Cheese:<\/p>\n
Ricotta (pronounced \/ri\u02c8kot\u02d0a\/ in Italian) is an Italian whey cheese, meaning a product made from whey-a by-product of milk cheese making-rather than whole milk. Other whey cheeses include Gjetost.
\nIn its basic form, ricotta is fresh, creamy, slightly sweet and low-fat (typically around 5% fat), with a finely grained texture and a pure white color. In this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. Like many fresh cheeses, it is highly perishable. Ricotta comes in other forms as well, see variants below.
\nThe name “ricotta” means “cooked again” (“re-cooked”) in Italian, referring to the second processing of the liquid done to produce the cheese.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ricotta<\/p>\n
Provolone is an Italian cheese that originated in southern Italy, where it is still produced in various shapes as in 10 to 15 cm long pear shapes, sausage shape or cone shape. The most important Provolone production region is currently Northern Italy (Piedmonte, Lombardy, Venice).
\nProvolone is today a whole-milk cow cheese with a smooth skin produced mainly in the Po River Valley regions of Lombardia and Veneto. It is produced in different forms: shaped like large salami up to 30 cm in diameter and 90 cm long; in a watermelon shape; in a truncated bottle shape; or also in a large pear shape with the characteristic round knob for hanging. The average weight is 5 kg.
\nProvolone is a semi-hard cheese with taste varying greatly from Provolone Piccante (piquant), aged minimum 4 months and with a very sharp taste, to Provolone Dolce (sweet) with a very mild taste. In Provolone Piccante, the distinctive piquant taste is produced with lipase originating from goat. The Dolce version uses calf’s lipase instead.
\nThe Provolone Val Padana has received from the European Community the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) seal.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Provolone<\/p>\n
Parmigiano-Reggiano is a grana, a hard, granular cheese, cooked but not pressed, named after the producing areas of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Mantova and Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
\nParmigiano is simply the Italian adjective for Parma; the French version, parmesan, is used in English. The term parmesan is also loosely used as a common term for cheeses imitating true Parmesan cheese, especially outside Europe; within Europe, the Parmesan name is classified as a protected designation of origin. The generic name for this type of cheese is grana.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Parmesan<\/p>\n
Mozzarella is a generic term for the several kinds of, originally, Italian fresh cheeses that are made using spinning and then cutting (hence the name; the Italian verb mozzare actually means “to cut”): mozzarella di latte di bufala made from unpasteurized water buffalo’s milk; mozzarella di bufala campana made only from Campania’s buffalo milk; mozzarella fior di latte made from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cow’s milk; and mozzarella made from mixtures, sometimes smoked, and those stored in preservatives.[2]
\nFresh mozzarella is usually served on the day it is made as it does not keep beyond 12 or 24 hours. Mozzarella of several kinds are also used for most types of pizza (more compact lower water content kinds), lasagna, or served with sliced tomatoes and basil in Insalata caprese (ideally fresh di bufala).
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mozzarella<\/p>\n
Gorgonzola is a blue veined Italian blue cheese, made from unskimmed cow’s milk. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly and quite salty, with a ‘bite’ from its blue veining. It has been made since the early Middle Ages, but only became marbled with greenish-blue mold in the eleventh century. It is frequently used in Italian cooking. The name comes from Gorgonzola, a small town near Milan, Italy, where the cheese was reportedly first made in 879[2]; however, this claim of geographical origin is disputed by other towns.[3]
\nGorgonzola is made in the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy from whole pasteurized cow’s milk to which is added the bacteria, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus along with spores of the mold Penicillium glaucum. Recently Penicillium roqueforti has started to be used to make Gorgonzola, besides its use in Roquefort cheese. After the whey is removed, it is aged at low temperatures. During the aging process, metal rods are inserted into the cheese. This creates air channels which allows the mold spores to germinate and create the characteristic veining. Gorgonzola is typically aged for three to four months. The length of the aging process determines the consistency of the cheese. A firm Gorgonzola is aged longer than creamy Gorgonzola. It is usually sold wrapped in foil.
