List of Italian dishes facts for kids

This is a list of Italian dishes and foods. Italian cuisine has developed through centuries of social and political changes, with roots as far back as the 4th century BC. Italian cuisine has its origins in Etruscan, ancient Greek, and ancient Roman cuisines. Significant changes occurred with the discovery of the New World and the introduction of potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and maize, now central to the cuisine but not introduced in quantity until the 18th century. The cuisine of Italy is noted for its regional diversity, abundance of difference in taste, and is known to be one of the most popular in the world, with influences abroad.

Pizza and spaghetti, both associated with the Neapolitan traditions of cookery, are especially popular abroad, but the varying geographical conditions of the twenty regions of Italy, together with the strength of local traditions, afford a wide range of dishes.

Dishes and foods

The cuisine of Italy has many unique dishes and foods.

Zuppe e salse (soups and sauces)

Pane (bread)

Common pizzas

• Ai frutti di mare – an Italian seafood pizza that may be served with scampi, mussels or squid
• Calzone – folded over dough usually filled with ricotta and other ingredients
• Focaccia al rosmarino – a pizza based on rosemary and olive oil, sometimes served with prosciutto, usually served as appetizer
• Pizza ai funghi e salsiccia – pizza with mushroom and sausage or boscaiola, with mozzarella, mushrooms and sausages, with or without tomato
• Pizza al taglio – (Italian for pizza by the slice — literally "by the cut") is a variety of pizza baked in large rectangular trays, and generally sold in rectangular or square slices by weight, with prices marked per kilogram or per 100 grams. This type of pizza was invented in Rome, Italy, and is common throughout Italy.
• Pizza ai quattro formaggi – (four cheese pizza) with four different cheeses, typically Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Ricotta and Mozzarella (sometimes melted together, sometimes in sectors), with (rossa, red) or without tomato sauce (bianca, white)
• Pizza alla napoletana (or Neapolitan) – tomato, mozzarella and anchovy
• Pizza capricciosa – with tomato, mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, black and green olives
• Pizza Margherita – tomato and mozzarella
• Pizza marinara – tomato, oregano and garlic
• Pizza pugliese – tomato, mozzarella and onions
• Pizza quattro stagioni (four seasons pizza) – based on tomato and divided in four sectors, one for each season:
• Pizza romana (Roman pizza) – tomato, mozzarella, capers and anchovy
• Pizza siciliana (Sicilian pizza and Sfincione / sfinciuni) – tomato, mozzarella, capers, olive and anchovy

Pasta varieties

Pasta dishes

Rice dishes

Rice (riso) dishes are very common in Northern Italy, especially in the Lombardia and Veneto regions, though rice dishes are found throughout the country.

Pesce (fish dishes)

Carne (meat dishes and cured meats)

Verdura (vegetables)

• Asparagi bianchi e verdi (asparagus)
• Caponata
• Carciofi alla Romana
• Ciambotta
• Crauti (sauerkraut)
• Panzanella – a Tuscan salad of bread and tomatoes, popular in the summer
• Peperonata
• Pestât
• Pinzimonio – Italian-style crudités
• Fried eggplant

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  Carciofi alla Romana

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  Caponata

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  Panzanella

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  Parmigiana di melanzane

Nut dishes

• Chestnut pie – has been documented back to the 15th century in Italy, in the book De honesta voluptate et valetudine ("On honourable pleasure and health") written by the Italian writer and gastronomist Bartolomeo Platina.

Vino (wines)

Formaggi (cheeses)

Cheese dishes

• Carrozza (sandwich)

Desserts and pastry

Caffè (coffee)

• Bicerin – coffee, hot chocolate and whipped cream, only in Turin
• Caffè americano believed to have originated in World War II when American G.I.s in Italy would dilute espresso with hot water to approximate the coffee to which they were accustomed.
• Caffè corretto
• Caffè leccese or Caffè in ghiaccio – espresso over ice with addition of almond milk instead of sugar, typical in Salento
• Caffè lungo
• Caffè macchiato
• Caffè Moka, made with a moka pot
• Caffè alla napoletana, made with a caffettiera napoletana
• Caffè shakerato, an Italian sweet iced coffee drink.
• Caffelatte
• Latte macchiato, similar to a caffelatte, but with less coffee
• Cappuccino
• Espresso – known generally in Italy simply as caffè
• Granita
• Grolla dell'amicizia – coffee and grappa served in a traditional bulbous wooden loving cup, shaped like a multi-spouted teapot, and drunk in the Aosta Valley and Piedmont
• Marocchino – similar to a small cappuccino, invariably served in a glass, and drunk mainly in Turin, in the whole Piedmont and in Milan; similar to the espressino
• Ristretto
• Uovo sbattuto "con caffe". A once popular high energy breakfast item enjoyed by children.

