Italy
World Foods
Italian Cuisine
• The Romans and Sicilians contributed to Italy’s
cuisine.
• Most common agricultural products in Italy
are grapes, wheat, corn and sugar.
• Haute Cuisine originated in Italy. This type of
cooking includes extensive, elaborate food
preparation and includes rich sauces, exotic
ingredients and ornate garnishes.
Italian Cuisine
• Parsley, Rosemary, Basil, Saffron, and oregano
are common herbs used.
• Italy has a vast coastline on the
Mediterranean sea, so seafood has become a
major food staple.
• A harvest from sea and land is brought daily to
local markets.
Meals
• There are 5 courses to a traditional Italian meal.
– 1. Antipasto-Appetizer: Marinated olives, bread &
cheese, or wine.
– 2. Primo-First Course: small portions of pasta, rice,
soup or polenta.
– 3. Secondo- Main or second course: small portions of
meat, chicken, or fish.
– 4. Contorno- Side dish: usually a vegetable dish.
– 5. Dolce- Dessert: bowl of fruit or biscotti.
The main meal of the day is served in the midafternoon.
Cheese
• There are many popular types of cheese that
originated in Italy.
– Parmesan
– Provolone
– Mozzarella
– Ricotta
– Gorgonzola
– Romano
Pasta
• Pasta is one of the most common dishes in Italy.
• Italians always serve pasta al dente, which means
it’s cooked so it’s slightly firm when eating.
• Common types of pasta include:
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Spaghetti
Fettuccini
Mostaccioli
Rotini
Farfollini
Common Foods
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Biscotti- A hard cookie
Minestrone- Vegetable soup
Frittata- Omelet
Polenta- cornmeal mush
Chianti- Wine
Risottos- rice dishes
Gelati- ice cream
Gnocchi- dumplings
Ravioli- stuffed pasta
Mortadella- sausage