\nIt may be melted into a risotto in the final stage of cooking, for instance. Another fairly traditional dish sees Gorgonzola served alongside polenta. Because of its distinctive flavor, it is occasionally offered as a topping on pizza.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gorgonzola_cheese<\/p>\n
Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it a unique soft texture. It is usually served fresh, at room temperature. Burrata, once only packaged in leaves, is nowadays wrapped in a plastic sheet, sometimes printed with a leaves pattern on the outside. Even so, the tradition of having a wrapper of asphodel leaves (leeks) is still followed, even if only covering outside the plastic. The leaves are indicators of the freshness of the Burrata; as long as the leaves are green, the cheese within is still fresh and ready to ooze out. The name “burrata” means “buttery” in Italian.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Burrata
\nFontina is a cow’s milk Italian cheese. Fontina cheese has been made in the Aosta Valley, in the Alps since the 12th century. It has a milk fat content of around 45%. As with many original varieties, the name “Fontina” has been imposed upon by such derivatives as “Fontinella”, “Fontal”, and “Fontella”.<\/p>\n
Sauce:
\nA tomato sauce is any of a very large number of sauces made primarily out of tomatoes, usually to be served as part of a dish (rather than as a condiment). Tomato sauces are common for meats and vegetables, but they are perhaps best known as sauces for pasta dishes.
\nTomatoes have a rich flavour, a high liquid content, very soft flesh which breaks down easily, and the right composition to thicken up into a sauce when they are cooked (without the need of thickeners like roux). All of these make them ideal for simple and appealing sauces.
\nThe simplest tomato sauces consist just of chopped tomato flesh (with the skins and seeds optionally removed), cooked in a little olive oil and simmered until it loses its raw flavour, and seasoned with salt.
\nWater (or another, more flavorful liquid such as stock or wine) is often added to keep it from drying out too much. Onion and garlic are almost always sauteed at the beginning before the tomato is added. Other seasonings typically include basil, oregano, parsley, and possibly black pepper. Ground or chopped meat is also common.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marinara_sauce<\/p>\n
Marinara” may refer to:
\nA variety of Tomato sauce
\nA seafood sauce served with pasta
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marinara<\/p>\n
Aioli (Proven\u00e7al Occitan alh\u00f2li[1], Catalan allioli) is a sauce made of garlic, egg, lemon juice (or vinegar), and olive oil, basically a garlic-flavoured mayonnaise. There are many variations, and one common one is to add mustard. In France, aioli is traditionally served with seafood, fish soup, and croutons. It is usually served at room temperature. The name aioli (alh\u00f2li) comes from Proven\u00e7al alh ‘garlic’ (< Latin allium) + \u00f2li ‘oil’ (< Latin oleum).
\nAioli is, like mayonnaise, an emulsion or a suspension of small globules of oil and oil soluble compounds in water and water soluble compounds. Egg yolk is a commonly used emulsifier but mustard and garlic both have emulsion-producing properties. So, classic aioli is made without egg, though many aioli recipes use it.
\nAioli is also a popular word among the Scrabble community given its rich proportion of vowels to consonants.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aioli<\/p>\n
Pesto (italian pron. \/’pesto\/, genoese pron. \/’pestu\/, contracted past participle of pest\u00e2: “to pound, to crush,” in reference to the crushed herbs and garlic in it, from Latin root of pestle) is a sauce that originates in the city of Genoa in the Liguria region of northern Italy (pesto alla genovese).
\nAt least one other well-known variant exists, the pesto alla siciliana, a sauce from Sicily similar to the basic Genoese pesto recipe with the addition of tomato and much less basil.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pesto<\/p>\n
Rag\u00f9 is an Italian term for a meat based sauce. Etymologically the word derives from the French rago\u00fbt, a noun derived from rago\u00fbter (to revive the taste).