Famous dishes

• Baccalà alla Vicentina
• Bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine beefsteak)
• Pollo alla cacciatora
• Carbonara
• Salsiccia
• Lasagne
• Ossobuco
• Orecchiette con le cime di rapa
• Pasta e fagioli
• Pasta con le sarde
• Pesto
• Pizza
• Polenta
• Ragù alla bolognese – a meat-based sauce served with tagliatelle or other pasta; the American dish Spaghetti alla Bolognese derives from this.
• Tortellini

Unique dishes and foods by region

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Veneto

Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol

• Canederli or Knödel – dumplings made with leftover bread and cold cuts
• Carne salada e fasoi – aromatized salt beef with beans
• Crauti – Sauerkraut
• Minestrone di orzetto – barley soup
• Speck – is a type of salume from the historical-geographical region of Tyrol and generally obtained from pork leg subjected to a process of cold-smoking
• Strangolapreti – spinach dumplings
• Spatzle – typical Trentino Alto Adige first course, similar to Strangolapreti in flavour, different in form
• Zelten – a typical dessert of the Christmas tradition of the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Made with dried fruit (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds) and candied fruit
• Grostoli – in dialect "Grostoi" (Grøśtœį) tyopical fried dessert from the Trentino-Alto Adige culture
• Strauben – Austro-Hungarian culinary artefact, served in every alpine hut with plenty of "currant jam" (Marmelada de ribes) on top
• Strudel – is a sweet rolled or stuffed pastry that can be sweet or savory, but in its best known version is sweet with apples, pine nuts, raisins and cinnamon

Lombardy

• Mostarda di Cremona – a sweet/spicy sauce made with candied fruits and meant to be served along boiled beef.
• Nocciolini di Canzo – small sweet amaretto-style biscuits with hazelnut flour
• Panettone – a Milanese Christmas traditional sweet bread made with a yeast and egg dough along with candied citrus peel, and raisins
• Pizzoccheri – buckwheat tagliatelle dressed with potatoes, greens (often Swiss Chard or Spinach), butter and Bitto cheese: a speciality of the Valtellina.
• Risotto alla milanese – A stirred rice dish made with Vialone or Carnaroli rice flavored with saffron and beef marrow
• Torrone – a candy made of honey, sugar, and egg white, with toasted almonds or hazelnuts
• Tortelli di zucca – ravioli with a squash filling
• Salame di Varzi

Val D'Aosta

• Tortino di riso alla valdostana – rice cake with ox tongue
• Zuppa di Valpelline – savoy cabbage stew thickened with stale bread

Piedmont (Piemonte)

• Bagna càuda – A hot dip based on anchovies, olive oil and garlic (sometimes blanched in milk), to accompany vegetables (either raw or cooked), meat or fried polenta sticks
• Bollito misto
• Brasato al vino – stew made from wine marinated beef
• Carne cruda all'albese – steak tartare with truffles
• Gnocchi di semolino alla romana – semolina dumpling
• Lepre in Civet – jugged hare
• Paniscia di Novara – a dish based on rice with borlotti beans, salame sotto grasso and red wine
• Panissa di Vercelli - a dish based on rice with borlotti beans, salame sotto grasso and red wine
• Panna cotta – sweetened cream set with gelatin
• Pere San Martin al vino rosso - winter pears in red wine
• Risotto alla piemontese – risotto cooked with meat broth and seasoned with nutmeg, parmesan and truffle
• Vitello tonnato – veal in tuna sauce
• Rane Fritte – fried frogs
• Riso e Rane – risotto with frogs
• Salame sotto Grasso – pork salami aged under a thick layer of lard

