Below is a list of some of the most popular Italian cheeses out there.

1. Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese)

Whenever we talk about Emilia-Romagna we instantly think of Parmigiano Reggiano aka the famous Parmesan cheese.

The first testimonies of Parmesan date back to 1254 and it is considered the king of Italian cheeses. Produced in Parma and Modena, Parmesan is hard, semi-fat, produced with unpasteurızed cow’s milk containing no additives, and goes through a slow aging process.

It has a fairly strong smell and aroma and is eaten in flakes or grated on various dishes. Commercially, it can be found in different varieties, characterized by maturations of 12, 24, or 30 months. However it can also be found seasoned for 36, 48, and 72 months.

Check out below a couple of our delicious parmesan-based recipes:

• Risotto Cacio e Pepe
• Herb & Parmesan Crusted Lamb Racks

2. Mozzarella

The fruit of an ancient history, dating back to the Middle Ages in southern Italy, Mozzarella’s taste and refinement has conquered the world. The queen of the table, it is among the most exported and loved Italian cheeses.

With a simple and delicate taste, mozzarella is produced with pasteurized cow’s milk to which lactic ferments and rennet are added. White in color, smooth on the outside, typically round in shape, soft and elastic, in order for it to be truly original, you can break it with your hands and it must tear a little whey.

In the kitchen its uses are endless. In addition to being a fundamental topping for pizza, it is eaten in its natural state, dressed with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or in a salad with anchovies and basil.

It also accompanies many baked dishes or typical Italian dishes such as melanzane alla parmigiana or mozzarella in carrozza.

Mozzarella can also be made with buffalo milk and it’s know locally as mozzarella di bufala. Buffalo mozzarella is rich, creamy and simply delicious, though it comes with a higher fat content.

Check out below a couple of our mozzarella-based recipes:

• Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Buffalo Mozzarella
• Caprese Salad

3. Fontina

Among its DOP cheeses (i.e. “Denominazione di Origine Protetta”, which means Protected Designation of Origin), the Aosta Valley boasts the famous Fontina.

The history of this famous Italian cheese dates back to the 1200s and its name most probably comes from the family De Funtina, which is frequently mentioned in ancient documents from the Aosta Valley. But there are also other stories that suggest the name comes from the tiny village of Fontinaz, or from the word fontis, referring to how the cheese melts when heated.

Fontina is made with whole cow’s milk from a single milking, which is mixed with water and salt. Once semi-cooked, the cheese becomes soft, elastic, and sweet. The cheese is then matured for 80 days.

It is excellent eaten as it is or melted in a pan, in gnocchi, on steak, or added to soups, stuffings, and salads for extra flavor. Fontina goes very well with a full-bodied red wine.

4. Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is a DOP cheese which has happily crossed national borders, and is a blue cheese par excellence representing Lombardy.

Originating in the city of Gorgonzola, a 40-minute drive east from Milan, this ancient Italian cheese was first mentioned around the year 1000, though some claim it was made as early as 879 AD. Gorgonzola got its particular characteristics due to the aging technique as it was placed in natural caves where falling spores created mold.

Gorgonzola comes in two varieties. Spicy gorgonzola, made with penicillium roqueforti, has a very persistent flavor and is instantly recognizable from its aroma of porcini mushroom, fermented herbs, and cooked butter.

Sweet gorgonzola, made with penicillium glaucum, is the most common type of gorgonzola and is softer and more delicate in flavor than the spicy gorgonzola. Check out below a couple of our gorgonzola-based recipes:

• Beetroot Risotto and Gorgonzola

5. Pecorino Romano

In Lazio you can find the unmistakable Pecorino Romano, one of the oldest Italian cheeses. Pecorino Romano was the staple food for the Roman army and is still produced following the same ancient recipe.

It is a hard, cooked cheese, produced with fresh sheep’s milk, and is characterized by a strong aromatic flavor. It has a cylindrical shape with flat faces and differs from the equally well known Sardinian Pecorino due to its salting and aging period.

Pecorino Romano, not to be confused with American Romano cheese, is super delicious, easy to digest, with a long shelf life, and can be enjoyed on its own or with broad beans, fruit and honey, but above all, with traditional Roman first courses such as spaghetti alla carbonara or cacio e pepe.

6. Provolone

Campania is famous for mozzarella di bufala (i.e. buffalo mozzarella), but it is also famous for Provolone del Monaco DOP. Its name comes from the cloaks worn by those transporting it from mountain dairies to the markets of Naples, their cloaks sheltering them from the chilly night winds blown from the sea.

Provolone is a semi-hard cheese made from cow’s milk. It is an elastic and compact cream-colored cheese with yellow shades and a semi-oval and elongated shape. At medium maturity, Provolone is sweet and buttery. As it ages, Provolone becomes spicier and has a strong flavor, but is always very tasty.

7. Burrata

Apulia is known as the region of Burrata, one of the two IGP cheeses of Italy. IGP stands for Protected Geographic Origin, which means that at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation must take place in the area of designation.

Burrata is an Italian cheese produced with cow’s milk and obtained from a fusion of cream and mozzarella strips.

According to various sources, it was invented by local cheesemaker Lorenzo Bianchino Chieppa from Andria in the 1920s. Legend has it that in the 1920s, due to heavy snowfall preventing milk from being brought into the city, Bianchino was forced to transform the milk into cream and later evolved into the creamy cheese that burrata is today.

This is why Burrata has the taste of fresh cream and butter. It is very sweet, pleasant and has no salt. It is a simple cheese, fresh and has an irresistible taste.

8. Mascarpone

If you love Italian desserts, then you’re definitely a big fan of mascarpone. It is a soft Italian cheese originally produced in Lombardy. Its name comes from the word “mascherpa”, which refers to the cream of milk.

However, another theory is that the word comes from an expression used by a Spanish nobleman who, in the thirteenth century, was so ecstatic about the taste of mascarpone, he exclaimed it is “mas que bueno“, which translates to “more than good“.

Mascarpone is a creamy and dense cheese, resulting from the process of acidifying cream. Its color varies from snow white to light yellow and it has a sweet and buttery taste.

It is an excellent base for many desserts, including the very well-known Tiramisù.

9. Puzzone of Moena

This cheese is a symbol of Trentino and is famous for its characteristic strong and intense smell, which is improperly called stinky (puzzone).

Puzzone di Moena DOP is a whole unpasteurized cow’s milk cheese of which there are three types: traditional, aged, and malga, the latter being the most prized one.

Provolone is a delicate and elastic cheese with a flavor of fermented herbs. It is so distinctive that it deserves to be eaten on its own, in a sandwich or perhaps with a glass of red wine.

Provolone can also be enjoyed in the typical dishes of the region such as polenta or gnocchi, or melted on toast.

10. Asiago

In the Asiago Plateau, between the provinces of Veneto and Trentino, cheese has been produced since the year 1000. There was only sheep farming back then, with cattle farming being introduced in the 15-16 century. But bovine milk was used for cheesemaking only starting the 19th century so Asiago cheese, in its current form, is a rather young cheese by Italian standards.

Extremely green pastures, fresh and healthy air, pure water, and a mild climate: these fundamental elements allow the local cows to produce a unique milk which is used to create asiago cheese.

Asiago is a semi-cooked cow’s milk cheese that can be consumed either fresh or aged and has a sweet and soft taste. It is eaten alone or accompanied by a slice of warm bread and a glass of white or red wine. It can also be added to risottos and polenta, melted with sausage, or grated on pasta.

11. Montasio

This is typical of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and of a part of Veneto, and has a rich flavor that brings together all the history and traditions of the pastures of the Alps.

Production of Montasio is ancient, going back as far as the 13 century. The Benedictine monks of the valleys of the Carnic and Julian Alps produced the cheese to preserve milk and help reduce food shortages during long, harsh winters.

In time, they refined their techniques and the cheese, made only from locally produced cow’s milk, acquired a unique and rich taste.

