Italian Gastronomy Glossary
Agnolotti  (Ah-gnaw-LOT-tee): A Piedmontese stuffed pasta  which was born as a way of using left-over meats, agnolotti are made differently depending on the meat available, local habit and the preferences of the cook. To prepare the stuffing, kinds of roasted and boiled meats are used separately or in combination, and a cured meat is always included; escarole is the vegetable of choice, although Swiss chard or spinach are sometimes used, and rice cooked in milk is often added for a lighter texture. Agnolotti can be served in a broth, tossed with melted butter and fresh sage, or lavished with a truffle sauce or gravy from roasts.

Alla carbonara (AHL-lah car-bo-NAH-rah): A sauce typically paired with spaghetti in the region of Latium, whose capital is  Rome, the name carbonara comes from carbone, meaning coal  or charcoal, and some believe it was thought up by those who  made charcoal up in the mountains. It is prepared by sautéing  cubed guanciale in lard; spaghetti is cooked al dente, drained, and tossed into the pan with the warm guanciale. Eggs and freshly grated Pecorino Romano are beaten until smooth in a large serving bowl, then the spaghetti and guanciale are tossed in. Some versions include garlic (cooked with the guanciale), or use butter or olive oil rather than lard. Others use Parmigiano Reggiano instead of  or along with - the Pecorino, and add heavy cream to the egg and cheese. )

Alla gricia (AHL-lah GREE-tch-ah): This sauce is the "white version of amatriciana  another Latium sauce that hails from the town of Amatrice in the province of Rieti; gricia stayed closer to its tomato less roots, while amatriciana adopted a sporty red coat. Guanciale is first sautéed in olive oil, then minced onion is added and cooked until golden; a pinch of chili pepper or black pepper gives a little kick. Some versions include garlic, which is cooked down with the onion. When the spaghetti or bucatini (long, hollow spaghetti) are al dente, they are drained, then tossed with the sauce and freshly grated Pecorino Romano.

Amaretti (Ah-mah-REHT-tee): These world-famous almond cookies probably originated in Venice, though they are found throughout Italy, especially in the South. The most familiar version is made with ground almonds (bitter almonds can be added as well), fine sugar, and beaten egg white. Stored in an airtight tin, they last for months. Most amaretti are hard in texture and are often ground to a powder for use in other desserts. They are called amaretti because they are flavored with bitter almonds  (amaro means bitter), which gives them their unique taste. Those  from the Lombard town of Saronno are the most famous of all.  Look for amaretti in Italian markets and gourmet stores, or make  your own. There is, however, a  softer type of amaretto which more closely resembles a macaroon.

Baccalà (Bah-cah-LAH): This is dried codfish, either salted or sundried, often present in the menus from Veneto. A legacy of  the Norwegians, and found in the cuisine of many Mediterranean countries, it can be prepared in a variety of ways beginning with a  long soak in cold water (24 to 48 hours). The water should be frequently changed during the softening process. Though baccalà  can be fried in strips or even eaten raw, the most familiar version involves cooking the cod very, very slowly in milk with onion, garlic, parsley, and anchovy filets for at least four hours. Baccalà mantecato, a classic recipe from Veneto, cooks the cod slowly  in water or milk, then drains, skins, and bones the fish and pounds it into a paste, gradually adding olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper until the finished dish has a velvety quality but still maintains a hint of fish texture.  

Baccalà in zimino (Bah-cah-LAH een tsee-ME-no): This Tuscan codfish recipe is of ancient Arabic influence. In zimino denotes a dish cooked in butter (although in Tuscany extra-virgin olive oil is used instead) with vegetables. In some version onions, garlic, and parsley are sautéed in olive oil, codfish (soaked in water and drained) is added and browned, then peeled tomatoes are stirred in; the whole is cooked about ten minutes, then spinach or Swiss chard is added and cooked a little  longer. In other versions, the vegetables are all cooked together,  then the codfish (soaked in water and drained) is placed on top and cooked fifteen or twenty minutes. In Liguria, baccalà in zimino is prepared without tomatoes.  

Bagna cauda (BAH-gnah-COW-dah): Literally translated, "hot bath", this is a typical sauce of Piedmont. Flavor from crushed, sliced, or minced garlic is underscored by a generous amount of  minced anchovies; these are skillfully incorporated into olive oil  and unsalted butter, which are melted and kept hot at the table in a fondue pot. Raw vegetables like radishes, peppers, cabbage, carrots, and cardoons are used for dipping in this sauce, and cooked vegetables like turnips and potatoes are often served as  well. The original recipe called for walnut oil, and the quality of the olive oil, now commonly used, is considered the key to a successful sauce. The difficulty is in keeping the ingredients of the sauce emulsified; many cooks feel the proportion of olive oil to butter is crucial.

Bagnèt (Bah-GNEHT): In a dialect of Piedmont, this means sauce ("little bath"). A red and a green version are common, and both are used to accompany bollito misto, a typically Piedmontese assortment of boiled meats. The red bagnèt features tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic that are cooked for half an hour, to which wine vinegar and sugar are added; the sauce is then simmered for two more hours. The green bagnèt is a piquant blend of anchovies, hard-boiled egg yolks, parsley, garlic, capers, bread that has been soaked in milk and squeezed dry, extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper; some cooks add pickled gherkins, chopped onions, and lemon juice in various  amounts.

Batsoà (Bah-tso-AH): A dish consisting of cubes of meat for pigs' feet, marinated in vinegar, dipped in batter, then fried. Recipes for this Piedmontese dish are not easily available, but it seems likely that the pigs' feet are slowly cooked in the marinade (which can be flavored with aromatic vegetables, spices, and  white wine) for several hours before they are cooled, cubed, dipped, and fried.