Liguria

• Agliata – the direct ancestor of pesto, it is a spread made from garlic cloves, egg yolk and olive oil pestled in a mortar until creamy
• Baccalà fritto – morsels of salt cod dipped in flour batter and fried
• Bagnun (literally Big Bath or Big Dip) a soup made with fresh anchovies, onion, olive oil and tomato sauce where crusty bread is then dipped; originally prepared by fishermen on long fishing expeditions and eaten with hard tack instead of bread.
• Bianchetti – Whitebait of anchovies and sardines, usually boiled and eaten with lemon juice, salt and olive oil as an entrée
• Buridda – seafood stew
• Cappon Magro – a preparation of fish, shellfishes and vegetables layered in an aspic
• Capra e fagioli - a stew made of goat meat and white beans, a typical dish of the hinterland of Imperia
• Cima alla genovese – this cold preparation features an outer layer of beef breast made into a pocket and stuffed with a mix of brain, lard, onion, carrot, peas, eggs and breadcrumbs, then sewn and boiled. It is then sliced and eaten as an entrée or a sandwich filler
• Cobeletti – sweet corn tarts
• Condigiun – a salad made with tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, black olives, basil, garlic, anchovies, hard boiled egg, oregano, tuna.
• Farinata di zucca – a preparation similar to chickpea farinata substituting pumpkin for the legumes' flour as its main ingredient, the end result is slightly sweeter and thicker than the original
• Galantina – similar to Testa in cassetta but with added veal.
• Latte dolce fritto – a thick milk based cream left to solidify, then cut in rectangular pieces which are breaded and fried.
• Maccheroni con la Trippa – A traditional savonese soup uniting maccheroni pasta, tripe, onion, carrot, sausage, "cardo" which is the Italian word for Swiss chard, parsley, and white wine in a base of capon broth, with olive oil to help make it satisyfing. Tomato may be added but that is not the traditional way to make it. (Traditional ingredients: brodo di gallina o cappone, carota, cipolla, prezzemolo, foglie di cardo, trippa di vitello, salsiccia di maiale, maccheroni al torchio, vino bianco, burro, olio d'oliva, formaggio grana, sale.)
• Mescciüa – a soup of chickpeas, beans and wheat grains, typical of eastern Liguria and likely of Arab origin
• Mosciamme – originally a cut of dolphin meat dried and then made tender again thanks to immersion in olive oil, for several decades tuna has replaced dolphin meat.
• Pandolce – sweet bread made with raisins, pine nuts and candied orange and cedar skins
• Panera genovese – a kind of semifreddo rich in cream and eggs flavoured with coffee, similar to a cappuccino in ice cream form
• Panissa and Farinata – chickpea-based polentas and pancakes respectively
• Pansoti – triangle-shaped stuffed pasta filled with a mix of borage (or spinach) and ricotta cheese, they can be eaten with butter, tomato sauce or a white sauce made with either walnuts or pine nuts (the latter two being the more traditional ligurian options)
• Pesto – Probably Liguria's most famous recipe, widely enjoyed beyond regional borders, is a green sauce made from basil leaves, sliced garlic, pine nuts, pecorino or parmigiano cheese (or a mix of both) and olive oil. Traditionally used as a pasta dressing (especially with gnocchi or trenette, it is finding wider uses as sandwich spread and finger-food filler)
• Pizza all'Andrea – focaccia-style pizza topped with tomato slices (not sauce) onions and anchovies
• Scabeggio – fried fish marinated in wine, garlic, lemon juice and sage, typical of Moneglia
• Sgabei – fritters made from bread dough (often incorporating some cornmeal in it)
• Stecchi alla genovese – wooden skewers alternating morsels of leftover chicken meats (crests, livers, etc.) and mushrooms, dipped in white bechamel sauce, left to dry a bit and then breaded and fried
• Testa in cassetta – a salami made from all kind of leftover meats from pork butchering (especially from the head)
• Torta di riso – Unlike all other rice cakes this preparation is not sweet, but a savoury pie made with rice, caillé, parmigiano and eggs, it can be wrapped in a thin layer of dough or simply baked until firm
• Torta pasqualina – savory flan filled with a mixture of green vegetables, ricotta and parmigiano cheese, milk and marjoram; some eggs are then poured in the already-placed filling, so that their yolks will remain whole when cooked
• Trenette col pesto – Pasta with Pesto (Olive Oil, garlic, Basil, Parmigiano and Pecorino Sardo cheese) sauce

