Italian cooking

Cooking Italian is a major global cooking. It is characterized by the variety of products used
and a great regional diversity. Land for excellence of cooking, Italy is the cradle of
Mediterranean and European cooking.

Italian Culture
Grouped under the name of Italian cuisine from all the regional cooking of the Italian
peninsula and two islands.

Bel Paese is a land of wines and cheeses varied, with many traditional productions of
exceptional quality (white truffle of Piedmont, Parmigiano Reggiano , Grana Padano ,
Prosciutto Parma, ...). Not to mention the olio of Olive (the olive oil, spread throughout the
boot of Tuscany to Sicily), which is the basis of Italian cooking; the Italians are the three
largest consumers of oil olive in the world with the Greeks and the Libyans.

The incomparable Italian coffee (cappuccino, espresso, longo) and the famous gelato (ice
cream) are part of this culinary art.

History
A legend would be it Marco Polo who had returned to the XIII century pasta from China. It’s
possible to imagine that the Romans did not wait the time to cook in hot water which is
initially a mixture of flour and water. This procedure was practiced in this country long before
them, perhaps before the invention of bread, whose manufacture is more elaborate and
requires kneading, resting time, and an oven for baking. The myth of Marco Polo who
brought back the pasta is completely imaginary. Maybe he brought new revenue, but it is
quite different.

The pizza has become one of the world's most famous dishes, often cited as a national dish by
many Native Americans.

The kitchen is an important part of the lifestyle of Italians, primarily reflecting the rural
culture, but more family tongue. A dish must be done properly, seriously, respecting
traditions. The parmesan grated, salt, pepper, lemon, olive oil are not permitted on any dish.
But, people drink wine more easily to suit your taste: white or red, with his dish of meat or
fish.

We do not like the exotic tastes strong, thick slices, red meat, but we appreciate the subtle
combination of tastes authentic, without excess, without unnecessary complexity.
Each region has its own specialties, but highlight compared to other countries, has many
common dishes typical prepared differently. As if to show that is primarily Italian, but that is
a member of a specific region. The recipes risotto, pizza, pasta are typical in the region but
prepared using ingredients and methods are often very different.

Typical menu
Un menu italien traditionnel se compose généralement de : A menu Italian traditional usually
consists of:

• Antipasto ( hors-d'œuvre ) ; Antipasto ( appetizers );

• Primo ( entrée chaude) : Primo ( coming hot):
o Pâtes ( pasta ) sous toutes leurs formes, longues (le standard est le spaghetti et
les tagliatelle , avec des dérivés de grosseur variable portant différents noms)
ou courtes (le standard est alors les penne ou le rigatoni ) ou plâtes (les
lasagne généralment cuites au four), ou même farcies (les raviolis ) ; Pasta
(pasta) in all its forms, long (the standard spaghetti and tagliatelle with
variable size derivatives bearing different names) or short (the standard is then
penne or rigatoni) or flat (the cooked lasagna generalmente oven), or even
stuffed (ravioli);
o Riz (cuisiné en risotto ) ; Rice (cooked in risotto );
o Gnocchi (petites boulettes de pomme de terre ou de semoule de blé) ; Gnocchi
(small dumplings of potato or semolina);
o Polenta (mets à base de maïs) ; Polenta (corn-based foods);
o Potages (différents types de pâtes, farcies ou non, cuites dans un bouillon), ou
soupe minestrone avec pâtes très courtes, ou riz, ou bien sans aucun des deux) ;
Soups (different types of pasta, stuffed or not cooked in broth), or minestrone
soup with very short pasta, or rice, or no one);
• Secondo (plat de résistance, de viande ou de poisson), servi avec ou non un contorno (
garniture de légumes, cuits ou en salade) ; Secondo (main dish, meat or fish), served
with or without a contorno ( garnish vegetables, cooked or in salads);
• Contorno ou Formaggio ( fromages ) ; Contorno or Formaggio ( cheese );
• Dolce ( dessert ) soit un gateau soit des fruits ( Frutta ) ou bien les deux ensemble (les
fruits en dernier) ; Dolce ( dessert ) or a cake or fruit (Frutta) or both together (the
fruit last);
• Caffè Espresso ( Expresso ) et/ou Liquore ( Liqueur ) comme la grappa , le amaro , le
limoncello . Caffe Espresso ( Espresso ) and / or liquor ( liquor ) such as grappa , the
amaro, limoncello.