It is a cylindrical-shaped cheese that can be aged in different ways. In the kitchen, it is perfect grated on pasta dishes or asparagus, used for the typical Friulian dish frico, in risottos, in desserts, or combined with dried fruit or pears.

Montasio cheese goes well with dry and aromatic wines.

12. Castelmagno

This is a very old Italian cheese from the province of Cuneo in Piedmont. It has a semi-hard texture, is pretty high in fat, and is slightly blue-veined.

Nutritious and tasty, Castelmagno is produced with whole or partially skimmed unpasteurized milk, mainly cow’s but with a percentage of sheep’s and/or goat’s milk of medium aging.

Castelmagno has a fine, delicate flavor when fresh, becoming savory and spicy as it ripens

Castelmagno has a cylindrical shape with flat sides. The cheese is white and the rind is thin and yellow when young; as it ages, it becomes thicker, wrinkled, and darker in color. Castelmagno has a fine, delicate flavor when fresh, becoming savory and spicy as it ripens.

It is excellent eaten on its own, spread on toast as an appetizer or aperitif, combined with vegetables, added to soufflés, or for seasoning gnocchi, risottos, tortelloni, and savory pies.

It goes perfectly with a full-bodied red wine, preferably Piedmontese.

13. Bitto

Bitto originated in the Orobic Valleys and the alpine pastures and it’s the result of some very favorable geographical circumstances like humidity and temperature, but also the dexterity of local cheesemakers. The production area of Bitto DOP includes the province of Sondrio and municipalities of the upper Val Brembana in Lombardy.

Bitto is produced in the summer in 12 authorized mountain pastures, from whole unpasteurızed cow’s milk from Bruno Alpina cows. It has a flavor rich in herbaceous aromas and its flavor improves with time. A type of Bitto cheese can be preserved for over 10 years. Its name derives from the Celtic word bitu, which meant perennial.

It is recommended you taste it on its own, accompanied by a glass of still, full-bodied red wine.

14. Taleggio

Originally from the Taleggio Valley, from which it takes its name, between Lecco and Bergamo in Lombardy, Taleggio is a square, semi-soft cheese made of cow’s milk and has a soft crust and a sweet, slightly aromatic taste.

Taleggio cheese has been produced since the High Middle Ages, when it was important to preserve excess milk and was stored in the valley’s caves.

Taleggio melts perfectly, making it suitable for first courses, risottos in particular. It goes very well with pumpkin, radicchio, and mushrooms and is excellent in quiches, flans, and pies. It goes well with polenta and baked pasta dishes and it is perfect for fondue. It is also delicious on its own.

15. Squacquerone

Squacquerone is a fresh, creamy cheese made of pasteurized whole cow’s milk. It is native to Romagna. This excellent cheese is similar to the more common stracchino, which has become well known and loved because it is a fundamental ingredient of a local delicacy: piadina.

White in color, easy to spread, it has rural medieval origins. It is produced all year round; however, only in a few authorized dairies. Its unique and delicate taste expresses all the essence of the region to which it belongs.

Squacquerone derives from the Romagnolo dialect squacquerare (meaning to melt), evidently chosen due to its soft and creamy consistency.

16. Raviggiolo

Typical of the Apennines of Tuscany and Emilia Romagna, Raviggiolo is a soft fresh cheese produced with whole cow’s milk. It has a history of almost five hundred years and over that time, it has become an integral part of local culinary traditions.

It comes in a small and circular shape. As it is fresh, it is perishes quickly and should only be kept for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Soft and consistent, it is excellent eaten alone or matched with fresh pasta, savory cakes, or desserts, and maybe with a good still white wine.

17. Formaggio di Fossa

Should you visit the Marches region, you have to taste the Formaggio di Fossa di Sogliano DOP, though it is, in reality, shared with Emilia Romagna.

Pits here were used to store food and then to protect the cheese from sieges and epidemics. The peculiar characteristic that makes it famous is therefore the environment in which the maturation process takes place.

Its color varies from white to straw yellow, its taste is initially delicate and sweet and then becomes more spicy and bitter.

Formaggio di Fossa is a passepartout in the kitchen: perfect for many recipes, from appetizers to desserts.

18. Caciocavallo

In Molise there is Caciocavallo, which orıgınated at the time of Magna Graecia but is now found throughout the South of Italy. It is a fat cheese, non-skimmed, with different maturations: young, medium, or aged. It has a pear shape with a small head, and hangs from a beam to dry (hence the name).

It is sweet and quite aromatic, and is very eclectic in the kitchen. Raw or cooked, it can be used in any recipe, even those that are very quick. It can be grilled, sliced for salads, combined with vegetables or pan-fried.

19. Canestrato

The DOP cheese of excellence in Apulia is the Canestrato. It is mainly produced in the provinces of Foggia and Bari, in places ranging from 250 to 700 meters above sea level.

This full fat cheese made with sheep’s milk is a hard cheese of medium or long aging. It has a homogeneous surface but is crossed with streaks left by the rush baskets used to produce it. This technique is also mentioned in the Odyssey when Ulysses meets the giant Polyphemus.

Eclectic in the kitchen, it can be eaten alone or grated over fruit, vegetables, grilled meat, pasta with meat sauce or soups. And, depending on the seasoning, it goes well with more or less full-bodied white wines. 

20. Scamorza

Originating in the South of Italy (especially Abruzzo, Molise, Basilicata and Campania), scamorza is a very short seasoning cheese usually prepared with a mix of cow’s and goat’s milk, but some varieties are produced solely with cow’s milk.

The name scamorza refers to the work of the dairyworkers who will scamozza (remove) the curd with their hands to give it the characteristic pear shape, with the head choked by a thread of straw.

It is a spun and semi-hard white cheese, dense but elastic at the same time. It can be found fresh with a thin, straw-yellow rind or smoked, brown in color and more compact.

It has a very delicate taste and is excellent for enriching salads, in baked preparations, or sliced and grilled, ideal for filling a large number of dishes, especially the recipes of the national tradition and in particular those of the South.

21. Fiore Sardo

In Sardinia there is Fiore Sardo DOP, a very ancient cheese dating back to the Nuragic period, and is the main cheese of the region. The name derives from pischeddas, the perforated molds made of chestnut wood, used to give it the shape, on the bottom of which was carved a flower.

It is the only DOP sheep’s cheese in which the milk is purely and exclusively unpasteurized. It has a thin, dark-colored crust, while the cheese varies between white and straw yellow.

It is grainy, with a very intense and slightly spicy flavor; it is very digestible and can also be smoked.

22. Grana Padano

Grana Padano is an Italian cheese very similar to parmesan and made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. It has a long tradition and it’s one of the best selling traditional Italian cheeses.

Grana Padano is made with much less strict grading policies than Parmesan, meaning it is more readily available and often less expensive.

Grana Padano is mild in flavor, but that doesn’t stop it from having an intense odor. Grana grates easily and it has a crumbly texture, but it can turn into melting goodness, forming a fatty, rich crust.

Notable Mention – Ricotta

Ricotta is often labeled as cheese outside Italy, but Ricotta is technically not a cheese, but a dairy by-product. It is made from whey —that is, the watery liquid that remains after cow, sheep or goat cheese is made.

Related: Most Popular Italian Sausages & Cured Meats

Related: Most Popular Italian Snacks

The post Top 22 Most Popular Italian Cheese Types appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Are you curious and craving something sweet?

Follow us as we take you on an irresistible journey through the nation’s confectionery tradition and history, discovering the 20 most popular and appetizing Italian desserts you absolutely have to get to know and taste.

1. Tiramisù

Among the most popular and appreciated desserts all over Italy, and the rest of the world, it has a unique and characteristic name: tiramisù. The symbol of Italian pastry, with origins from Veneto, is a delicious restorative made of egg yolk, sugar, and coffee, and with possible aphrodisiac qualities.

The recipe includes a layer of biscuits, Savoiardi (typical of the area and with a crumbly consistency), soaked in coffee and Marsala (liqueur wine) and covered with a cream of mascarpone, egg yolks, and sugar, completed with a sprinkling of cocoa.