Emilia-Romagna

• Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena (Traditional Balsamic Vinegar) and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia (Balsamic vinegar) – very precious, expensive and rare sweet, dark, sweet and aromatic vinegar, made in small quantities according to elaborated and time-consuming procedures (it takes at least 12 years to brew the youngest Aceto Balsamico) from local grapes must (look for the essential "Tradizionale" denomination on the label to avoid confusing it with the cheaper and completely different "Aceto Balsamico di Modena" vinegar, mass-produced from wine and other ingredients
• Borlengo from the hills South of Modena
• Cannelloni, Crespelle and Rosette – pasta filled with bechamel, cream, ham and others
• Cappellacci – large size filled egg pasta with chestnut puree and sweet Mostarda di Bologna, from Romagna.
• Cappelletti – small egg pasta "hats" filled with ricotta, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg, sometimes also chicken breast or pork and lemon zest, from Emilia, in particular Reggio.
• Cappello del prete – "tricorno" hat shaped bag of pork rind with stuffing similar to zampone's, to be boiled (from Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena)
• Ciccioli – cold meat made with pig's feet and head from Modena
• Coppa – cured pork neck form Piacenza and Parma
• Cotechino – big raw spiced pork sausage to be boiled, stuffing rich in pork rind (from Emilia provinces)
• Crescentine baked on Tigelle – (currently known also as Tigelle that is the traditional name of the stone dies which Crescentine were baked between) a small round (approx. 8 cm diameter, 1 cm or less thick) flat bread from the Modena Apennine mountains
• Crescentine – flat bread from Bologna and Modena: to be fried in pork fat or baked between hot dies (see Tigelle above)
• Culatello – a cured ham made with the most tender of the pork rump: the best is from the small Zibello area in Parma lowlands
• Erbazzone – spinach and cheese filled pie from Reggio Emilia
• Fave stufate – broad beans with mortadella
• Garganelli – typical Romagna quill shaped egg pasta usually dressed with Guanciale (cheek bacon), peas, Parmigiano Reggiano and a hint of cream.
• Gnocco Fritto – fried pastry puffs from Modena (Gnocco Fritto was a very local name: until few decades ago it was unknown even in neighbouring Emilian provinces where different denominations, i.e. Crescentine Fritte in Bologna, for similar fried puffs)
• Gramigna con salsiccia – typical Bologna short and small diameter curly pasta pipes with sausage ragù.
• Lasagne – green or yellow egg pasta layered with Bolognese Ragù (meat sauce) and bechamel
• Mortadella – baked sweet and aromatic pork sausage from Bologna
• Panpepato – very rich Christmas dried fruit and nut dessert with almonds, candies and a lot of sweet spices
• Parmigiano-Reggiano – prized ancient long-aged cheese from Reggio Emilia, Parma. Modena and Bologna
• Passatelli – noodles made of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, cheese, lemon zest and nutmeg from Romagna* Pesto di Modena – cured pork back fat pounded with garlic, rosemary and Parmigiano-Reggiano used to fill borlenghi and baked crescentine
• Piadina Fritta – Fried Romagna pastry rectangles
• Piadina – Pancake shaped flat bread (from Romagna) which can be smaller and higher or larger and very thin
• Pisarei e faśö – pasta peas with beans from Piacenza
• Salame Felino – salami from Parma province
• Salamina da Sugo – soft sausage from Ferrara, seasonal.
• Spalla di San Secondo – gourmet salami from a small town near Parma; it is made with seasoned pork shoulder, stuffed in cow bladders and slowly boiled or steamed.
• Spongata – very rich Christmas time thin tart: a soft crust with flour sugar dusting, stuffed with finely broken almonds and other nuts, candies and a lot of sweet spices, from Reggio Emilia
• Squacquerone – sweet, runny, milky cheese from Romagna
• Tagliatelle all' uovo – egg pasta noodles, very popular across Emilia-Romagna; they are made in slightly different thickness, width and length according to local practise (in Bologna the authentic size of Tagliatelle alla Bolognese is officially registered at the local Chamber of Commerce)
• Torresani – roasted pigeons popular in Emilia
• Torta Barozzi o Torta Nera – barozzi tart or black tart (a dessert made with a coffee/cocoa and almond filling encased in a fine pastry dough (from Modena)
• Tortelli alla Lastra – griddle baked pasta rectangles filed with potato and pumpkin puree and sausage or bacon bits
• Tortelli – usually square, made in all Emilia-Romagna, filled with swiss chard or spinach, ricotta and Parmigiano Reggiano in Romagna or ricotta, parsley, Parmigiano Reggiano in Bologna (where they are called Tortelloni) and Emilia, or with potatoes and pancetta in the Apennine mountains
• Tortellini – small egg pasta navel shapes filled with lean pork, eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Mortadella, Parma Ham and nutmeg (from Bologna and Modena: according to a legend, they were invented in Castelfranco Emilia by a peeping innkeeper after the navel of a beautiful guest)
• Zampone – stuffed pig's trotter, fat, but leaner than cotechino's, stuffing; to be boiled (from Modena)

