes sauces and antipasti through cheese dishes and sweets, with many standout dishes like Genoese Pesto Minestrone, Eggplant and Ricotta Lasagna, Pork Shoulder with Prunes, and Chocolate and Pear Tart. More information>>
First published in 1891, Pellegrino Artusi's La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangier bene (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well) has come to be recognized as the most significant Italian cookbook of modern times and a landmark work in Italian culture.
The novelty for that time was that Artusi wrote a cookbook not not for professional chefs, as was the nineteenth-century custom, but for middle-class family cooks.
This English edition (Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well), first published by Marsilio Publishers in 1997) features a delightful introduction by Luigi Ballerini that traces the fascinating history of the book and explains its importance in the context of Italian history and politics. The illustrations are by the noted Italian artist Giuliano Della Casa. More information>>
Il Talismano (The Talisman Italian Cookbook) to Italians what Joy of Cooking is to Americans. Containing in simple and clear form the best recipes for all the foods that we associate with Italian cuisine, it covers all the regional variations of Italian cooking: Milanese, Bolognese, Venetian, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Veronese, and Florentine.
Appetizers, soups, pasta, seafood and meat preparations range from the traditional authentic recipes, like tuscan minestrone, homemade ravioli and Ossobuco to the simply elegant or the sublime, like Lobster alla Diavolo and Wild Duck with Lentils.
Italian desserts are explored in full: Almond Macaroons, Ricotta Pie, Zeppole, and Zuppa Inglese. There is also a glossary (complete with pronunciation guide) to Italian cooking terms. More information>>