\nTypical Italian rag\u00f9 include the rag\u00f9 bolognese (sometimes known as Bolognese sauce), the Neapolitan rag\u00f9 and the Rag\u00f9 a la Barese (in this last version is used horse meat). A rag\u00f9 is usually made by adding meat to a soffritto (a partially-fried mixture of chopped onions, celery, carrots, seasonings, etc.) and then simmering it for a long time with tomato sauce. (A soffritto is the progenitor of the French concept of the mirepoix.)
\nOutside Italy, rag\u00f9 are very popular in Sweden, Greece, Brazil, Japan, Canada, and the United States.
\nThe term ragout (French rago\u00fbt) can refer to a main-dish stew or to a sauce for noodles or other starchy foods. (Italian rag\u00f9, such as Bolognese sauce, are typically used to dress pasta.)
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rag%C3%B9<\/p>\n
Sugo all’amatriciana or sugo alla matriciana is an Italian pasta sauce prepared with guanciale or pancetta and tomatoes. The dish is named after the town of Amatrice in northern Lazio, where it was invented. Romans prefer to call it “alla Matriciana” due to Roman dialect’s tendency to clip initial vowels.
\nIt is thought to be derived from a dish named pasta alla gricia, made with pasta and a sauce made of guanciale and pieces of sausages saut\u00e9ed with olive oil, seasoned with freshly ground black pepper, and served mixed with Pecorino Romano cheese. It is popular in all Central Italy but also identified with Rome. It was Amatrice where tomato was added to gricia (while the sausages were eliminated) and the sauce was formed (the restaurants in Amatrice still propose “Amatriciana bianca” and “rossa”, that is, without or with tomatoes).
\nThere are many varieties of sugo all’amatriciana. In Amatrice, it is prepared without onions, which is not typical of standard recipes from outside the area. On the other hand, some may prefer to add garlic or white wine, or replace black pepper with red pepper, though such practices are not accepted by purists. However, everyone agrees that cream should be avoided.
\nAlthough people of Amatrice are proud to be inventors of spaghetti all’amatriciana, the preferred type of pasta for this sauce elsewhere in Italy is usually bucatini (though the recipe in Il cucchiaio d’argento does use spaghetti). In Rome amatriciana sauce is also often used with rigatoni. It is mixed in a serving bowl with the pasta, and then Pecorino Romano is added and tossed thoroughly.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Amatriciana<\/p>\n
Saba sauce<\/p>\n
Ham and sausage:
\nPepperoni is a spicy Italian-American variety of dry salami usually made of pork and beef [1] and sometimes goat[2], turkey[3], and fish[4]. Pepperoni is often used on pizza, and sometimes it is used on sub sandwiches. Pepperoni is a descendant of the spicy salamis of Southern Italy, such as salsiccia Napoletana piccante, a spicy dry sausage from Naples. Pepperoni is frequently used as a pizza topping in American-style pizzerias.
\nPepperoni is a correction of peperoni, the Italian plural of peperone, referring to the bell pepper. To order the American version of pepperoni in Italy, someone would request salame piccante or salamino piccante (spicy salami, generally typical of Calabria). Throughout continental Europe, peperone is a common word for various types of capsicum including bell peppers and a small, spicy and often pickled pepper known as peperoncino or peperone piccante in Italy and pepperoncini or banana peppers in the US. Unlike in Europe, the English word, pepperoni, is used as a singular uncountable noun.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pepperoni<\/p>\n
Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried. Salami may refer specifically to a class of salumi (the Italian tradition of cold cuts), where an individual sausage or style of sausage (e.g. Genoa) would be referred to with the singular Italian form salame. Alternatively, in general English usage, salami may be singular or plural and refer to a generic style or to various specific regional styles from Italy or elsewhere, such as France or Germany. The name comes from the Italian verb salare, meaning ‘to salt’.