The original recipe comes in a round shape although it is easier to find it in a rectangular or square version because it follows the line of the cookies better, or in a glass.

2. Panettone

And now I present to you the king of leavened doughs: panettone. The typical dessert of Milan was born from Christmas gastronomic traditions, and now widely spread throughout Italy and exported to many other countries in the world.

It is obtained by a leavened dough made of water, flour, butter, and egg yolks, to which are added candied fruit and raisins. It has a difficult preparation to make and requires a lot of manual ability and patience because of the long leavening time.

Until 1900 there were many bakers and pastry chefs who made panettone, but today industrial production has established itself, while in Milan, there are still many artisans who produce this cake according to the traditional recipe. Its origins are legend and are lost in different versions. It seems certain, however, that the name is linked to its inventor, Toni (Panettone, Pan del Toni – Bread of the Toni).

3. Cannoli Siciliani

A real celebrity among the most renowned specialties of Italian regional pastry and Sicilian cuisine is cannoli. These desserts are not only the most appreciated and popular traditional Sicilian dessert in Italy, but also all over the world.

They are crispy waffles of fried pasta, called scorcia, shaped like a tube, filled with soft cream of fresh sheep ricotta cheese. The final decoration in addition to powdered sugar, varies, you can find pieces of candied fruit or dried, such as pistachio, or chocolate drops.

Some sources report that the dessert was invented by the cloistered nuns of a convent in Caltanissetta. However, cannoli owe part of their fame to the pastry chefs from Palermo who perfected the recipe.

4. Torrone (Nougat)

From ancient and mysterious origins, the legend attributes the birthplace of the first traditional torrone to Cremona. The dessert, typical of the Christmas period, based on almonds and honey, was prepared by the court cooks for the wedding between Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza in 1441. The name was a reference to the city tower, the Torrazzo.

Nowadays there are all kinds of nougat: hard, soft, with hazelnuts, pistachios, or covered with chocolate and it is present in the Italian culinary tradition of almost all regions. Not only that, torrone has also traveled around the world, although in variants often different from the original recipe, and has managed to unite traditions, sometimes very different from each other, everywhere around the globe. 

5. Crostata

The typical Italian tart, a national pride, the classic timeless grandmother’s cake, very ancient but timeless, truly known by everyone. Its origins are lost in the myth and are intertwined with the figure of the siren Partenope.

A delight composed of a shortcrust pastry base that can be stuffed with jam, custard, chocolate or fresh fruit and finished with the addition of thin strips of crisscrossed shortcrust pastry.

6. Torta Caprese

Soft and crispy at the same time, this cake was born on the island of Capri, as its name reminds us. It was invented more than a hundred years ago, in error, and immediately became famous throughout Campania and then in the entire nation. 

The recipe is very simple and consists of four ingredients: almonds, cocoa, eggs, butter, and sugar. It is one of the few classic Italian cakes without flour, which according to legend, was the mistake.

7. Cantucci

Cantucci are almond cookies with a dry consistency and an elongated shape, obtained from the oblique slices of a loaf of dough cut while still warm. They are among the most typical desserts of Tuscan gastronomy.

Related: Best Italian Christmas Cookies

The classic recipe comes from the hands of the pastry chef of the city of Prato, Antonio Mattei, even if their oldest origin belongs to the custom of the poorest peasant families. It matches perfectly with vin Santo (typical Tuscan liqueur wine), in which they can also be immersed to soften them.

8. Pastiera Napoletana

The Pastiera napoletana has always been the traditional dessert of Naples. Known all over the world, it is made with a pastry shell filled with creamy sheep’s ricotta, sugar, eggs, cooked wheat, candied fruit, and spices.

The origins of this dessert are very ancient and are linked to spring and rebirth. Legend has it that the wives of some Neapolitan fishermen left the necessary ingredients for the pastiera as an offering to the Gulf to return their husbands alive. The next morning, back on the beach, they noticed that during the night the ingredients had been mixed and in their baskets they found the pastiera, and their men returning from the sea.

9. Bonèt

Bonèt is a traditional spoon dessert from the Langhe of Piedmont. It has very ancient origins, being consumed at noble banquest back in the 13th century. This dessert, prepared with the same technique as crème caramel, is made with amaretti, eggs, sugar, and, in its original version, cocoa and rum. Today there are many variants with hazelnuts, cognac, and coffee.

Bonèt in Piedmontese dialect means hat. The name derives from the copper mold in which it was cooked, or from the chef’s hat. The peculiarity of this recipe is that it is cooked in a bain-marie oven, a traditional, slow, and natural cooking technique that makes the bonèt soft and delicious.

10. Babà

The babà recipe dates back to the 1700s and King Stanislaus of Poland, who, exiled to France, delighted in pastry cooking out of boredom. He was fascinated by the protagonist of the story The Thousand and One Nights, Ali Babà, and dedicated his culinary experiment to him.

It is a slightly sweet dough leavened twice and cooked in molds. It was then worked with raisins and spices and dipped in rum and a lemon syrup to make it less dry, by the French court pastry chef Sthorer, who distributed it to all Parisian pastry shops.

Finally, it was perfected as a dessert in the city of Naples. The spices disappeared and the raisins were given the typical shape, reminiscent of a mushroom. It was such a huge success that it became the symbol of Neapolitan pastry all over the world. The size of the babàs varies from seven to fifteen centimeters; they are usually served with whipped cream, custard or fresh fruit.

11. Torta Barozzi

This dessert typical of Emilian cuisine is Torta Barozzi (Barozzi cake). It was conceived in Vignola, in the province of Modena, by Eugenio Gollini, a local pastry chef, at the end of 1800, calling it black cake. In a short time the cake became a symbol of Vignola and, in 1907, for the anniversary of the death of Jacopo Barozzi (one of the major exponents of Mannerism, citizen of Vignola), it was renamed Torta Barozzi.

It’s a dessert made of dark chocolate and butter, roasted peanuts, sugar, eggs, coffee, and rum. Simple ingredients and a preparation that creates a unique combination.

12. Panna Cotta

Originally from Piedmont, panna cotta was born at the beginning of the 1900s. The story goes that it is a work by the hands of chef Ettore Songia, from Cuneo, but this is not a definite fact.

It is a delectable pudding obtained from the union of cream and sugar, flavored with vanilla, hardened with isinglass, and placed in the refrigerator to firm up. Widespread throughout Italy, it has a delicate and refined taste and is served with different sauces: chocolate, berries, or caramel.

13. Canestrelli

Canestrelli are simple, crumbly cookies, shaped like a flower and covered with vanilla sugar. Originating from Liguria, they are delicious popular sweets, made with short pastry, which date back to the Middle Ages with the name of nebule. They were prepared for ceremonies and celebrations, such as weddings and religious feasts.

14. Torta Sbrisolona

This cake is originally from the city of Mantua, is linked to peasant traditions, and whose recipe dates back to before the 1600s, when it arrived at the court of the Gonzaga. The name derives from brìsa, which in Mantua means crumb, the crumb obtained from the dough of corn flour, butter, lard, and almonds.

Related: Most Popular Italian Pies & Cakes

An unmistakable characteristic of this dessert is its consistency, dry and crunchy, and it differs from other preparations in how it is prepared and how it is served. This cake is not cut but is broken by hand. Moreover, it is a tradition to eat the cake by bathing it with grappa, or accompanied by a liqueur wine such as Malvasia, Vin Santo or Passito di Pantelleria.

15. Seadas

Let’s go to Sardinia to taste the delicious seadas. The recipe for these sweets, the best known and loved of the pastoral tradition of the region, is linked to the harsh and internal areas of Barbagia, Ogliastra, Gallura, and Logudoro.

It seems that the seadas were prepared during festivities when the shepherds, upon returning with their flocks, were preparing to make fresh cheese, which was then used for the filling.