Tuscany

• Bistecca alla fiorentina – grilled Florentine T-bone steak traditionally from the Chianina cattle breed.
• Crema paradiso – Tuscan cream
• Fegatelli di maiale – pig's liver forcemeat stuffed into pig's stomach and baked in a slow oven with stock and red wine
• Ossibuchi alla toscana – osso buco, sliced braised veal shank, "Tuscan-style"
• Pinzimonio – fresh seasonal raw or slightly blanched vegetables served with seasoned olive oil for dipping
• Ribollita – twice-cooked vegetable soup
• Lampredotto – cooked abomasum

Tuscan bread specialties

• Carsenta lunigianese – baked on a bed of chestnut leaves and served on Good Friday
• Ciaccia – from the Maremma made from maize
• Donzelle – round loaf fried in olive oil
• Fiandolone – made with sweet chestnut flour and strewn with rosemary leaves
• Filone – classic Tuscan unsalted bread
• Pan di granturco – made from maize flour
• Pan di ramerino – a rosemary bread seasoned with sugar and salt. The bread was originally served during Holy Week decorated with a cross on top and sold at the Church by semellai; it is, however, offered year round now.
• Pan maoko – equal parts wheat and maize flour, with pine nuts and raisins added
• Pane classico integrale – unsalted bread made with semolina with a crisp crust
• Pane con i grassetti – a bread from the Garfagnana area, with pork cracklings mixed in
• Pane con l'uva – in other areas this bread often takes the form of small loaves or rolls, but in Tuscany it is a rolled-out dough with red grapes incorporated into it and sprinkled with sugar. It is bread served often in the autumn in place of dessert and often served with figs
• Panigaccio – Lunigiana specialty made with flour, water and salt baked over red-hot coals and served with cheese and olive oil
• Panina gialla aretina – an Easter bread with a high fat content, containing raisins, saffron, and spices. It is consecrated in a church before being served with eggs
• Panini di Sant' Antonio – sweet rolls eaten on the feast day of St. Anthony
• Schiacciata – dough rolled out onto baking sheet and can have pork cracklings, herbs, potatoes and/or tomatoes added to the top along with a salt and olive oil
• Schiacciatina – made with a fine flour, salt dough with yeast and olive oil
• Panino co' i' lampredotto – lampredotto sandwich

Umbria

• Lenticchie di Castelluccio con salsicce – lentil stew with sausages
• Minestra di farro – spelt soup
• Piccioni allo spiedo – spit-roasted pigeon
• Regina in porchetta – carp in fennel sauce

Specialties of the Norcineria (Umbrian Butcher)

• Barbozzo – cured, matured pig's cheek
• Budellacci – smoked, spiced pig intestines eaten raw, spit-roasted, or broiled
• Capocollo – Sausage highly seasoned with garlic and pepper
• Coppa – sausage made from the pig's head
• Mazzafegati – sweet or hot pig's liver sausage, the sweet version containing raisins, orange peel and sugar
• Prosciutto di Norcia – a pressed, cured ham made from the legs of pigs fed on a strict diet of acorns

Marche

• Brodetto di San Benedetto del Tronto – fish stew, San Benedetto del Tronto-style, with green tomatoes and sweet green pepper.
• Brodetto di Porto Recanati – fish stew, without tomato, wild saffron spiced.
• Olive all'ascolana – fried pitted olives stuffed with pork, beef, chicken, eggs and Parmesan cheese in Ascoli Piceno.
• Passatelli all'urbinate – spinach and meat dumplings