\nHistorically, salami has been popular amongst Italian peasants due to being a meat product able to be stored at room temperature for periods of up to a year, supplementing a possibly meagre or inconstant supply of fresh meat.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Salame<\/p>\n
Prosciutto (IPA: [pro\u02c8\u0283u\u02d0to]) is the Italian word for ham. In English the word refers only to dry-cured ham; in American English usage it refers specifically to dry-cured hams from central and northern Italy such as Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele.
\nThe word prosciutto derives from the Latin perexsuctum, which means “thoroughly dried” (lit., “(having been) very sucked out”).
\nIn Italian, “prosciutto” refers to the pork cut, not to its specific preparation. Italian speakers therefore make a distinction between prosciutto cotto (literally, “cooked ham”), which is similar to what English speakers would call “ham”, and prosciutto crudo (“raw ham”), the dry-cured ham which English speakers refer to as simply “prosciutto” or “Parma ham”. By default, in Italian menus (typically in pizzerias) an unqualified “prosciutto” refers to “ham” (“prosciutto cotto”), whereas “prosciutto crudo” is sometimes referred to simply as “crudo”.
\nCulatello is a special variety of prosciutto, made with a fraction of the normal cut and aged, and may be cured with wine.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Prosciutto<\/p>\n
Guanciale is a kind of unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig’s jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, Italian for cheek.
\nPork cheek is rubbed with salt, ground black pepper or red pepper and cured for three weeks. Its flavor is stronger than other pork products, such as pancetta, and its texture is more delicate.
\nGuanciale is traditionally used in dishes like Pasta all’amatriciana and spaghetti alla carbonara. It is a delicacy of Central Italy, particularly Umbria and Lazio.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Guanciale<\/p>\n
Pancetta (IPA: [pan\u02c8t\u0283et\u02d0a]) is the Italian word for bacon. It is pork that has been salt cured, salted and spiced (nutmeg, pepper, fennel and garlic are often featured), and dried for about three months (but usually not smoked). There are many varieties, and each part of Italy produces its own type. In Corsica, it is considered a regional flavour.
\nPancetta can be rolled, the most common type (see photograph), or straight (with all the fat on one side).
\nWhen served on its own, the rolled pancetta is presented in very thin slices. More often it is used to flavour other dishes, especially pasta sauces. Recipes which include pancetta are called all’amatriciana, for the town of Amatrice.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pancetta<\/p>\n
Mortadella is an Italian cold cut (salume) made of finely hashed\/ground heat-cured pork sausage which incorporates at least 15% small cubes of pork fat (principally the hard fat from the neck of the pig). It is delicately flavored with spices (including black pepper, whole corns or ground, myrtle berries, nutmeg and coriander) and typically pieces of pistachio nuts. Traditionally the pork filling was ground to a paste using a large mortar (mortaio) and pestle.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mortadella<\/p>\n
Herb:
\nBasil is most commonly recommended to be used fresh; in cooked recipes it is generally added at the last moment, as cooking quickly destroys the flavour. The fresh herb can be kept for a short time in plastic bags in the refrigerator, or for a longer period in the freezer, after being blanched quickly in boiling water. The dried herb also loses most of its flavour, and what little flavour remains tastes very different, with a weak coumarin flavour, like hay.
\nMediterranean and Indochinese cuisines frequently use basil, the former frequently combining it with tomato. Basil is one of the main ingredients in pesto-a green Italian oil-and-herb sauce from the city of Genoa, its other two main ingredients being olive oil and pine nuts.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Basil<\/p>\n
Arugula (Eruca vesicaria), also known as rocket, garden rocket, rocket salad, rugola, rucola , roquette and rughetta [1], is a type of leaf vegetable, which looks like a longer leaved and open lettuce.
\nArugula is generally used in salads but also cooked as a vegetable with pastas or meats and in coastal Slovenia (especially Koper), it is added in the squeaky cheese burek. In Italy, it is often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it can wilt in the heat. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in pesto, either in addition to basil or as a (non-traditional) substitute.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arugula<\/p>\n
Oregano or Pot Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia.