In fact, these are fritters made with wheat semolina and lard stuffed with fresh Sardinian pecorino cheese and lemon zest. As soon as they are cooked, they are sprinkled with sugar. But the best thing to do is to dip them in liquid honey. The contrast between the sweetness of honey and the saltiness of the pecorino cheese makes seadas a very special tasting dessert.

16. Zuccotto

Its helmet shape is as unmistakable as its taste and fame: zuccotto is a typical Florentine dessert. It is a semifreddo, a dome of sponge cake soaked in Alchermes and filled with a creamy filling of ricotta and cream, cocoa, chocolate drops, and candied fruit.

A dessert invented by the architect Bernardo Buontalenti, who was passionate about cooking, for a Medici family banquet, one of the most famous and important dynasties in the history of Italy.

17. Maritozzo

The maritozzi are leavened sweet sandwiches typical of Roman pastry. They are eaten mainly at breakfast, with a good coffee.

They are a dough leavened with flour, eggs, honey, butter, and salt, enriched with raisins, pine nuts, and candied orange peel. Freshly baked, they are glazed with a syrup of water and sugar and, once cooled, they are cut in half and stuffed with whipped cream or ice cream.

The name is a derogatory derivation of marito (husband).

18. Baci di Dama

The most romantic dessert in the whole country, i baci di dama (the kisses of ladies) is two small spherical cookies joined in the middle by a thin layer of chocolate, like two mouths touching.

It is a product of the best pastry shops in Piedmont that represent an excellence of the territory. An ancient recipe, dating back to the 1800s, in which the protagonists are hazelnuts (a product excellence of the region) or almonds, butter, sugar, egg yolk, flour, and dark chocolate, skilfully mixed together.

19. Pasticciotto

Pride of Salento, the pasticciotto is a very soft dessert of shortcrust pastry, prepared with lard, very soft, filled with custard, and baked in the oven. It was born in Galatina in 1745 by Andrea Ascalone, a pastry chef from Salento and was destined to enter the top list of delicacies of the Puglia region.

The story goes that Ascalone spent his days experimenting with new recipes. Once he decided to mix the dough and cream left over from a cake to make a much smaller one. The result, however, was a very improvised cake, a mess. He decided to give it as a present, still warm, to a passer-by, who was amazed by so such goodness.

20. Gelato (Ice Cream)

Let’s finish this mouth-watering sweet journey with gelato, the most famous and loved Italian dessert in the world. A specialty born in Florence in 1500 by the wise hands of the previously mentioned Bernardo Buontalenti, who created a preparation made of milk, sugar, eggs, and honey.

The presence of whole egg created a creamy and consistent mixture, which is the origin of ice cream. To be tasted in its infinite flavors while walking, as a fresh snack, or at the end of a meal, it is a rich goodness that is more than a tradition – it is has become an art.

Related: 25 Most Popular Italian Foods
Related: Most Popular French Desserts

Related: Most Popular Italian Easter Foods

The post Top 20 Most Popular Italian Desserts appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

In Italy, for many, they are synonymous with comfort food, pure taste, or convivial occasions to make some moments very special. To prepare excellent homemade pies and cakes you don’t need to be a professional, but there are three basic tricks to guarantee success: a little love, patience, and the right ingredients.

Let’s discover the 15 most popular Italian pies and cakes to make other countries envious.

1. Torta Caprese

Capri, Sorrento, and Amalfi are the three cities of Campania that boast the birthplace of the Caprese cake, one of the most famous desserts in Italy. It was born in 1920 from a mistake by the Capri chef Carmine di Fiore who, during the preparation, forgot some of the ingredients!

There is no yeast or flour in this dessert, only dark chocolate, butter, eggs, and almonds. It is soft inside and crunchy outside. Loved by Neapolitan and national pastry.

2. Torta Della Nonna (Grandma’s Cake)

Torta della nonna (grandma’s cake) is another pillar of Italian confectionery, loved by all for its goodness. It reminds Italians of their childhood, but despite the name, it was not actually invented by a grandmother…

It was born in Tuscany, from the hands of a Florentine chef, Guido Samorino, as a result of a bet made with his customers. The chef was challenged to prepare a dessert that could surprise them. And so he did, not with some elaborate creation, rather with a cake made from simple ingredients. It was a huge success, gaining Samorino fame around the entire nation.

It is a pie with two layers of short pastry filled with delicious custard, covered with pine nuts and powdered sugar. Over the years numerous variations have appeared, but they all have one thing in common: the flavor of home.

3. Torta Pasqualina (Easter Pie)

As the name implies, the Pasqualina cake is a traditional Italian Easter recipe. It has ancient origins, first mentioned in a catalog from the 16th century. It is a specialty of Liguria, though it has now crossed regional borders and is found elsewhere.

The original recipe specifies 33 thin layers of pastry, symbolizing the age of Jesus Christ. The filling includes prescinseua, which is a soft cheese typical of the area (a mixture of yogurt and ricotta), chard, marjoram, and boiled eggs.

Pasqualina cake is a rich and appetizing dish, which is also a sign of rebirth.

4. Torta Baciocca

This rustic pie made from potatoes and onions, known as baciocca, is an ancient recipe typical of the Ligurian Apennines. According to tradition it is baked on a layer of chestnut leaves and is made from a few humble ingredients.

Its origins are controversial; it seems to be a border dish, the recipe for which was handed down orally over generations. Today this savory pie is widespread in the hinterland of Genova Levante, in the upper Val di Vara and in the Val di Taro. Here in particular it has become a cult dish.

It consists mainly of boiled potatoes, onions, butter, and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. The name derives from the dough in which it is wrapped, which is a thin and light layer of pastry made of flour, water, and extra virgin olive oil, which is called crazy, baciocco.

5. Torta al Testo

Torta al testo is an Umbria dish which fully represents the gastronomic tradition of the region. Its origins date back to ancient times, when it was consumed by Roman soldiers.

It is a savory pie, like focaccia, round and flat. In order to make it, water, oil, and flour, and a pinch of salt and baking soda, are kneaded together to make a dough, which is then cooked on a cast iron plate, called a testo. This special way of cooking makes it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Torta al testo is usually stuffed with cold cuts, the classic being ham, or with porchetta, roast sausage, or vegetables.

Simple but very tasty, it is loved by adults and children alike.

6. Erbazzone

Erbazzone is a rustic savory pie from Emilia Romagna, made with chard and/or spinach, garlic, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, enclosed between two layers of puff pastry and covered with pieces of lard or bacon.

Of humble origins, it seems that erbazzone dates back to the times of ancient Romans who prepared it using leftovers.

It is a classic traditional dish, which is also served at breakfast. It is well known not only throughout Italy but internationally as well.

7. Torta di San Pietro

Torta di San Pietro (Saint Peter’s Cake) is a savory cake typically from Val di Susa in Piedmont, where it is now known throughout the region. It originated from an ancient custom: on June 29, the devout inhabitants of the hamlet of Bardonecchia would fire up the village oven and bake the dish to celebrate the Holy Apostle.

It consists of a purée of potatoes, dried chestnuts, and broad beans, enclosed in a shell of rye bread dough, buttered and scented with rosemary.

8. Torta di Mandorle (Almond Cake)

Another typical Italian delicacy is the torta di mandorle. A symbol of Varzi, a municipality of Pavia, Lombardy, this delicious cake has even achieved notoriety outside the country. As far back as the 1600s, the lords of the city, the Conti Malaspina, served it on their tables.

The cake features one key local ingredient: almonds. Add butter, sugar, potato starch, eggs, and a lemon peel, and here you have this exquisite pie.

9. Scacciata

The typical savory pie of Catania in Sicily is the scacciata, a sort of stuffed pizza.

Of peasant origins, it was born at the end of the 17th Century, and it was common to fill it with whatever humble foods were available.

It features a thin and slightly crunchy dough, made of water, semolina flour, oil, brewer’s yeast, and tomato, which can be stuffed in many ways.

The most common recipe uses tuma (a typical Sicilian cheese), anchovies, and olives, but scacciata are also frequently filled with aubergines, spinach, sausage, and potatoes.