Bigoli (BEE-go-lee): A type of pasta from the Veneto region in which the dough (flour, eggs, melted butter, salt, milk) is worked until pliable, cut into small stick shapes, and extruded through a special instrument called a bigolaro. The resultant rough texture gives a surface that is excellent for absorbing sauce (often based on duck stock and giblets). Egg noodles are a workable substitute if a bigolaro cannot be found.

Bonet (Bow-NEHT): This dessert is a specialty of many trattorie  and home cooks in Piedmont. First, a caramel is prepared and poured while hot into the bottom of a baking dish. An egg custard typically flavored with crumbled Amaretti di Saronno, rum, and melted chocolate is poured over the caramel base, then the whole is baked in a water bath. While Amaretti di Saronno are almost always incorporated into the egg custard, other flavors are sometimes used instead of the chocolate and rum: Grand Marnier or Sambuca, and puréed fruits like raspberry or peach, are among the variations.

Bottarga (Boat-TAR-gah): Also called Sardinian caviar, bottarga is made with salted and pressed mullet roe. It looks like a square brownish-orange salami and keeps for months in the refrigerator if well wrapped. Bottarga is sliced paper-thin and served with olive oil as an antipasto, and it flavors on Sardinia's most famous pasta dishes, maccheroni alla bottarga.

Brovade (Bro-VAH-deh): A peasant food that is virtually unknown outside the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, based on sliced turnips macerated for a month or so in grape skins. The turnips are most often served as an accompaniment to meat dishes, but they can also be folded into pasta e fagioli or other soups. Brovade sautéed with garlic, lard, salt, and pepper often share the plate with cotechino friulano or musetto.

Bruz (BROOTZ): Sometimes called bròs, this is a cheese preparation typical of Piedmont and Liguria. It is made by mixing together left-over bits of robiola or goat cheese, adding  grappa or brandy, olive oil, vinegar, chili pepper or peppercorns, and salt, then placing the mixture in hermetically sealed terra-cotta pots to ferment and become spicy. The fermented cheese is slathered on warm toasted bread and grilled polenta.

Buccellato (Boo-chel-LAHT-toe): A traditional wreath-shaped sweet of Lucca in Tuscany, buccellato was often prepared to celebrate confirmations. It is a simple dessert, made of a leavened dough enriched with eggs, sugar, and butter or lard; dried citron or Marsala are sometimes folded in. There are endless variations of buccellato, and every baker has his or her special touch. Some buccellati measure an impressive three feet in diameter (adding to their celebratory impact), although most are quite a bit less imposing. There is a Sicilian Christmas sweet called buccellato as well, but it is different from the Tuscan dessert despite its spherical shape: it is stuffed with dried figs or raisins and is more heavily spiced.

Burrida (Boor-REE-dah): This Sardinian specialty is not a soup like the similarly named buridda of Liguria, but rather a way for dressing fish from the shark and skate family. The fish is poached in an aromatic broth with onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and a wedge of lemon, then served with a flavorful garlic sauce stretched with mild vinegar and thickened with crushed pine nuts or walnuts.

Cacciucco (Cah-CHOO-koh): A Tuscan stew made by  Etruscans as long as three thousand years ago, cacciucco is made either with fish and seafood or with meat. In both cases, many varieties of meat or fish are cooked with vegetables and given an especially sharp flavor by a generous quantity of garlic and chili pepper. The seaside town of Livorno is famous for its fish and seafood cacciucco.

Caciocavallo (Cah-chow-cah-VAH-low): A type of hard cheese, typical of Sicily, somewhat similar to provolone, which is made of whole milk, processed without cooking, and aged for at least two months. Though it is often smoked, its flavor is also affected by the amount of time it is aged. After two months the mild quality of caciocavallo becomes increasingly assertive. One version, made in Ragusa from a blend of cow's and lamb's milk, exhibits a strong flavor after prolonged aging and is used, grated, in many typical Sicilian dishes. The cheese originated in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and both its rather bulbous shape and odd name have provoked speculation. Some of the credulous believe the cheese was first made with horses' or asses' milk. Some thought the cheeses were paired like saddlebags and transported on horseback  (each cheese weighs about four and a half pounds). It could be the name had to do with an early cheese tax with a stamp in the form of a horse. But most likely caciocavallo is simply a variant of a very  similar Turkish cheese called "qasqawal".

Canederli (Cah-NEH-dehr-lee): A specialty of Trentino-Adige, these bread dumplings are the Italian version of Austrian and German knödel. Often served in rich meat broths, they are  made with stale white or rye bread moistened in milk and bound with eggs, and frequently flavored with parsley, speck (a local cured ham), nutmeg, and caraway seeds. Liver is sometimes add  to make canederli al fegato.

Cannoli (Cah-KNOW-lee): A Sicilian specialty, named for its pipelike shape and intended as a treat at Carnevale, cannoli spread through Italy and were eventually a fixture in almost every pastry shop. The elaborately flavored dough is rolled and shaped around a metal cylinder, then deep fried. When cool, the crisp cookie-like tubes are filled with a sweetened ricotta mixture enriched with candied fruits and small bits of chocolate. In one classic version the dough is made from flour, sugar, egg white, bitter cocoa, powdered coffee, Marsala, brandy, salt, and a tiny amount of lard, and candied pumpkin and orange are used in the filling. The origins of  cannoli, also called Turkish hats, can be traced back to the Saracens or even to pre-Christian times. The tubelike shapes may have imitated the steles and menhirs common to the Druids, and were thought to be fertility symbols.