\nThe subspecies of oregano Origanum vulgare hirtum is an important culinary herb. It is particularly widely used in Greek and Italian cuisines. It is the leaves that are used in cooking, and the dried herb is often more flavourful than the fresh.
\nOregano is often used in tomato sauces, fried vegetables and grilled meat. Together with basil, it contributes much to the distinctive character of many Italian dishes.
\nOregano combines nicely with pickled olives, capers and lovage leaves. Unlike most Italian herbs, oregano works with hot and spicy food, which is popular in southern Italy.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oregano<\/p>\n
The Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean.
\nWhole Globe Artichokes are prepared for cooking by removing all but 5-10 mm or so of the stem, and (optionally) cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating. Then, the artichoke is boiled or steamed until tender, about 15-45 minutes. If boiling, salt can be added to the water, if desired. It may be preferable not to cover the pot while the artichokes are boiled, so that the acids will boil out into the air.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Globe_artichoke<\/p>\n
Beta vulgaris, commonly known as beet or beetroot, is a flowering plant species in the family Chenopodiaceae. Several cultivars are valued around the world as edible root vegetables, fodder (mangel) and sugar-producing sugar beet.[1]
\nThe usually deep-red roots of garden beet are eaten boiled either as a cooked vegetable, or cold as a salad after cooking and adding oil and vinegar. A large proportion of the commercial production is processed into boiled and sterilised beets or into pickles.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Beet<\/p>\n
Chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla), also known as Swiss Chard, Silverbeet, Perpetual Spinach or Mangold, is a leaf vegetable, and is one of the cultivated descendants of the Sea Beet, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima. While used for its leaves, it is in the same species as the garden beet, which is grown primarily for its roots.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chard<\/p>\n
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
\nUses of common sage include:
\ninfusions, which are considered to have a calming effect, to soothe a sore throat and as a digestive agent
\npreservative flavourings, for instance of cheese
\nas a cooking flavouring, such as in sage and onion stuffing
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Common_sage<\/p>\n
Asparagus officinalis is a plant species in the family Asparagaceae from which the popular vegetable known as asparagus is obtained. The species probably originated in the eastern Mediterranean region but is now a widely-cultivated vegetable crop.
\nThe shoots can be prepared and served in a number of ways, but are usually boiled or steamed and served with hollandaise sauce, melted butter or olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Tall asparagus cooking pots allow the shoots to be steamed gently. Cantonese restaurants in the United States often serve asparagus stir-fried with chicken, shrimp, or beef, also wrapped in bacon. Asparagus may also be quickly grilled over charcoal or hardwood embers. The best asparagus tends to be early growth (first of the season) and is normally simply steamed and served with melted butter.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Asparagus<\/p>\n
Zucchini (IPA: \/zu’kini\/, in North American and Australian English) or courgette (IPA: \/k\u028a\u0259’\u0292\u025bt\/, in New Zealand and British English) is a small summer squash. Its Scientific name is Cucurbita pepo (a species which also includes other squash). It can either be yellow, green or light green, and generally has a similar shape to a ridged cucumber, though a few cultivars are available that produce round or bottle-shaped fruit. Culinarily, zucchini is treated as a vegetable which means it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment.
\nIn Italy, zucchini are served in a variety of ways, especially breaded and pan-fried. Some restaurants in Rome specialize in deep-frying the flowers, known as fiori di zucca.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zucchini<\/p>\n
Agaricus bisporus, known as table mushroom, cultivated mushroom or button mushroom, is an edible basidiomycete fungus which naturally occurs in grasslands, fields and meadows across Europe and North America, though has spread much more widely and is one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world. The original wild form bore a brownish cap and dark brown gills but more familiar is the current variant with a white form with white cap, stalk and flesh and brown gills.