10. Torta Mimosa

Soft sponge cake, custard, and a splash of liqueur: these are the basic ingredients to make the mimosa cake.

This Italian classic was invented in the 1950s by Adelmo Renzi, a pastry chef from Rieti in the Lazio region. The creative cook decided to pay homage to the coat of arms of the Ligurian city Sanremo, with a flower-themed dessert during a culinary contest.

He then created mimosas with sponge cake balls. A success of taste and aesthetics that decreed him the winner of the competition, and the dessert subsequently travelled around the world.

11. Torta Rustica

Torta Rustica is a delicious savory pie from Puglia with ancient origins. It consists of a base of pasta and is filled with cooked ham, fresh Apulian cheese, caciocavallo, ricotta, mozzarella, and eggs.

It can be enjoyed as leftovers the following day, either warm or cold. Always tasty and appetizing, it is ideal as an appetizer, snack, or main course.

12. Smacafam

A rustic and hearty savory pie that belongs to the culinary tradition of Trentino Alto Adige. The name means “hunger pusher” and it is the perfect dish to satiate any stomach.

Smacafam began as a typical homemade recipe. Its origins are probably linked to the same discovery of Trentino sausage, which took place in the Middle Ages and became established between the 14th and 15th centuries.

It is soft focaccia, made with oil, milk, flour, butter, and salt, and filled with pieces of sausage, slices of onion, and bacon. It can be eaten alone or as an accompaniment to vegetables, cold cuts, or cheese. Reheated the following day, it tastes even better.

13. Tortano Napoletano

Tortano Napoletano is a rich and hearty savory pie that comes directly from Campania. It is a rustic dish, typical of the Neapolitan tradition, originally prepared from leftovers. The taste is truly exceptional.

Featuring a rustic and leavened bread dough prepared with lard, it is shaped like a braided crown and is enriched with bacon cubes and pepper. It is also ideal to accompany cold cuts and cheese.

14. Torta Tenerina

Torta Tenerina is a romantic chocolate cake that delights lovers and satisfies all tastes. An appetizing sweet that originated in Ferrara, Emilia Romagna, it is one of the classic Italian cakes that tastes great and is easy to prepare.

It features a mixture of dark chocolate, eggs, sugar, and flour. Once baked, torta Tenerina comes with a crispy outer crust and, inside, a soft and creamy irresistible heart. For these qualities, it was nicknamed torta taclenta which, in Ferrarese dialect, means “sticky cake”, in reference to the consistency of the interior.

It was created when the second queen of Italy Elena, Petrovich del Mentenegro, ascended to the throne with her husband, Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy. According to the chronicles of the time, the two were very much in love and theirs was a very happy marriage. What better way to celebrate than with a cake?

15. Torta Margherita

Here we have a classic typical festive dessert present throughout Italy, from north to south, much loved by children. Its name derives from the shape of daisy that it assumes when it is cut into slices, with each sugar-dusted slice respresenting a petal.

Torta Margherita is a cake of the peasants, made from a few ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, and starch. It is a type of sponge cake, perfect for dunking or simply stuffing at will!

In ancient times, Italian families used to exchange a daisy cake at parties or other social engagements. The meaning of the gesture was mutual praise of feelings and virtues.

Today the recipe requires the addition of yeast and butter. The secret of its goodness is its softness, a precious treasure to be consumed by the family at breakfast or as a snack.

Check out more articles the amazing Italian cuisine:

• Most Popular Italian Foods
• Most Popular Italian Christmas Foods
• Most Popular Italian Cheeses
• Most Popular Italian Sauces
• Best Italian Cookbooks
• Best Italian Christmas Cookies
• Most Popular Italian Desserts

The post 15 Most Popular Italian Pies & Cakes appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

So, what do Italians do at Christmas?

The first rule that unites the entire peninsula is to fast on December 24 (veggie pasta and fish are commonly eaten). In the South, they usually celebrate with Christmas Eve dinner, while in the north, Christmas lunch is a must. And what about the food?

Taking in curiosities and traditions, let’s now go on a culinary journey across the country to discover Italian Christmas foods.

1. Tortellini and Cappelletti in Broth

Homemade pasta, filled with meat or vegetables and cheese, triumphs on tables practically all over Italy. Tortelli and passatelli, anolini in broth and lasagna are the main dishes of Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Liguria, Marche, Veneto, Umbria, Lazio and Campania.

Or the agnolotti del plin, from Piedmont, which are small ravioli with thin pasta, usually stuffed with meat and served with gravy.

2. Canederli

The must of the every table in Trentino Alto Adige at Christmas lunch: the canederli. They are large ball-shaped dumplings prepared with stale bread cut into cubes and mixed with eggs and milk. Flavored with chives, onion, speck, and local cheese. They are cooked in broth or sautéed with melted butter.

3. Minestra Maritata

In Naples, the main dish at Christmas lunch is maritata soup. Maritata means “married”, so-called because it indicates a variety of elements that blend perfectly with each other.

Seasonal vegetables including savoy cabbage, escarole, and borage, are boiled and then transferred to the meat broth. Some versions include the addition of a few pieces of chicken and sausage to give even more substance and flavor.

4. Cappon Magro

A triumph of Ligurian cuisine and ingenuity is the cappon magro, which combines products from the earth (vegetables) with those from the sea (fish and crustaceans) in a marriage of taste and color.

This dish was born on the boats of sailors and in the kitchens of the nobles, where it was eaten by those who went to sea or by those who worked for the important Genoese families. It was once considered a poor dish, today is a long and refined preparation.

5. Malloreddus

Let’s go to Sardinia to celebrate Christmas with the traditional malloreddus, small semolina dumplings, very rough to the touch, shaped like a shell, of various lengths and widths, topped with different sauces.

The name of this dish derives from the term malloru, which in Sardinian means “bull”, therefore malloreddus means “little calf”. In the imagination of the shepherds, this type of pasta reminded them of the shape of a veal, with its particular potbellied shape.

For more Sardinian delights, check out our story on the most popular Sardinian foods.

6. Zuppa Valpellinentze

Among the starters, the soup alla valpellinentze holds the title of the Typical Christmas Dish of the Aosta Valley. An age old recipe, it comprises a beef broth, flavored with pepper and nutmeg, then poured into a bowl that contains bread, blanched cabbage leaves, and fontina cheese, baked in the oven.

7. Pettole

Pettole is a typical Christmas dish in Apulia, originating from Taranto. Legend has it that during the night of Santa Cecilia a woman, distracted by the music of the bagpipers, made the bread rise for too long. When she realized that the dough was unusable for baking, she turned it into balls and dipped them in boiling-hot oil. So the pettole were born with their typical golden glaze.

8. Pizza Scarola

Unmissable in the Campania region as a Christmas starter par excellence, the pizza scarola is a delicious variation of the classic pizza. On top of its dough, it features a tasty topping of vegetables, pine nuts, raisins, black olives and some anchovies.

9. Baccalà

The most common fish in Italian Christmas recipes is cod. A constant on Christmas Eve, each region and city has its own cod recipes, dating far back.

Cod is usually mantecato (blended) in Veneto, fried in Campania, Puglia, Sicily, Lazio and Piedmont, and made into a salad, or incorporated into a sauce for pasta in Calabria. It is also cooked with peperone crusco, which is a type of pepper characterized by its crunchiness, or in spaghetti, in Basilicata, stewed with polenta in Modena, baked in Marche and Apulia or arracanato (gratinated) in Molise: made with bread crumbs, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, raisins, pine nuts and walnuts.

Eel is also common in different appetizers all over the nation, served fried or as a second course in Lazio, while in Campania it is traditional to fry, bake or stew the capitone, the female eel.

10. Salumi, Cappone, Bolliti and others Meats

Inevitable in all Italian Christmas recipes are beef, pork, lamb, and many others.

As appetizers, cold cuts reign supreme, where each region has its own variations.