Unique ham and sausage specialties

• Coppa – coppa in this region refers to a boiling sausage made from pig's head, bacon, orange peel, nutmeg and sometimes pinenuts or almonds. It is meant to be eaten within a month of preparation
• Ciauscolo – made from the belly and shoulder of pig with half its weight in pork fat and seasoned with salt, pepper, orange peel and fennel. It is stuffed into an intestine casing, dried in a smoking chamber and cured for three weeks.
• Fegatino – a liver sausage with pork belly and shoulder, where the liver replaces the fat of other sausages
• Mazzafegato di Fabriano – mortadella made from fat and lean pork with liver and lung added to the fine-grained emulsification. It is seasoned with salt and pepper, stuffed into casings and smoked. This sausage is often served at festivals.
• Prosciutto del Montefeltro – made from free-range black pigs, this is a smoked Prosciutto washed with vinegar and ground black pepper
• Salame del Montefeltro – made from the leg and loin meat of the black pig, this sausage is highly seasoned with peppercorns and hung to dry
• Salame di Fabriano – similar to salame lardellato except that it is made solely from leg of pork with pepper and salt
• Salame lardellato – made with lean pork shoulder, or leg meat, along with diced bacon, salt, pepper, and whole peppercorns. It is cased in hog's intestines, dried for one-and-a-half days and then placed in a warm room for 3–4 days, two days in a cold room and then two months in a ventilated storage room
• Soppressata di Fabriano – finely emulsified pork flavored with bacon, salt and pepper, the sausage is smoked and then aged

Lazio

• Bucatini all'amatriciana – bucatini with guanciale, tomatoes and pecorino
• Carciofi alla giudia – artichokes fried in olive oil, typical of Roman Jewish cooking
• Carciofi alla Romana – artichokes Roman-style; outer leaves removed, stuffed with mint, garlic, breadcrumbs and braised
• Coda di bue alla vaccinara – oxtail ragout
• Saltimbocca alla Romana – Veal cutlet, Roman-style; topped with raw ham and sage and simmered with white wine and butter
• Spaghetti alla carbonara – spaghetti with eggs, guanciale and pecorino

Abruzzo and Molise

• Agnello casc' e ove – Lamb stuffed with grated Pecorino cheese and eggs
• Agnello con le olive –
• Arrosticini – skewered pieces of meat
• Maccheroni alla chitarra – a narrow stripped pasta served with a sauce of tomatoes, bacon and Pecorino cheese
• Maccheroni alla molinara - also la pasta alla mugnaia is a long (single) hand made pasta served with tomato sauce
• Mozzarelline allo zafferano – mini mozzarella cheese coated with a batter flavored with saffron
• Parrozzo - a cake-like dessert made from a mixture of flour and crushed almonds, and coated in chocolate
• Pizza Dolce - A layered (with two or three cream fillings - white custard, chocolate or almond) sponge cake, that is soaked with alchermes (if you can find it) or rum.
• Pizzelle - (also known as Ferratelle). A thin, cookie made with a waffle iron device, often flavored with anise.
• Spaghetti all' aglio, olio e peperoncino
• Scripelle 'Mbusse - Abruzzo crêpes (flour, water and eggs), seasoned with Pecorino cheese, rolled and served in chicken broth.
• Sugo di castrato – mutton sauce made with onion, rosemary, bacon, white wine, and tomatoes
• Timballo teremana - A "lasagne" made with scripelle (Abruzzo crêpes) layered with a ragout of beef, pork, onion, carrot and celery, also layered with mushrooms, crumbled hard boiled egg, peas and besciamella.