\nSome grocery stores in the Western world sell this mushroom in canned and fresh preparations. An agaric, its gills are often left on in preparations. It can be found cooked on pizzas and casseroles, stuffed mushrooms, raw on salads, and in various forms in a variety of dishes. Mycologist Paul Stamets has raised concerns that this mushroom contains trace quantities of a chemical agaritine known to have carcinogenic properties, though whether levels are sufficient to cause harm in consumers is debated.
\nPortobello mushroom
\nThe ‘Portobello mushroom’ is a large brown strain of the same fungus, left to mature and take on a broader, more open shape before picking. Portobello mushrooms are distinguished by their large size, thick cap and stem, and a distinctive musky smell. Because of their size and the thickness of their fleshy caps, these mushrooms can be cooked in a range of different ways, including grilling and frying.
\nCrimini mushroom
\nAlthough sometimes described a sub-variety of the portobello mushroom, the Crimini or Cremini mushroom is actually an immature portobello. Marketers have begun to refer to Crimini mushrooms as baby Portobellos and Portabellinis. Left to grow another 48 to 72 hours, a Crimini mushroom will more than quadruple in size, taking on the large-capped Portobello shape. They are more delicate in texture but still have the meaty Portobello flavor.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Portobello_mushroom
\nPorcini (Boletus edulis, the taxonomic name) is a highly regarded edible mushroom. It has a number of English names, including cep (from its Catalan name cep or its French name c\u00e8pe), king bolete and penny bun. A common term in current use is porcini (from the plural of its Italian name porcino).
\n\u725b\u809d\u8548 or “beef liver mushroom”<\/p>\n
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region.<\/p>\n
Kale (also called Borecole) is a form of cabbage (Brassica oleracea Acephala Group), green in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head. It is considered to be closer to wild cabbage than most domesticated forms. The species Brassica oleracea contains a wide array of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The Cultivar Group Acephala also includes spring greens and collard greens, which are extremely similar genetically.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kale<\/p>\n
Pasta:<\/p>\n
Ravioli is a type of pasta, comprised of a filling, commonly (though not always) meat- (either red or poultry) or fish- based, sealed between two layers of thin pasta dough. Ravioli can be rectangular or circular in shape.
\nOther preparations include ricotta and vegetables such as spinach, green beet stems or nettles in place of meat. Fillings could be also be derived from potatoes, mushrooms, pumpkin, artichokes. Often topped with a red, tomato based sauce, the sauces can be as varied as the fillings and attention must be paid not to “drown” the taste of the most delicate fillings with too strong a sauce. Pesto, broth based and cream based sauces are more common in these instances.
\nAdditionally, other ravioli varieties, like Chocolate Ravioli, have appeared to fill a dessert role
\nThe word ravioli derives from the Italian verb ravvolgere, meaning ‘to wrap’. Pasta was stuffed with meat, fish and vegetables, and could include a creamy cheese like ricotta. Tomato sauce would not have been used, since tomatoes were not introduced to Europe until the 15th century.
\nIn Italy, most regions have their own versions of ravioli, and some of the earliest mentions of the dish come from the personal letters of Francisco di Marco, a merchant of Prato in the 14th century. Though the dish is of Italian origin the oldest known recipe is an Anglo-Norman vellum manuscript from the 1290s.[1]
\nToday one can find packed refrigerated or frozen ravioli across the worldespecially where Italian communities have a certain relief. Ravioli are made in special industrial lines supplied, all over the world, by Italian companies such as Arienti & Cattaneo, Ima, Ostoni, Zamboni, etc.; “fresh” packed ravioli have usually seven weeks of shelf-life.