The cappone (capon), used to give flavor to the broth, is eaten stuffed or seasoned with mustard or sauces in Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont, Tuscany, Marche, and Emilia Romagna.

12. Roast Lamb

The roast lamb and abbacchio (young, suckling lamb), have been part of the Italian tradition for centuries in the central part of the country and are typical in Lazio, Abruzzi, and Molise. In Apulia it is cooked in the oven with Lecce-style potatoes, accompanied by stewed turnip tops.

13. Cotechino

Cotechino (pork sausage) and zampone (pork meat) are typical in Emilia Romagna, as are bolliti misti (mixed boiled meats), served in Piedmont, Veneto, Abruzzi, and Lazio with various sauces, such as green sauce.

Another specialty in Florence is bardiccio, a pork sausage with fennel, which is barbecued after midnight.

14. Panettone and other Italian Christmas Desserts

Let’s end the lavish Christmas meal with a roundup of the traditional desserts to be found on Italian festive tables. The first on the list is certainly panettone, one of the most famous sweets in the world. The cylinder of leavened dough with butter, raisins and candied fruit, came to life in Milan in 1600, among history and legend.

In addition to the classic Verona pandoro and torroni, are very popular desserts made of candied fruit, dried fruit, and spices, which go very nicely with Italian sparkling wine.

15. Pandolce

The Pandolce, literally sweet bread, is typical of Liguria and is round in shape, sprinkled with raisins, candied lemon and pumpkin, pine nuts, and fennel seeds.

16. Panforte

In Tuscany, dating back to the year 1000, we have Panforte with its honey, dried fruit and spices, while the Panpepato, made of dried fruit, candied fruit, and cocoa is generally consumed in Central Italy.

17. Zelten

In Trentino and Alto Adige we can find delicious Zelten with almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, and sometimes dried figs.

A typical dessert in Abruzzo is caggionetti, a kind of fried ravioli filled with almonds and chestnuts purée, or perhaps chickpeas or dark chocolate.

18. Struffoli

Originating in Napoli, struffoli are small balls of dough made with flour, eggs, lard, sugar, and anise, fried in oil. They are coated with honey, candied fruit, and colored, sugared almonds.

19. Cartellate

The Cartellate, widespread in Apulia, Calabria, and Basilicata, are scrunched up pancakes, commonly drizzled with fruit syrup, or honey and cinnamon.

A delicacy of Friuli Venezia Giulia, gubana is made with walnuts, almonds, raisins, honey, wine and rum, wrapped in puff pastry.

In Molise you can taste calciuni, a traditional Christmas sweet made with flour, wine, boiled chestnuts, rum, chocolate, honey, almonds, candied citron, and cinnamon.

Finally, in Apulia we have purcedduzzi (literally “little pigs”!), a yummy treat made with honey or sugar, and in Sicily, buccellati, which are short pastry donuts filled with figs, dried fruit, and chocolate, with orange peels and raisins.

If you want to learn more about traditional Italian cuisine & foods check out the articles below:

• 25 Most Popular Italian Foods
• 15 Popular Italian Sauces
• 20 Most Popular Italian Cheeses
• Best Italian Cookbooks
• Best Italian Christmas Cookies
• Most Popular Italian Soups

The post Popular Italian Christmas Foods & Desserts appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Who doesn’t know pizza, lasagne, spaghetti, or gelato? These and many others are among the delicious foods that were born in Italy and are appreciated everywhere. Let’s discover the main Italian foods, a gastronomic journey through this boot-shaped peninsula, from north to south, to the sound of a fork to wet your appetite.

Buon appetito!

1. Risotto

Risotto is a typical northern Italian dish that can be cooked in an infinite number of ways. Creamy and rich in cheese, it is prepared with rice typical of northern areas, such as the Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone varieties, and cooked slowly in broth.

Risotto Cacio e Pepe Recipe By Chef Massimo Bottura

Asparagus and Prosecco Risotto Recipe

Green Herb Risotto with Goat Cheese Recipe

Among the most popular is “risotto alla milanese”, which is prepared with white wine, Parmesan cheese, butter, onions, and saffron, which gives it its unmistakable yellow color. But it can also be made with many other ingredients such as pumpkin, red radicchio, mushrooms, sausage, or shellfish.

2. Pizza

Pizza. Inevitable if we speak about Italian food: pizza is a national symbol, a food that represents Italy in the world, and has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Every pizza maker has their own secrets and every pizza, made of flour, water, brewer’s yeast, and salt, can be stuffed or topped in many different ways.

The original pizza was created in Naples, in southern Italy, at the end of the 18th century in honor of the Queen of Italy, Margherita di Savoia. It is presented with a high “cornicione” (the edge) and is lower in the center, and is strictly baked in a wood-fired oven.

The “pizza margherita” is the most famous and simplest of pizzas, with its tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil, recalling the colors of the national flag.

3. Pasta

Another symbol, a national icon, loved all over the world, is pasta. Born in Sicily, in a short time it expanded its production to other regions by the sea that at the time had ports and an ideal climate for the drying of the product. Among the most famous areas are Naples and Imperia.

Rome, however, became the capital of spaghetti, and where “spaghetti alla carbonara” made history. It was born almost by chance, from the imagination of a young cook from Bologna, who added bacon with egg yolk, milk, cream, and cheese.

Spaghetti Vongole Recipe

Prawns and Chickpeas Fettuccine Recipe

Pasta Carbonara

Spaghetti Amatriciana

The recipe has changed little over the years and now includes bacon, egg yolk, and cheese. In the Italian capital, they also eat “bucatini al cacio e pepe” made with just butter, pepper, and pecorino cheese. The secret is to mix them at the right times. Another famous pasta dish is the “penne all’arrabbiata”—pasta with a spicy tomato sauce.

Yet another classic example of Italian pasta is “tagliatella al ragù”, originally from Bologna, with long-cooked meat and tomato sauce.

4. Gnocchi

And after pasta, we had to follow with gnocchi, another typical Italian dish. Gnocchi are small rounds of potato dough. Each region has its own variation, but the most typical ingredients are cheese, spinach, eggs, and a variety of sauces.

5. Pesto alla Genovese

Pesto is a delight that comes from Genoa, Liguria. A traditional sauce, simple, but to be prepared strictly with a marble mortar, a wooden pestle, and 7 essential ingredients: Genoese basil DOP, extra virgin olive oil, preferably from the Ligurian Riviera, Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and salt.

Ideal for seasoning dry and stuffed pasta or for spreading on croutons.

6. Lasagne

Another cornerstone of Italian cuisine is lasagne. This baked dish, typical of Bologna, is made up of layers of fresh pasta covered in béchamel sauce and the famous “ragù bolognese.”

A sauce composed of sautéed celery, onion, and carrot to which pieces of beef, pork, and concentrated tomato are added is cooked slowly and for a long time.

7. Gelato (Ice cream)

In Italy, it is a traditional dessert that is enjoyed all year round. It is eaten on walks, as a snack, or as a dessert at the end of a meal. It tends to be more consistent and richer than other “semifreddos,” and there are hundreds of gelato flavors. It will not be difficult, in Italy, to find places that make it perfectly.

8. Prosciutto di Parma (Parma Ham)

Italy is the kingdom of cured meats. Among the famous mortadella, salami, coppa, and culatello, the cured raw ham stands out, usually served as an appetizer.

It is also excellent as a snack in a sandwich or as a main course, cut into thin slices and accompanied by “piadina,” “gnocco” or “torta fritta,” “tigella,” “grissini,” “focaccia,” “pitta,” “michetta,” “mafalda,” “parrozzo,” or “biga,” depending on the city in which you are.

Each region has its own variant, but Parma ham is the best known. It is a DOC product, with an unmistakable sweetness, and has its ‘crown’, the branding mark, impressed with fire, which is only present on the original. It also has to pass strict tests to be considered authentic.