Capocollo (Cah-poe-COHL-oe): The name both of a cut of pork  and a cured meat prepared in central and southern Italy from the upper part of the neck (collo means neck) and part of the shoulder  of pork. Meat and fat are chopped into large chunks, flavored  differently depending on the region, and cured for four months to  one year. Initially, capocollo was made with mountain pigs, whose  meat was leaner than that of farm-raised pigs. Umbria turns out the  most characteristic capocollo of all, flavoring it with wild fennel seeds or black pepper and garlic. Calabria smokes its capocollo  and uses more lean meat than fat. Apulia's capocollo is also   slightly smoked. Capocollo is almost exclusively eaten raw, sliced  thinly and presented as part of an antipasto selection or with a  variety of cured meats. Other regions produce similar cured meats  under different names: the most famous is the coppa from Emilia,  a prized meat, followed by scammarita in Latium and mulette in  Molise  

Carbonnade (cahr-boh-NAHD): This robust stew hails from the  northern region of Val d'Aosta but is also common in France,  where it is called carbonade. (In the rest of Italy, it goes by the   name of carbonata.) Traditionally carbonnade has been made with  salted rather than fresh beef, for it was one of the region's staples.Today fresh beef is used instead, but the dish is salted heavily to retain its ancient character. To make carbonnade, lean stewing  beef is cut into strips, dredged in flour, and browned in hot butter onions are stirred in and browned, the whole is deglazed with a  full-bodied red wine, and salt is stirred in. As the meat cooks and the sauce reduces, more wine and a generous amount of pepper  are folded in; the end result is a rich, densely sauced stew best accompanied by steaming hot polenta.

Carta da musica (CAR-tah dah MOO-see-cah): Often confused with pane carasau - a similar but thinner, crunchier bread  this  bread is a staple in Sardinia and its name (literally, sheet of music)  refers to its parchment-like appearance. Its preparation is lengthy  and requires patience: a yeasted dough is prepared with durum  flour and all-purpose flour, left to rise, kneaded, repeatedly stretched with a rolling pin, left to rise again, then shaped into very  thin disks. The disks are left to rise again, baked, cooled, and baked  again until dry and crunchy. Carta da musica keeps for months and  has traditionally nourished shepherds on their seasonal journeys as they accompanied their livestock to faraway pastures.

Cartellate (Car-tell-LAH-teh): A traditional Christmas sweet from  Apulia, prepared both at home and in bakeries, cartellate are also called carteddate in dialect. Each family has its own recipe, but the common point is a yeasted dough flavored with olive oil and wine, shaped like a flower, and fried in hot olive oil. Once patted dry,  cartellate are dipped into a hot syrup (usually grape must, sometimes honey) and cooked until they float to the surface. They are then dusted with cinnamon and confectioner's sugar and served  at room temperature.

Cassata all'abruzzese (Cah-SAH-tah ahl ah-broo-TZEH-seh):This spectacular cake was born in Sicily, where it took its name from a deep, rounded bowl called quas at in Arabic (Sicily was  under Arab rule for many centuries and a number of its sweets were elaborated in the pastry shops of convents after the Normans conquered the island). Abruzzo's cassata consists of four layers of  sponge cake imbibed with centerbe, each spread with nougat, croquant, or chocolate pastry cream, and it is a specialty of the town of Sulmona.

Cassola (Cahs-SOLE-ah): For this old Roman Jewish dessert, fresh ricotta is beaten with sugar and eggs, then cooked like a pancake in a hot pan with a little olive oil until golden on both sides.  Some people prefer to cook the top side under the broiler rather than flipping the cassola. When done, cassola is firm and brown on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. Some elaborate variations include cinnamon, cognac, or grated lemon zest; one calls for rice cooked in milk, to give the cassola a firmer consistency.

Castagnaccio (Cah-stah-GNAH-choe): This is a Tuscan specialty made of chestnut flour combined with sugar, water, and olive oil, then baked in a round pan. Rather high and dense, castagnaccio is sometimes garnished with raisins and pine nuts; it has been the traditional after-school snack for generations of Tuscan children.

Cavatelli (Cah-vah-TELL-lee): Apulia's classic pasta, made of durum flour and water, is similar to the rascatieddi of Calabria, the saffron-tinted malloreddus of Sardinia, and the gnucchiteddi of Sicily. Cavatelli are made of a hard dough, traditionally worked a  few minutes by hand and shaped into one-inch long pieces with a long indentation along one side. They are sauced differently in the various regions which prepare them; in Apulia, they are often paired with arugula and a fresh tomato sauce. Industrial production of cavatelli has grown significantly in recent years, so you should be able to find some in upscale Italian markets across North America.

Cedro, Cedrata (Tceh-DRAW, Tceh-DRAH-tah): This is a large fruit (weighing at least two pounds) that resembles a lemon. It  is cultivated in Southern Italy and is thought to have come from Media, a large area of ancient Persia. The harvest is between October and December, but the fruit, prized for its aromatic peel and essential oils, is used year round. After candying, the cedro peel is used in a wide variety of desserts, especially in raised doughs, cakes and puddings. It is a classic ingredient in Christmas Panettone, the Easter Dove, and is found in regional specialties like cassata siciliana or panforte senese. The peel can also be macerated and used as a flavoring in summer drinks. Flowers of the cedro produce an essence similar to orange flower water which   is used in syrups, candies, and a range of desserts.

Centerbe (Chent-HER-bear): Literally, "hundreds of herbs," centerbe is a digestive from Abruzzo made by infusing a variety of medicinal herbs, some say as many as one hundred (which explains the name), in alcohol. It has a very high alcoholic content, usually 32 proof. Homemade centerbe can be made by placing orange  leaves, basil, chamomile, rosemary, sage, juniper, cloves, cinnamon,  toasted coffee beans, saffron, mint, lemon leaves, mandarin leaves, thyme blossoms, and marjoram in a bottle, pouring alcohol over the whole thing, and letting the mixture macerate, covered, for ten days, then straining it and adding a sugar syrup. Aged at least one month, centerbe is an excellent digestive.