Campania

• Babà – Neapolitan rum-dippe dessert
• Braciole di maiale – Pork loin with tomatoes sauce, garlic, capers and pine nuts
• Caponata di pesce – Fish Caponata; bread (baked in the shape of a donut), anchovies, tuna, lemon juice, olive oil and pepper
• Casatiello – Neapolitan Easter pie with Parmesan cheese, Pecorino cheese, eggs, salame, bacon, and pepper
• Gattò – A Neapolitan potato casserole with ham, Parmesan cheese and Pecorino cheese.
• Graffe – fried Neapolitan "doughnuts" made with flour, potato, yeast and sugar.
• Insalata caprese – salad of tomatoes, Mozzarella di Bufala (buffalo mozzarella) and basil
• Limoncello – Lemon liqueur
• Maccheroni alla napoletana – macaroni with Neapolitan sauce; a sauce of braised beef, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, white wine, tomato paste and fresh basil.
• Melanzane a Scapece – Scapece eggplant; marinated eggplant with red pepper and olive oil
• Melanzane al cioccolato – mid-August dessert; eggplants with chocolate and almonds
• Mozzarella di Bufala Campana – Particular variety of cheese products made exclusively with milk from buffalo
• Mozzarella in carrozza – fried mozzarella with slices of toasted bread and olive oil
• Mustacciuoli – Neapolitan Christmas dessert; cookies with almonds and coffee covered with chocolate
• Parmigiana – Sliced eggplant pan fried in oil, layered with tomato sauce and cheese, and baked in an oven
• Pastiera napoletana – Neapolitan ricotta cake
• Pepata di cozze – Mussel and Clam soup with tomato sauce, served with slices of toasted bread.
• Pizza napoletana – neapolitan pizza; the most popular is "Pizza Margherita": pizza topped with tomatoes sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil and olive oil
• Polipo alla Luciana – Luciana Octopus; octopus with tomatoes sauce, chopped tomatoes, olives and garlic
• Ragù napoletano – Neapolitan ragù; tomatoes sauce, onions, olive oil, carrots, celery, veal shank, pork ribs, lard, basil, salt and pepper
• Roccocò – Neapolitan Christmas dessert; almond crunch cookies
• Sartù di riso – Rice Sartù; rice with mushrooms, onions, tomato-paste, beef, peas, Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese and olive oil
• Sfogliatelle – Neapolitan ricotta dessert; seashell-shaped pastry with ricotta cheese.
• Sfogliatella Santarosa – Neapolitan dessert; Slightly larger than a traditional sfogliatella, it is filled with a crema pasticciera and garnished with crema di amarene (sour black cherry)
• Spaghetti alle vongole – Spaghetti with clams in a white sauce with garlic, olive oil and pepper
• Struffoli – Neapolitan Christmas dessert; honey balls with lemon juice and colored candy
• Torta caprese – Chocolate cake with almonds
• Zeppole di San Giuseppe – Fritters for Saint Joseph's Day; Cream-filled with crema pasticciera

Apulia (Puglia)

• Burrata – an Italian cow milk cheese (occasionally buffalo milk) made from mozzarella and cream. The outer casing is solid cheese, while the inside contains stracciatella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. It is typical of Apulia.
• Caciocavallo podolico – a variety of cheese products made exclusively with Podolica cow milk.
• Cacioricotta – a cheese produced throughout Apulia.
• Calzone (in Lecce) or Panzerotto (in Bari and Taranto) - puff pastry with oil which in its typicality contemplated the use of olives, ham, onions, mozzarella, cheese and tomato sauce for filling. Cooked either in the oven as savory pie, or deep fried
• Cartellate – a pastry, particularly prepared around Christmas, made of a thin strip of a dough made of flour, olive oil, and white wine that is wrapped upon itself, intentionally leaving cavities and openings, to form a sort of "rose" shape; the dough is then deep-fried, dried, and soaked in either lukewarm vincotto or honey.
• Muscisca – bacon or boneless meat from sheep or goat (and in some cases veal), which is cut into long (20–30 cm) and thin (3–4 cm) strips, and seasoned with salt, chili, and fennel seeds before being sun-dried.
• Orecchiette alle cime di rapa – Ear-like pasta with rapini.
• Ostriche arrosto – oysters broiled with parsley, garlic, oregano, breadcrumbs, olive oil, and lemon juice.
• Pancotto – an ancient dish of Capitanata, made from a base of stale bread and accompanied with a wide variety of wild vegetables, fennel seeds, oil of Tavoliere, and chili peppers.
• Pasticciotto leccese - shortcrust pastry shell and a custard heart.
• Pitta di patate - potato focaccia stuffed with tomatoes, onions, bacon, mozzarella, parsley, and covered with breadcrumbs
• Purea di fave (or fave e cicorie, also known as "fave e fogghije", fava beans and leaves) – fava bean puree with stewed cicory. During Christmas festivities, cicory is stewed in red wine instead of water.
• Riso, patate e cozze or Tiella barese – a Bari specialty made with rice, potatoes, and mussels, similar to paella, cooked in an earthenware pan or in the oven. It has a Salento variant called Tajeddha. It is likely that this recipe is a variant of Paella given the long Spanish domination in the kingdom of Naples.
• Rustico leccese - typical street food of Salento: a puff pastry filled with béchamel, mozzarella and tomato
• Sagne 'ncannulate or sagne torte - home made pasta typical of Salento in the shape of long lagane rolled up on themselves that are served with fresh tomato sauce, basil and cacio-ricotta (someone adds a little breadcrumbs to dry any residual draining water), others use ricotta-shcante (a spicy ricotta cream), or with meat sauce (pork or lamb) with the addition of chilli, to taste.
• Tiella di verdure – a casserole of baked vegetables topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
• Torcinelli – lamb intestines wrapped around lamb liver or offal, generally grilled on a skewer, sometimes stewed in tomato and onions.
• Zuppa di cozze alla Tarantina – mussels steamed with peperoncino, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine. Often eaten with short pasta types. Variations prepared in the hinterland of Taranto may include white beans or kidney beans.