9. Ribollita

Originally from Tuscany, ribollita is a rural soup, a symbol of poor people’s cuisine, which dates back to the Middle Ages. The story goes that in those days, the peasant families were numerous and could not afford meat, so they prepared soups in large quantities with the ingredients available in the countryside. They also added bread to increase the volume. The soup lasted for weeks and was reheated several times.

Today, it is an appetizing, easy-to-cook dish, combining vegetables, beans, herbs, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese with pieces of dry bread.

10. Bagna Cauda

A typical Piedmontese dish, bagna cauda (translated from the dialect: hot sauce) is a preparation based on extra virgin olive oil, anchovies, and garlic, all reduced to a sauce after long cooking. It has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is used as a dip for fresh vegetables in the autumn season.

It is a hearty dish, and, for this reason, it is considered a main course but can also be served as an appetizer. More than food, it is a ritual, a convivial moment of sharing among the diners, who all eat from a single terracotta container.

11. Polenta

Its origins date back to the days of ancient Rome, and it is a simple dish made of corn flour from all regions of northern Italy.

Polenta is served in slices, even fried, to be brought to the table without seasoning, or as an accompaniment to various types of meat, with butter, soft cheeses, fish, or dishes that contain a lot of sauce.

12. Tortelli and Ravioli

The family of stuffed pasta in Italy is really very large. From north to south, almost every region has its own preparation. And many are well known, such as “tortellini” from Emilia, made of pork with prosciutto and mortadella, to be eaten in meat broth, and the dry “tortelli,” with a larger rectangular shape, stuffed with herbs, pumpkin, or potatoes and served with butter and cheese.

Kohlrabi Ravioli Stuffed with Avocado Cream and Pea Purée

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage and Hazelnut Pesto

“Agnolotti del plin,” from Piedmont, filled with mixed meats and vegetables, are served seasoned with roast sauce or butter and sage.

The traditional Ligurian ravioli are stuffed with meat cooked in tomato sauce, chard, and borage or filled with fish.

13. Focaccia

A humble mixture of flour, water, yeast, and salt, with the final touch of olive oil: these are the ingredients that have decreed the success of focaccia — a food that originated in Liguria but has conquered Italy and the world with its infinite number of variations.

An ancient preparation that must follow its tricks: the quality of the flour and oil, the manual skill of those who prepare and manipulate the dough, and a very hot oven.

14. Arancini

A must-eat Sicilian dish that is perfect to enjoy when you are out for a walk: arancini. These are balls of rice with meat sauce, peas, and cheese that are breaded and then fried. Tasty and appetizing, every bite is a real pleasure.

15. I formaggi ( the Cheeses)

How can we fail to mention Italian cheeses, national excellences that have crossed the world’s borders? They can be tasted alone, at any time during the meal, or as an accompaniment to many dishes.

Among the many are the mozzarella, the soft cheese that originated in southern Italy and has been produced for centuries; Gorgonzola, a DOP blue cheese, produced from whole cow’s milk, originating in the province of Milan; and Parmigiano Reggiano, a hard DOP cheese, made from raw cow’s milk, partially skimmed, with no additives, and with a production area that includes the provinces of Reggio Emilia, Modena, Parma, and Bologna.

Check out our in-depth review of the most popular Italian cheeses.

16. Il tartufo (the Truffle)

Italian truffles add a unique flavor to first courses, meat, and mushrooms, and in some side dishes they are added as flakes.

Known for their opulence, truffles are as expensive as they are delicious. The best known and most sought after are the white truffles found in Alba, Piedmont, where you can taste delicious dishes and participate in a festival dedicated to them.

17. Panzerotto fritto (Fried Panzerotto)

A small crescent of pizza dough filled with mozzarella and tomato, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It can be bought and enjoyed hot as a snack in the alleys of Bari or, in countless variations, in any rotisserie in the Puglia region.

The panzerotto dates back to the 17th century and was born from the invention of a housewife who mixed the few ingredients she had available, creating a masterpiece of taste.

18. Fiorentina

The most famous Italian beef steak bears the name of its city: Florence. The real Fiorentina is made from specimens of the Chianina breed. The meat must be matured for about twenty days and when cut looks like a classic T-bone steak.

It follows a very precise weight and cut, as well as cooking times and methods, and must remain rare. No aromatics are added and coarse salt is only added at the end.

19. Minestrone

Minestrone is a dish that unites the country from the far north to the deep south; a symbol of the Italian dinner until the 1970s.

It is an Italian soup based on a mixture of vegetables, different from region to region, sometimes accompanied by rice or pasta. A noble and nutritious meal, even if the very word “minestrone” has become synonymous, in a negative way, with great mixing and enormous confusion.

20. Frico

Let’s go to Friuli Venezia Giulia to taste the typical frico. It is a type of omelet cooked in a pan with onions, butter, and Montasio cheese (a local semi-hard cheese, made from cow’s milk), which can also be served as a single dish.

There is a soft version and a crunchier one. It was the typical dish of woodcutters and farmers, who took it with them when they went to work in the fields.

21. Arrosticini

A typical specialty that comes from Abruzzo are arrosticini. They are lamb meat cut into small pieces, skewered on a stick and grilled or barbecued. It is a dish that is quick and easy to eat, and can also be taken away.

22. Olive Ascolante (Ascoli olives)

They come from the Marche region and are large olives stuffed with meat and then fried. This dish dates back to the 19th century when the cooks of noble families invented this filling to consume the large quantities of meat they had available.

23. Sardine in Saor

“Saor” means flavor and this speaks for itself: a humble dish consisting of fried sardines seasoned with vinegar and sweet and sour onions. In Venice, sardines in saor are real institutions.

24. Fritto misto piemontese

This is one of the most famous dishes of Piedmontese cuisine. Traditionally it was served as an appetizer, but over the years many new ‘pieces’ have been added to make it more suitable as a second course.

It may seem like an easy dish to prepare, but it’s not: the cooking times are all different, but everything should be freshly cooked and piping hot when served. It should consist of no less than eighteen pieces, both savory and sweet. Along with various pieces of meat such as veal, pork sausages, lamb chops together with brains, liver, and sweetbreads, fruit and vegetables are also added. Everything is breaded and fried.

25. Tiramisù

And dulcis in fundo (last but not least), we conclude this culinary journey through Italian tables with one of the most famous and envied national desserts, now known throughout the world: tiramisù.

Originally from the Veneto region, this cold spoon dessert owes its name to its alleged aphrodisiac effects. It consists of a base of Savoiardi biscuits, dipped in coffee and Marsala (a liqueur wine), covered with mascarpone cream, eggs, and sugar, with a sprinkling of cocoa.

You may also like our stories on the most popular Italian cheeses, Italian desserts and Italian sauces.

Related: The Most Popular Italian Meat-Based Dishes

Related: Most Popular Italian Easter Foods

The post Top 25 Most Popular Italian Foods & Dishes appeared first on Chef's Pencil.

Let’s discover the country from north to south with a roundup of the 15 most popular Italian sauces, from the simplest to the most complex. They come rich in flavor or more delicate, satisfying all tastes.

1. Salsa al Pomodoro (Tomato Sauce)

This is a sauce that perfectly embodies Italian tastes. Simple and appetizing, it is the Mediterranean condiment par excellence. The fresh tomato and basil sauce goes well with any pasta, fish, or meat main course, or as an appetizer. 

Prepared in various ways, the ingredients are always the same: onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and, of course, tomatoes. The ideal tomatoes are peretto, vesuviano, ramato, and sammarzano, all of which are typical of the southern regions, Puglia, Calabria, and Campania.

An economical, versatile, and concentrated flavor sauce.

2. Ragù Sauce

This sauce is a good representative of Italy abroad: ragù, one of the most copied and modified sauces in the world. It is typical of Bologna in the Emilia Romagna region and its name derives from the French word “ragout”, which means “to awaken” (the appetite).

In ancient times, it was cooked as a stew similar to the modern hotpot, but it became a sauce thanks to an experiment by a Bolognese cook in the service of Louis XIV.