Cialzons (Tch-al-TZ-ONS): Stuffed pasta from Friuli-Venezia Giulia. There are numerous versions, including a very famous one from Carnia - often called agnolotti carnici despite the fact that their filling is very different from that of other agnolotti. The
distinguishing feature of cialzons, and what surprises those unaccustomed to Friulian cooking, is the mingling of sweet and salty that is typical of so many Friulian dishes. The filling is a  combination of boiled spinach (although plums and pears are common too), raisins, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, lemon zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggs beaten with sugar; once the egg pasta  is filled with this mixture and boiled, the cialzons are layered with smoked ricotta from Carnia, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Some cialzons are stuffed with sausage and potatoes, others still with mashed potatoes flavored with mint, cinnamon, cognac, sugar, and Parmigiano.

Ciauscolo (Tchah-OOS-coe-loe): The city of Norcia in Umbria is home to the norcini, pork butchers who so perfected their trade that the word norcino has come to mean butcher in central Italy. The norcini - and the Umbrians in general - are very fond of pork, and they make an astounding number of specialties based on it,  including ciauscolo. This unusual salami is originally from the Marche, but it is also prepared in Umbria, especially in the area that borders the town of Macerata. It is made by kneading very finely ground pork with a good quantity of fat until the mixture is very soft. The meat is flavored simply with garlic, salt, and pepper, and it is often smoked. Ciauscolo is meant to be spread onto bread rather than sliced, given its soft consistency; some versions from outside the Marche include a preponderance of pork liver, and are even closer to a pâté than to a salami. Ciauscolo resembles the rillettes of France, which differ because they are cooked while ciauscolo remains raw unless it is smoked.

Cibreo (Chee-BREH-o): A Tuscan stew of chicken giblets, very popular in nineteenth century cooking. According to Pellegrino Artusi's 1891 recipe, the giblets are stewed in broth with butter, salt and pepper, then topped with a sauce of egg yolk cooked with lemon juice, flour and broth. The origin of the name cibreo is unclear, but over the years it has come to mean mixture or combination.

Civet (see-VEH): This braised game dish is a classic of northern Italian cuisine. The favored meat for civet is hare, but venison, chamois, and young boar are also common. The indispensable step in the preparation of civet is the binding of the sauce with the animal's own blood; substituting pork blood is a permissible variation even in classic recipes if the animal's blood is unavailable. In some parts of Piedmont and Lombardy the same sort of dish is called salmì.

Coda alla vaccinara (COH-dah allah vah-CHEE-nah-rah): One of the most famous dishes of Roman cooking is braised oxtail with celery, a typical example of the robust cuisine of this pastoral area. The work of butchering animals in Lazio was done by the vaccinari, or "cow men," who were compensated for their labor with the animal's hide, including the tail and cheeks. They created  numerous dishes with the innards and frugal cuts of the animals, rendering them savory with herbs, vegetables, and spices, building an entire cuisine that can be savored to this day in Rome's traditional restaurants. To prepare coda alla vaccinara, the oxtail is  parboiled, then simmered with celery, carrots, and herbs for two  hours. Prosciutto, onions, and more herbs are browned, and the drained oxtail is added and cooked one hour longer with wine and tomato until the meat literally falls off the bone; at the end of the cooking time, more boiled celery is stirred in, and the whole is  flavored with raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Cotechino (Co-TEH-kee-no): A sausage which was first produced  in Emilia and later in Veneto. Made from pork and lard, it was originally wrapped in pigskin. A favorite of Rossini and very popular in Rome, cotechino is most often served on lentils. Another   classic preparation is cotechino wrapped in prosciutto and a thin  slice of beef, then stewed slowly over sautéed onions in broth and  Lambrusco. Cotechino lasts very well, from three weeks in hot  weather to three months in the winter. When serving it unadorned,   cotechino should be steamed rather than boiled.

 Cotognata (Coe-toe-GNAH-tah): Somewhat similar to Turkish  Delight, cotognata is an ancient sweet, mentioned in Italian cookbooks as early as the fourteenth century. It is made from a  purée of quince cooked in water, which is mixed with sugar, and then carefully cooked, until it obtains a rosy color and becomes  clear. A strip of foil is then oiled and the cotognata is spread out on  it to dry for two days (it can also be dried in the oven). It is then cut into cubes or lozenges, rolled in crystallized sugar, and stored in  glass jars or wooden boxes with each layer separated by oiled paper.

Crescionda (Creh-SHON-dah): Eggs, amaretto cookies, milk, and unsweetened cocoa combine to make a luscious spoon dessert called crescionda. Typical of Umbria, crescionda has not traveled beyond its area of origin, and is little known in other regions of Italy. Recipes for it are hard to find.

Cugnà (Coo-GNAH): This is the Piedmontese term for cotognata, a quince and sugar paste made in many regions of Italy (especially Sicily and Apulia). In the Piedmont area, particularly Asti, cugnà is prepared at the time of the wine harvest and is more complex than the cotognata from other areas. It includes grape must, quince, walnuts, sugar, and various fresh and dried fruits, and it is served more as a fruit relish than a sweet. It is a perfect accompaniment to roasted meats and poultry.

Culatello (Coo-lah-TEHL-lo): A very expensive and rare cured  meat, culatello is a product of Parma. Generally formed into an oval, and weighing as much as seven pounds, culatello is made using a posterior muscle of a pig's haunch (the same haunch that is used for prosciutto). Culatello is made from very lean meat and requires, during its very long aging, a humid climate - just the opposite of prosciutto, which has much more fat and needs to mature in a very dry atmosphere. Since a genuine culatello ages for a year and other types of sausage must be made from the discarded parts of the haunch, the cost is considerable and some lesser grade culatello is found - either made commercially by a faster process or using shoulder meat, which is fattier. Once cut, the culatello must be wrapped in a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.