\nOther cultures have parallels to ravioli. The Chinese jiaozi or wonton (in fact in Chinese ravioli and tortellini collectively are referred to as “Italian jiaozi” (\u7fa9\u5927\u5229\u9903) or “Italian wonton” (\u610f\u5927\u5229\u96f2\u541e)), the Russian pelmeni, the Ukrainian varenyky, the Tibetan momo, the Turkish manti and Jewish kreplach are a few examples. In Lebanon a similar dish is called Shish Barak (Shishbarak): pasta filled with minced beef meat and cooked in hot yogurt.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ravioli<\/p>\n
Tortellini is a variety of ring-shaped pasta, They are typically stuffed with a mix of meat (pork loin, prosciutto crudo, mortadella) and parmesan cheese. Originally from the Italian region of Emilia (in particular Bologna and Modena), they are usually served in broth, with cream, or sometimes with a rag\u00f9.
\nPacked, refrigerated or frozen tortellini and tortelloni appear in many locations around the world, especially where Italian communities have a certain relief. Tortellini and tortelloni are made in special industrial lines supplied, all over the world, by Italian companies such as Arienti & Cattaneo, Ima, Ostoni, Zamboni, etc.; “fresh” packed tortellini have usually 7 weeks of shelf-life.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tortellini<\/p>\n
Lasagna (singular, pronounced \/la’zan.ja\/), also lasagne (plural, pronounced \/la’zan.j\u025b\/), is both a form of pasta in sheets (sometimes rippled, though seldom so in Italy) and also a dish, sometimes named lasagne al forno (meaning “oven-cooked lasagne”) made with alternate layers of pasta, cheese, and often rag\u00f9 (a meat sauce) or tomato sauce.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lasagna<\/p>\n
Linguine (also spelled linguini) are a form of pasta – flat like fettuccine and trenette, but narrow like spaghetti. The name means “little tongues” in Italian. Linguine originates from the Campania region of Italy. Linguine alle vongole (with clams) is a popular use of this sort of pasta.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linguini<\/p>\n
Fettuccine (literally “little ribbons” in Italian) is a type of pasta. It is a flat, thick noodle made of egg and flour, similar to tagliatelle.
\nIn Italian cuisine, it is traditionally made fresh (either at home or commercially), but dried versions also exist on the market.
\nA popular fettuccine dish in North America is fettuccine alfredo.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fettuccine
\nPappardelle (sg.: pappardella) are large fettuccine. The name derives from the verb “pappare,” to gobble up. The fresh types are two to three centimetres (\u00be-1 inch) wide and have fluted edges. Dried egg pappardelle have straight sides.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pappardelle<\/p>\n
Tagliatelle \/ta\u028e\u028ea’t\u025bl-le\/ is the classic pasta of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Individually, they are long, flat ribbons, similar in shape to fettuccine, but typically about 0.65cm to 1cm (0.25 to 0.375 inches) wide. They can be served with a variety of sauces, though the classic is a meat sauce or Bolognese sauce.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tagliatelle<\/p>\n
Fondue refers to several Swiss communal dishes shared at the table in an earthenware pot (“caquelon”) over a small burner (“rechaud”). The term “fondue” comes from the French “fondre” (“to melt”), referring to the fact that the contents of the pot are kept in a liquid state so that diners can use forks to dip into the sauce. The sauce is usually warmed either by a separate burner containing an alcohol-based fuel or simply by tealights. Though cheese fondues are the best known kind, there are several other possibilities for the contents of the pot and what is used for dipping.
\nAs with other communal dishes, fondue has etiquette standards ranging from practical to amusing. Some people consider it rude to allow one’s lips or tongue to touch the fondue fork, and with meat fondues one should use a dinner fork to remove the meat from the dipping utensil. The “no double-dipping” rule applies here as well: once a taste has been taken of a dipped morsel it should not be returned to the pot. If the bread or fruit is lost in the cheese or chocolate, it is tradition for that person to buy a round of drinks or to be punished in another way.
\nOriginally Swiss, Fondue became very popular in the United States in the 1970s.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fondue<\/p>\n
Dish:<\/p>\n
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made with a suitable variety of rice such as Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. It originated in North Italy, specifically Eastern Piedmont, Western Lombardy, and Veneto (where the Vialone Nano comes from) where rice paddies are abundant. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cuisine.