The original is made with a mix of minced meat: veal, beef, pork, sausage, coppa, all browned with celery, carrot, and onion, and cooked over a low heat for several hours, at least three and a half to four. It is cooked so long because the fat seeps out, giving it that extra irresistible flavor.

3. Pesto Genovese

Genoa is the Ligurian city that gave the world pesto. It is a very old recipe, first appearing in a gastronomy book dated back to the 1800s.

Traditionally the pesto recipe requires only a few very select ingredients: basil leaves from Prà, extra virgin olive oil from the Ligurian Riviera, Italian pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Pecorino Sardo cheese, garlic from Vessalico, and coarse sea salt. The ingredients are mixed together using only a marble mortar and wooden pestle.

4. Pesto alla Siciliana

It is thanks to the Genoese sailors who visited the east and returned to the port of Trapani that Sicilian pesto was born. With ingredients from Sicilian lands, the Genoese revisited their pesto, adding tomatoes, almonds, and ricotta in variable proportions.

A tasty and colorful alternative to the typical Ligurian pesto, it has conquered the country and is deserving of the title “a great classic”.

5. Carbonara Sauce

The most beloved sauce in Rome, and all over the world, is a cornerstone dish of Italian cuisine that has been imitated, debated, and confused with lesser sauces.

Legend has it that it was an invention of the creative chef Renato Gualandi, who made it in 1944 for American troops in Rome to lunch on.

Try these carbonara-based recipes: Fagottelli Carbonara and Fettuccine Carbonara.

True carbonara is prepared with guanciale cut into strips and cooked until it becomes slightly crispy. The other ingredients are eggs, grated pecorino cheese, preferably Roman, salt, and pepper. Please note: the use of cream is absolutely forbidden. Moreover, in order to prepare the perfect carbonara, the pasta should be long, so yes to spaghetti, bavette, or bucatini.

6. Amatriciana Sauce

Amatrice is a small town in the province of Rieti, in the region of Lazio, which is the birthplace of Amatriciana sauce. The main ingredients are guanciale, pecorino cheese, fresh tomato, chili pepper, and salt. It is included in the list of traditional food products of Lazio.

It was prepared by the wandering shepherds of Amatrice who went to the pastures with lard, dried pasta, guanciale, and pecorino cheese.

7. Salsa Verde

This is a recipe from Piedmont that was originally created to accompany boiled meat. It is also excellent combined with vegetables, cheese, fish; and pretty good spread on toast, in sandwiches, or on pizza.

The first mention of a recipe for green sauce, or bagnet Verd, dates back to 1891, when it was created by Giovanni Vialardi, cook and pastry chef in the service of the House of Savoy for more than twenty years.

It is made with oil, vinegar, anchovies, parsley, capers, cucumbers, eggs, bread crumbs, and garlic, all finely chopped and mixed together. Simple and quick to prepare, it does not require cooking.

8. Puttanesca

A typical sauce of Neapolitan cuisine but famous all over the world is puttanesca sauce. It is simple to prepare, with black olives, capers, fresh tomatoes, and chili pepper.

The sauce has a truly unique name (puttanesca derives from “puttana”, which means whore), about which many stories are told. Among the most accredited ones, it is said that this tasty spaghetti sauce was created by a prostitue and her client in the kitchen of a brothel in the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarters) of Naples.

Others say it was invented late one night in a famous restaurant in Ischia in the 1950s, when a group of hungry customers asked the owner to make “una puttanata qualsiasi (any bullshit)”. With few ingredients left, that is exactly what he did; a simple and quick dish.

9. Salsa in Saor

Saor in Venetian dialect means taste. The flavors of this sweet and sour sauce come from cooked onions and white wine vinegar, often enriched with raisins and pine nuts.

This sauce has a maritime background, originating in Venice. With no refrigerators quite yet, the fish didn’t always last more than a few days into long sea journeys, so onion was used in abundance to kill the bacteria that deteriorates food.

Sardines in saor is made with this sauce, a milestone of Venetian cooking. The dish has spread throughout Italy with numerous variations produced over time in various regions. But the original recipe from Venetian sailors requires only three ingredients: sardines, onions from Chioggia, and good white wine vinegar.

10. Sugo alla Norma (Norma Sauce)

Norma sauce is a symbol of the Mediterranean. This rich and tasty topping for pasta was born in Catania and soon spread first throughout Sicily and then around the entire country. Tomatoes are combined with fried eggplant, grated salted ricotta, and basil to give a touch of freshness.

It is believed the sauce was named by a playwright from Catania, Nino Martoglio, who called it Norma after the famous opera by Vincenzo Bellini as a tribute to its fragrance and goodness.

11. Sugo di Noci (Walnut Sauce)

After pesto, walnut sauce is the next most traditional sauce of Liguria. It has very old origins and was in widespread use in ancient Persia. During the era of the Republic, the Genoese discovered it thanks to their trade with the East, bringing the recipe back home. Originally, walnut sauce was called agliata bianca (white agliata), agliata di noci (walnut agliata), or savore of walnuts and garlic.

Besides walnuts and garlic, the sauce includes bread crumbs, milk, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. It has a creamy texture, ivory color, and sweet flavor. It goes particularly well with ravioli and pansoti, a famous local fresh pasta filled with chard and herbs, eggs, and cheese.

12. Muddica Atturrata

Muddica atturrata is a base used in many traditional dishes of Sicilian cuisine and is known as the “cheese of the poor”. It is made with toasted bread crumbs, atturrare, which means toasting, and it takes on the consistency of grated cheese. It is used in many dishes giving them a unique taste and crunchiness. Among the most famous is a sauce for pasta, mixed with fried garlic and anchovies in oil.

The origins of this dish are ancient and surrounded by legend. The first evidence dates back to the high Middle Ages in Armento, in the province of Potenza. The dish was said to have originally been prepared by a commoner to celebrate the victory of her villagers who, led by Byzantine monks, stopped the Saracen invaders.

13. Vongole Sauce

This is a typical sauce for spaghetti with clams, a classic dish of Campania cuisine, widespread and very much loved on all Italian coasts. The origins of this “poor” dish, testament to the irony of the Neapolitan, is unknown.

Try this delicious spaghetti Vongole recipe. Chef Paul Hegeman swears it’s better than most spaghetti Vongole he has eaten in Italy.

Only five ingredients are used: garlic, oil, chili pepper, parsley, and, of course, clams. That may make it seem an easy dish to prepare, but it is not. All the ingredients must be of the highest quality and cooked perfectly. The clams must be seared for absolutely the right amount of time to get the perfect creaminess to bind the ingredients together.

14. Friggione

Friggione is not only a traditional Bolognese specialty made with onions but also a dish with identity, history, and soul. It is considered a truly historic recipe, the original being kept at the Bologna Chamber of Commerce, a privilege reserved only for the most famous tortellini, tagliatelle, and ragù.

Of peasant origin, it was a cheap and tasty preparation that leant itself perfectly to becoming a dish in its own right. It was in fact the breakfast and lunch of peasants and farmworkers.

The original nineteenth-century recipe of Mrs Maria Manfredi Baschieri says to fry white onions over a very low heat in lard, add a pinch of sugar and coarse salt, and then cook it for a long time together with fresh tomatoes. Very simple but requiring a long time to cook, it is usually prepared the evening before.

Friggione is good with everything: it can be eaten as a side dish with meat main courses, with polenta, on toast as an appetizer, or as a topping for pasta.

15. Salsa Bolzanina (Bosner Sauce/Bolzano)

Bolzano sauce is a typical recipe from Trentino Alto Adige, also known as Bozner sauce. It is made with boiled eggs, seed oil, and mustard, with the addition of a little vinegar and chives.

It is usually served to accompany the white asparagus of Terlano, but it is also excellent as a savory filling for cream puffs, for seasoning meat or fish dishes, or simply spreading on toast. It is really quick to put together and is creamy and very tasty.

Learn more about Italian foods with our round-up of the best Italian cheeses.

The post 15 Most Popular Italian Sauces appeared first on Chef's Pencil.