Diavolillo (Dee-ah-voe-LEE-loe): Abruzzo and Molise's super-hot chili, or peperoncino rosso, diavolillo nearly defines the cooking of these two regions. Since Abruzzo and Molise are fond of spicy food, you'll find minced chili infusing in local olive oil, ready   to pour on soups, marinades for meat or poultry, and most commonly to sauce spaghetti: spaghetti al diavolillo is a signature dish of the area. Diavolillo is also dried and ground, flavoring much of the food in Abruzzo and Molise.

Farro (FAR-roh): Farro is an unhybridized grain which belongs to the wheat family, grown for millennia in the Middle East and North  Africa. True farro (Triticum dicoccum) is not spelt (Triticum spelta) as is commonly believed: it has two distinctive spikes and a fuller flavor. Today most of Italy's farro is cultivated in Umbria, Latium, and Tuscany; the one from the Garfagnana area of Tuscany is most famous for its pure, nutty taste. Farro is rich in fiber, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, C, and E, and because of its low gluten content, people who are gluten-intolerant can often eat farro without difficulty. Farro flour can be used to make pasta and bread, but since it is so low in gluten it should be combined with wheat flour or eggs; a good combination for making pasta is farro flour and semolina.

Fettunta (Feht-TUNE-tah): Born as a way of savoring the year's new olive oil, fettunta is absolutely Tuscan in its simplicity: a slice of coarse country bread toasted until golden and rubbed with a peeled clove of garlic, then doused with abundant olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Literally, fettunta comes from fetta unta, or "oily slice."

Frico (FREE-co): Made with Montasio, the famed cow's milk cheese, frico is a dish that has sustained generations of shepherds and woodsmen. Today it is a traditional antipasto in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and every valley in Carnia has its own version of it. The basic recipe for frico is nothing more than slices of aged Montasio fried in hot butter, oil, or lard until crisp and golden on both sides. Some versions have the cheese fry slowly over a bed of caramelized onions. Frico can also be served with fried eggs. The name frico comes from the Latin frigere, for frying.

Friselle (Free-SELL-eh): Also called freselle or frisedde, these are large round breads with a hole in the center typical of Apulia. After the first baking, they are sliced in half horizontally and baked a second time until dry and crispy; before eating, they are soaked in or sprayed with water until they become soft again. Friselle are a wonderful accompaniment to salads and can be eaten with any meal; they are often served drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and topped with tomatoes and oregano or basil . Because they are dry, friselle can be stored for long periods of time.

Granita (Grah-KNEE-tah): A Sicilian specialty, granita was originally made with the pressed snow from Mt. Etna that was kept in caves and scooped up in the summer. Closer to sherbet than ice cream, granitas are meant to be drunk. A simple sugar syrup is combined with a liquid flavoring, most often lemon juice or coffee. Much less sugar is used than in sherbet. Granita is beaten or whisked to break up the crystals which form as it freezes. The texture remains somewhat grainy. Granita is served in tall, narrow glasses, often topped with whipped cream. Since a granita melts rather rapidly, it is eaten with a spoon as well as drunk.

Gröstl: A combination of potatoes and onions, typically cooked in a skillet with beef, speck, or (less frequently) poultry. There are numerous variations on gröstl. Some are flavored with garlic, others  with chives, oregano, or cumin. Gröstl is often served as a cake to be cut into wedges, either hot or at room temperature, and is an ingenious way to use leftover meat in Trentino-Alto Adige.

Guanciale (Gwahn-TCHAH-leh): The meat from the cheek of a pig, guanciale (from guancia, meaning cheek) is rubbed lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper or chili pepper, then cured for three months. It is very common in the cooking of central Italy, particularly Latium, where it flavors numerous pasta sauces (see alla carbonara and alla gricia). Since it is rarely available outside Italy, pancetta - an Italian cured meat similar to bacon but not smoked - can be used instead. Bacon will do in a pinch.

Gubana (Goo-BAH-nah): A sweet in the shape of a spiral or wreath commonly baked in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, gubana is often confused with presnitz. A version made in the town of Cividale boasts a puff pastry made with egg and brandy and a filling of nuts, almonds, raisins, pine nuts, candied citron and orange, Malaga wine, stale bread cooked in butter, sugar, egg yolks, and beaten egg whites. In Trieste, the pastry dough is made only with flour, melted butter or oil, and a little water. Other cities prepare a yeasted sweet dough and a filling that also includes prunes and chocolate.

Gulasch (GOO-lah-sh): One of the most noted Hungarian dishes, gulasch was originally a soup of thinly sliced meat cooked with onions. Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, incorporated gulasch into its cooking repertoire. Today, gulasch is most often made by sweating onions in lard, then adding beef cubes and browning them lightly; a little water or broth is poured in to prevent the meat from drying out, and the whole is cooked until the meat is tender. Tomato is sometimes stirred in, and paprika or chili pepper add a little bite. Polenta is a frequent partner to gulasch.

Indugghia (Een-DOO-ghee-ah): Sometimes called 'ndugghia or nnuglia, indugghia is a typical Calabrese sausage made with a combination of the meat, lard, liver, and lungs of pork. It is a close relative of the famous andouille sausage of France, which became fashionable in that country much later. Indugghia is often served as part of an antipasto or with a selection of other meats and sausages.

Kaiserscharrn: A simple dessert from Trentino-Alto Adige, made both in restaurants and at home by filling crespelle (thin crêpes) with stewed fruit, cutting them into thin strips, and serving them hot with fresh cream. Given the region's numerous heirloom apple varieties, kaiserscharrn are often stuffed with local apples; prunes and cherries are traditional fillings as well.

Kaminwürzen: This is a smoked pork sausage from Trentino-Alto Adige, usually served accompanied by an assortment of cured meats, sauerkraut, and steamed potatoes for a filling, hearty main course.