\nWhen risotto is cooked, the rice is first cooked briefly in butter or olive oil until evenly coated and the rice starts to turn translucent, before broth is added, one ladle at a time. There are other similar dishes, but they should not be called “risotto” if the rice is not toasted.
\nRecipes include “Risotto alla Milanese,” made with chicken or beef stock and saffron, which is traditionally served with osso buco (a stew made from veal shank, especially when served in its traditional form, in bianco, without tomato in the sauce, the modern variety being served preferably with polenta), and “Risotto al Barolo,” made with red wine, but thousands of variations exist, both with vegetables and meat, as well as risottos made with various other wines, cheeses, or even fruits. “Risotto al nero di seppia” is a specialty of the Veneto region, made with cuttlefish that have been cooked with their ink-sacs intact.
\nRisotto has been featured as one of the most commonly ordered (and botched) appetizers on all three seasons of the reality TV show Hell’s Kitchen.
\nProperly-cooked risotto will bring out the rich creaminess of the rice’s starches, while maintaining an al dente feel to each individual rice grain. A common mistake is to add cheese (usually parmesan) too soon; it will become gooey and unpleasant unless added just before serving.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Risotto<\/p>\n
In cooking, a casserole (from the French for ‘stew pan’) is a large, deep pot or dish used both in the oven and as a serving dish. In the mid-twentieth century, the word also came to be used for the food cooked and served in such a dish. These foods usually consist of vegetables and sometimes meat, pasta, or rice cooked slowly in sauce or other liquid, and may be served as a main course or a side dish. Casseroles tend to be thicker than stews and soups, thick enough to be served on a plate and eaten with a fork.
\nThe culinary term en casserole (also from French) means ‘served in the vessel used for cooking’.
\nCasseroles originate from the ancient practice of stewing meat slowly in earthenware containers. Early 18th century casserole recipes consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and used as a filling. Casseroles are cooked in Europe and the United States, and are found in other forms in many other cultures around the world.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Casserole<\/p>\n
Porchetta (also Porquetta, or Porketta) is a spicy, tasty and extremely moist boneless pork roast. This celebratory dish is commonly served on holidays and special occasions. The pig is roasted whole, possibly over wood, and is heavily salted in addition to being stuffed with garlic, rosemary, fennel, and other herbs. Porchetta originated in central Italy.
\nIn Italy, it is usually sold by pitchmen with their typically white-painted vans, especially during public displays or holidays, and it is served in panini.
\nIn the United States, porchetta is sometimes popularly referred to as “Italian pulled pork”. It is in many places served on a sandwich with greens (broccoli raab or spinach) and provolone cheese. In the United States its origins can be traced the establishment of Italian and Portuguese populations in America during the early 20th century.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Porchetta<\/p>\n
Saltimbocca (sometimes also: Saltinbocca) (Italian: jumps in the mouth) is a dish (popular in southern Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Greece) made of veal, chicken or pork, lined or topped with prosciutto and sage; marinated in wine, oil or saltwater depending on the region or one’s own taste. This dish is also occasionally topped with capers depending on individual taste.
\nThe most famous version of this dish is Saltimbocca alla Romana ‘Saltimbocca, Roman-style’ (although it probably originated in Brescia) which consists of veal, prosciutto or ham, and sage, rolled-up and cooked in Marsala and butter.
\nhttp:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Saltimbocca<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cheese: Ricotta (pronounced \/ri\u02c8kot\u02d0a\/ in Italian) is an Italian whey cheese, meaning a product made from whey-a by-product of milk cheese making-rather than whole milk. Other whey cheeses include Gjetost. In its basic form, ricotta is fresh, creamy, slightly sweet and low-fat (typically around 5% fat), with a finely grained texture and a pure white … Continue reading “Italian food – simple”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-745","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-social"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/745\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/softbeam.net\/hobby\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}