Apulian bread specialties

• Focaccia ripiena – a bread made of dough filled with mozzarella, tomatoes, ham, onion or leek, and served in slices.
• Friselle – a bread made from barley flour and durum wheat flour, which goes through a dual baking process becoming very similar to hardtack, and is soaked in water before being prepared and eaten.
• Pane casereccio – a bread made from durum wheat, yeast, flour, salt, and water.
• Pane di Altamura – sourdough durum wheat bread weighing up to 44 lb (20 kg).
• Puccia con le olive - a bread filled with olives
• Puccia di pane – a bread made in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is a small, soft, round loaf made of white flour.
• Puddica – bread dough mixed with mashed potato and rolled into flat cakes, covered with halved tomatoes and seasoned with salt and pepper
• Taralli – a ring-shaped snack food which can be sweet or savory.

Basilicata

• Agnello alla pastora – Lamb with potatoes.
• Baccalà alla lucana – Cod with crunchy red peppers.
• Ciaudedda – Stew with artichokes, potatoes, broad beans and pancetta
• Orecchiette con la salsiccia piccante – Ear-like pasta with typical spicy salami from Basilicata
• Pecorino di Forenza – Cheese made of sheep's milk, typical of the Forenza area.
• Pasta con i peperoni cruschi – Pasta dish served with peperoni cruschi (crispy peppers), fried bread crumb and cacioricotta.
• Pasta mollicata – Pasta dish served with tomato, onion dipped in red wine, lard and cacioricotta.
• Pollo alla potentina – Potenza-style chicken; Chicken braised with tomatoes, onion, white wine, peperoncino, topped with fresh basil, parsley and pecorino cheese.
• Rafanata – Type of omelette with horseradish, potatoes and cheese.
• Tumact me tulez – Pasta dish served with tomato, anchovy, fried bread crumb and chopped walnuts.
• U' pastizz 'rtunnar – Baked turnover filled with pork, eggs and cheese.

Calabria

Sicily (Sicilia)

• Arancini – stuffed rice balls which are coated with breadcrumbs and fried.
• Cannoli – shortcrust pastry cylinder shell filled with sweet ricotta, mascarpone or chocolate or vanilla cream.
• Caponata – eggplants with tomatoes and olives
• Cous Cous trapanese
• Il timballo del gattopardo – Sicilian pie; pastry dough baked with a filling of penne rigata, Parmesan, and bound a sauce of ham, chicken, liver, onion, carrot, truffles, diced hard-boiled egg and seasoned with clove, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Gattopardo (the Serval) makes reference to the arms of the Lampedusa family and Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's well-known novel Il Gattopardo, not the contents of the dish.
• Granita - semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings, typically lemon or almond or caffè or mulberry
• Maccu di San Giuseppe – bean paste with fennel.
• Pantesca salad - dish of the island of Pantelleria.
• Pasta alla Norma - Spaghetti with tomato and eggplant.
• Panelle – a Sicilian chickpea fritter, often eaten as a sandwich and popular as street food
• Scaccia – flat bread stuffed in different ways
• Sicilian pizza - pizza prepared in a manner that originated in Sicily
• Tonno alla palermitana – tuna Palermo-style; tuna marinated in white wine, lemon, garlic, rosemary and broiled, then served with pan-seared sardines

Sardinia (Sardegna)

• Casu marzu – type of cheese
• Culurgiones – a kind of ravioli
• Malloreddus – semolina gnocchi with saffron
• Pane carasau – type of bread
• Porcetto or Porceddu – small pig cooked with myrtle
• Panada – a pie filled with meat or vegetables
• Zuppa Cuata – bread and cheese soup

Ingredients

Most important ingredients (see also Italian Herbs and Spices):

• Olio extravergine di oliva (Extra virgin olive oil)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (aged cow's-milk cheese), in the North
• Pecorino (aged sheep's-milk cheese), in the Middle and South
• Pomodoro (Tomato)

• 

  Extra-virgin olive oil

• 

  Parmigiano Reggiano

• 

  Pecorino di Filiano

• 

  Italian vine tomatoes

Other common ingredients:

Herbs and spices