Knodel: (Canederli in Italian) These dumplings evolved as a way of using leftover bread in Trentino-Alto Adige. Most versions begin with rye or dark bread that is cubed and soaked in milk, ater, or broth, then enriched by speck, liver (leberknodel), or cheese. Herbs and spices are folded into the batter for additional flavor, and eggs usually hold it together. Knodel are served as accompaniments to hearty, flavorful stews like gulasch or boiled  meat, or as a filling garnish for clear broths. Most recipes call for poaching the knodel in water for a few minutes, although some suggest boiling them directly in the broth in which they are to be served, despite the fact that they tend to make the broth cloudy. Schwarze knodel (black knodel) are among the most famous variations, a combination of rye bread and buckwheat flour with pancetta, onion, leek, and garlic.

Krapfen: In every Italian region except German-speaking Trentino-Alto Adige the word refers to sweet yeasted fritters, more often than not filled with vanilla or lemon-scented pastry  cream or a simple fruit jam and dusted with confectioner's sugar. Since krapfen simply means fritter in German, without reference to  the filling, the various types are identified in German-speaking areas by a modifier such as mohnkrapfen, meaning poppy seed fritter. It seems that krapfens were named in the late 1600s by a woman named Krapft, who invented the pillowy fritters in her own kitchen.  

Leberknodelsuppe: A filling soup that combines a rich meat broth with leberknodel (see knodel ). It is a traditional first course in Trentino-Alto Adige.

Maccheroni alla chitarra (Mah-keh-ROE-nee ahl-lah key-TAHR-rah): This is the quintessential pasta dish of Abruzzo. Fresh pasta is made using semolina flour and eggs, rolled thin and pushed through steel wires arranged in a wooden frame. The pasta is typically served with a chili pepper-laced tomato sauce or a ragù of lamb or beef. Until 1860, maccheroni alla chitarra did not have their present shape; it was then that the tool used to make them - called a chitarra because it resembles a guitar - was created in the province of Chieti.

Malloreddus (MAHL-lo-red-doos): These tiny Sardinian dumplings resemble cavatelli and are often called gnocchetti sardi. They are made of semolina flour and warm water tinted and flavored with saffron, shaped into inch-long pieces, and rolled over a sieve (in Sardinia they use a tool called ciurili, or a piece of lined glass) to form their characteristic grooves and indentation. Malloreddus are usually served with butter and Pecorino.

Merca (MER-cah): Another Sardinian way to conserve fish, merca is a type of salami made of gray mullet that is first cooked in salted water, then pressed and wrapped in an aromatic herb called salicornia that grows in the Cabras swamps. The water in which the fish is cooked is more or less salty depending on how long one intends to keep the final product.

Murseddu (Moor-SEH-doo): Also known as suffrittu or mursiello (especially in the towns of Reggio Calabria and Cosenza), murseddu is among the most notable of Calabria's dishes. It is an old specialty that combines tripe cut into thin, longstrips with slices of calf's liver and pork liver, red wine, bread dough, tomatoes, chili pepper, aromatic herbs, and olive oil. The whole is cooked very gently in lard until tender, and is often tucked  into warm pitta, a yeasted Calabrese flatbread, as a hearty filling. In its most refined version, it is baked in a deep pie dish, whereas in trattorias the more time-consuming bread dough is replaced with Spanish almuerzo, or breakfast, and to this day, Calabrese farmers eat a heaping portion of murseddu before setting out for a day in the fields.

Muset (Moo-SEHT): This elongated, conical sausage is made of pork, lard, rind, and jowl (muso means jowl, hence the Furlan name muset or the Italian musetto), and resembles cotechino. Spices used include cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, chili, and pepper. A little wine - usually Tocai, Picolit, or Marsala - is also added. The meat for musetto is ground more finely than for cotechino. Typically prepared during the chilly winter months in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, musetto is aged for a maximum of four to eight weeks before it is cooked.

Murstica (MOO-stee-cah): A favored antipasto in Calabria, mustica is otherwise known as ìCalabrese caviarî or rosamarina. It's prepared with newborn anchovies (called bianchetti) that have been salted, strewn with black pepper or chili, and packed in olive oil to be kept for months in glass or enameled terracotta jars. The name is derived from the ancient Arab jug made of clay called mustica, also a hint of Arab occupation in Calabria centuries ago.  

 Ombra, ombretta (OM-bra, om-BREHT-tah): A small glass of white wine from the Veneto region. Drunk for breakfast in colder areas, an ombra is basically a social drink, perfect for stimulating conversation. The origin of the name, which means shadow in Italian, has its roots in a colorful episode of Venetian history. The shadow in question is that of the bell tower of Saint Mark's Cathedral, cast over Piazza San Marco. Sprawling in the cool arc of its shade was one of the city's favorite wine bars, a popular destination on hot days, where many chilled glasses of wine were poured to the barman's thirsty customers. Over the years, the expression to get "a shadow" simply became a euphemism for the consumption of a small glass of wine.

Orecchiette (Oreh-key-ET-tay): This ear-shaped pasta (orecchietta means little ear) is made throughout Southern Italy, both at home and industrially. The dough is made of durum flour and water and is quite hard. The indentation and grooves in orecchiette make them the ideal vehicle for sauces. They are most often paired with rapini (or broccoli raab), but are also often served with a lamb ragù or tomato sauce. There are half a dozen colorful names for orecchiette in other regions: cicatelli, chiangarelle, stacchiodde, strascinati (dragged), pociacche and pestazzuole; in Rome they are called orecchini (earrings).

Pandolce (Pahn-DOLE-cheh): Literally translated, "sweet bread." Pandolce is a Genoese sweet very similar to Milanese Panettone, but denser. Like Panettone, it is a traditional Christmas dessert. The batter for pandolce is made of eggs, butter, sugar and flour, enriched by candied fruit and pine nuts, and perfumed with fennel or anise seeds and orange flower water.

Pane carasau (PAH-neh car-ahs-AH-OO): See carta da musica.
Pane frattau (PAH-neh fraht-TAH-OO): A Sardinian dish made with carta da musica soaked briefly in boiling water and topped with crushed tomatoes, grated Pecorino, and a poached egg.

Panforte (Pahn-FOR-teh): A traditional sweet from Siena, panforte literally means strong bread (pan means bread and forte means strong), because the batter from which it is made is firm. It has been prepared almost the same way since the thirteenth century. Toasted walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts are stirred into hot honey caramel, flavored with candied fruit, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and nutmeg, and bound with a little flour. The batter is poured into a round pan lined with communion wafers, dusted  with confectioner's sugar, and baked. Panforte can be conserved for some months if well covered.

Pan pepato (Pahn peh-PAH-toe): This is an ancient sweet with the heavily spiced character of medieval cuisine. Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, citron, candied orange, raisins, honey, cocoa and a little flour are combined with ground cinnamon, coriander, and nutmeg. The batter is poured into a round pan and baked. Pan pepato can be kept for months. Freshly ground pepper appears in some versions of pan pepato, hence its name: pepato  means peppery.

Panzanella (Pahn-zah-NELL-la): This is the Tuscan name for a rustic dish made of stale bread and raw tomatoes dressed with extra-virgin olive oil and wine vinegar. Basil leaves are folded in, and purple onion, cucumber, and celery are sometimes added. The bread becomes imbibed with the juices of the tomato and fragrant with the olive oil. There are similar salads all over Italy: the caponata dei marinai of Sicily, featuring the local bread,  tomatoes, anchovies and oregano; the cappon magro of Liguria, a  complex bread creation enriched with fish, seafood, hard-boiled  eggs and a multitude of vegetables; and another Ligurian specialty, capponalda, made with soaked bread, anchovies, capers, and  choppd olives. Panzanella, like all other bread salads, was born as  a way of using leftover bread.

Papassine (Pah-pah-SEE-neh): These crumbly Sardinian sweets are typically prepared for Easter, Christmas, and on the first of November for All Saints' Day. They are made with flour, dried fruit, eggs, sugar, lard, and orange, and variously flavored and  shaped depending on where they are made within the island.

Pappa al pomodoro (PAHP-pah ahl po-mo-DO-ro): The quintessential country dish and one of Tuscany's most famous soups, pappa al pomodoro is made of stale bread and ripe tomatoes, flavored with garlic, onions, and basil. When the soup is served, each bowl is drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Pappardelle (Pah-par-DEHL-leh): Long, flat, wide pasta typical of Tuscany, but also prepared in Umbria and other regions. The  word pappardelle comes from the Tuscan word pappare, meaning  to eat. Pappardelle are usually topped with hearty meat-based sauces; Tuscany's most famous pappardelle and sauce coupling is pappardelle sulla lepre, featuring a robust hare ragù.

Passatelli (Pahs-sah-TEHL-lee):  A traditional first course in the neighboring regions of Romagna and the Marche, passatelli are so called because they are passed through a special iron that looks like a slotted spoon mounted on two horizontal handles. In Romagna, the dough is made with fresh bread crumbs, eggs, Parmigiano, and a grating of nutmeg and lemon zest; beef marrow can be used to make passatelli particularly rich. In the Marche, passatelli include ground beef, and the lemon is omitted. The dough is placed on the counter, the passatelli iron is pressed over it, and the dough makes its way up the iron's many small holes, ready to drop into hot broth. Once the passatelli float to the top of the broth, they are removed  with a slotted spoon. Freshly grated Parmigiano is the classic accompaniment, although Pecorino is also common in the Marche.  

Piadina (Pyah-DEE-nah): Romagna's famous flatbread has been emblematic of the region since the Middle Ages. Also called piada or pié, the name piadina derives from the word piadena, a wide  bowl or flat, low vase. Piadine are in fact round and flat bread doughówhich traditionally does not include yeast, although recent versions call for itóis made by kneading flour, lard, salt, and wate together. Once the dough is smooth and firm, it is left to rest for thirty minutes, at which point it is ready to be cut and rolled out thin, then cooked over a hot surface. Piadine are always served when soft and pliable, never dried out, and they commonly accompany prosciutto, cheese, or other antipasti.

Pizzoccheri (Pee-TZOH-keh-ree): These thick tagliatelle are prepared in Valtellina, a northern valley in Lombardy, from a mixture of buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour. They are boiled, then layered with blanched cabbage, sautéed onions and garlic,  topped with a local cheese and dotted with butter. Traditionally  made only by hand in the area where they originated, pizzoccheri are now produced industrially and sold throughout Italy, and in specialty stores across North America.

Polenta e Osei (PAW-lent-tah a oh-SAY): Traditionally thrush, lark, and other small songbirds (called "osei" in Veneto's dialect)  were skewered and roasted, then served piping hot over polenta. A legend of the area claimed that polenta arrived in the world one day between the rivers of Oglio and Brenta and that when small spit-roasted birds were added to the dish it became food for the gods. This classic is now prohibited because the birds were killed in a slow, painful way, but the Venetians keep the concept alive in a dish called polenta e oseleti scapai (polenta and the birds that got away) made with pieces of veal, chicken liver, bacon, mushrooms, and fresh sage leaves which are buttered, skewered, and oven roasted.

Porchetta (Pork-EHT-tah): This pork dish is not to be confused  with roast suckling pig. A whole young pig, weighing about 100 pounds, is deboned through two incisions along its back and thighs. Once deboned, the pig is stuffed with a mixture of salt, black pepper, wild fennel, and garlic. The entrails are washed, cooked,  and seasoned with these same aromatic ingredients, then used as a stuffing. The incisions are sewn shut and the pig is slowly roasted in a wood-burning oven, set atop a large roasting pan which catches the juices as they melt in the heat. One of the characteristics of this dish is the pork's crispy skin. Porchetta can be eaten warm, but it is mostly savored at room temperature or  cold. Originally from Umbria, the preparation of porchetta spread into Lazio, where it is made mostly for feasts, served in  restaurants, or sold in shops.

Presnitz (PREH-snits): Made much like gubana but with a dough  that contains no liqueur (water is used instead), presnitz is traditionally served at Easter in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (particularly Trieste) and is a Hungarian legacy. Shaped into a wreath like gubana, this dessert keeps for a long time.

Prosciutto Toscano (proh-SHOOT-toh toh-SKAH-noh): The memorable prosciutto of Tuscany, produced especially in an area  called the Casentino near Florence and Arezzo, is quite different from the more famous Prosciutto di Parma. Typically smaller in  size, saltier, and chewier, it is generously flavored with black  pepper and aged for eight to ten months, somewhat less than  Prosciutto di Parma. Unavailable in North America, it can be savored only locally.

Ratafià (Rah-tah-FEE-AH): A sweet liqueur made from bitter cherries (amarene, from amaro, or bitter) in Abruzzo, ratafià is traditionally prepared with summer-sweet cherries at their peak. Every June, the cherries are stemmed, dried in the sun for a day, then macerated in red wine (preferably Montepulciano d'Abruzzo)  with cinnamon and vanilla for forty days in the sun. The liquor is then strained, the cherries squeezed to extract the most flavor, and sugar and alcohol are stirred in; the longer ratafià ages the better it is. Other regions too make ratafià, and Piedmont is one of its  biggest producers. Apricots, oranges, plums, walnuts, lemons, and marasca can also be used to make the liqueur.

Ribollita (Ree-boel-LEE-tah): The very name of this Tuscan soup says it all: literally translated, it means "reboiled," and reflects how this ancient soup came about. Leftovers of thick Tuscan  minestrone (full of Swiss chard, Savoy cabbage, white beans, potatoes, leeks, tomatoes and onions) are reheated, then layered over stale bread and drizzled with the finest extra-virgin olive oil. In some versions, the leftover soup is simply poured into an ovenproof casserole, topped with a layer of thinly sliced onions and drizzled with olive oil, then baked at 375o until the onions form a light crust. There is some disagreement as to whether ribollita originally hails from Florence or Siena, but everyone who tastes it agrees that it is one of Tuscany's great soups.

Robiola (Row-BEEOH-lah): This cheese hails back to ancient times. Originally from the Valsassina and other pre-alpine valleys, it is also produced in the plains of Piedmont and Lombardy. Made  mostly from cow's milk (sheep's and goat's milk were more common decades ago), robiola is mild and buttery when fresh (aged only 8 to 10 days) and sharper when matured (aged 40 to 50 days). Fresh robiola is used in numerous dishes both sweet and savory, from pies to pasta to antipasti, and is sometimes marinated in extra-virgin olive oil with herbs and spices.

Rocciata (Roe-TCHA-tah): A pastry shaped like a strudel filled with a rich fruit stuffing, rocciata is common in the pastry shops of  Umbria.

Rosolio (Roh-SOE-leo): One of the glories of liqueur-making, little known outside Italy, is rosolio, made by macerating rose petals in an alcoholic infusion. Legend has it that a mysterious physician who worked in fifteenth-century Italy had prescribed an alcohol-based treatment to one of his female patients and, in an attempt to mask the unpleasant flavor of the alcohol, the good doctor added honey and rose oil to the mixture, thereby inventing rosolio. Rosolio is moderately alcoholic, between 22% and 24%, with a sweet taste and delicate bouquet that make it an excellent dessert liqueur.

Sagne Chine (SAH-nieh KEY-neh): This lasagna, which is generously stuffed with a flavorful combination of ground pork, fresh peas, diced or shredded mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, and sliced hard-boiled eggs, is the crowning glory of traditional Calabrese cookery. It is a feast dish like few others which requires time, patience, and a skilled hand. During the cold autumn and winter months, when greens are hard to come by and fresh peas and artichokes are out of season, the vegetables are sometimes substituted by locally made salami or crumbled sausage. Sagne in Calabrese means lasagne (plural of lasagna).

Saltimbocca (Sahl-teem-BOE-cah): Literally, "jump in the mouth," an indication of just how good this classic Roman dish is. Slices of very young milk-fed veal are topped with prosciutto and a leaf of sage (held together by a toothpick), sautéed quickly in golden butter, and deglazed with white wine or a little water. Sometimes saltimbocca are rolled into plump little bundles.

Sanguinaccio (sahn-gwee-NAH-choh): This pork blood sausage is a specialty of northern Italy. There are numerous variations of  sanguinaccio. Val d'Aosta calls it boudin and mixes in boiled potatoes, lard, and spices, and sometimes combines the pork blood with ox blood. In Friuli bread crumbs, marjoram, cracklings, lemon zest, and garlic are folded in. Tuscans call it biroldo, buristo, or mallegato, depending on the area. Abruzzo adds cooked must, pine nuts, candied citron, walnuts, sugar, and chocolate to the ingredients, and the Neapolitans make it into a rich, thick cream to be eaten cold with ladyfingers. In Sardinia, where it is made in a similar fashion, sanguinaccio is eaten after it is warmed lightly on the grill.

Sardenaira (Sar-deh-NAH-ee-rah): A traditional Ligurian focaccia, sardenaira was created by Admiral Andrea Doria and was initially called Pizza dell'Andrea. A simple olive oil-enriched yeasted dough is prepared and allowed to rise, topped with a cooked mixture of onions, tomatoes, and basil, flavored with anchovies, garlic and olives, then baked. In some variations, the onions are left raw and capers are added to the topping.

Schlutzkrapfen: Fresh pasta filled with sauerkraut, potatoes and herbs, or cheese, a typical first course in Alto Adige. Not all schlutzkrapfen are fried: some are boiled.  

Directory