The original italian cuisine isn’t just food. It’s history, passion, and family. It’s centuries of history, art, and tradition that lead to a result celebrated around the world. It’s the aroma that fills the house on Sunday morning when you’re preparing sauce that needs hours to cook, or that moment when you turn everything off and enjoy a plate of spaghetti with seafood, perhaps accompanied by a good glass of wine. As someone from Puglia who has lived and tasted the cuisines of many other places in Italy, such as Naples and Milan, I can tell you that every corner of our country has something special to offer. Each region tells a different story through its unique flavors and products.
Italian Cuisine: A Mosaic of Traditions
Italian cuisine is incredibly varied. From the simplicity of “cucina povera,” with humble ingredients like stale bread, seasonal vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil, forming wonderful dishes like Tuscan ribollita fra Tuscany cuisine or fava beans and chicory from Puglia, to the sumptuousness of richer tables with dishes like lasagna from Emilia-Romagna. And speaking of Emilia-Romagna, we cannot forget to mention the famous balsamic vinegar from Modena, a prized product that enriches everything from salads to meat and even strawberries, adding that sweet-and-sour touch that makes the cuisine of this region unique.
A Journey Through Italian Cheeses
Talking about Italian cuisine inevitably means talking about cheese, another pride of our country. Every region has its own excellence, and traveling from the north to the south, you can discover an incredible variety of flavors and textures.
As someone from Puglia, I can only start with Pugliese mozzarella, which I consider the best in Italy. Fresh, juicy, with that milky taste that melts in your mouth, it’s perfect on its own or accompanied by a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. But we must also recognize the excellence of buffalo mozzarella DOP, mainly produced in Campania, which, thanks to buffalo milk, has an intense creaminess and flavor that makes it unparalleled.
In Puglia, we also find another dairy gem: stracciatella, a cream of mozzarella and cream often used as the heart of burrata. It’s an explosion of flavor that makes every dish richer and more indulgent.
Heading north, we encounter Gorgonzola, a blue cheese with a strong and bold flavor, perfect for those who love intense tastes. Then there’s Taleggio, soft with a sweet-bitter taste that pairs beautifully with polenta. Speaking of polenta, moving further towards Valtellina, we find Bitto and Casera, aged cheeses reflecting the mountain tradition, with robust and complex flavors that lead to excellent results, like the renowned pizzoccheri.
And we can’t forget Parmigiano Reggiano, the king of cheeses, aged for years to develop that unique and complex flavor that makes it perfect for enjoying on its own, in flakes, or to enhance any pasta dish.
Finally, a mention of pecorino cheeses, which vary from region to region. There’s Sardinian pecorino, Tuscan pecorino, and the famous Roman pecorino, flavorful and aged, perfect for adding character to the classic cacio e pepe pasta.
Emilia-Romagna: Tradition and Flavor
Emilia-Romagna is one of the most generous regions from a culinary standpoint. It’s here that dishes like lasagne alla bolognese are born, a symbol of Italian cuisine worldwide. Layers of egg pasta, ragù, béchamel, and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano create a dish that is pure tradition.
But Emilia-Romagna isn’t just lasagna. Here we also find Parma ham, aged and sweet, and balsamic vinegar from Modena (also the white balsamico!) which with its sweet-and-sour flavor enriches every dish, from meat to fish, from vegetables to desserts. Coppa di Parma, guanciale, culatello, and Bologna’s mortadella add to the region’s wonderful variety of flavors and pleasures.
Roman Cuisine: Simple and Bold
Roman cuisine also deserves a special mention. It’s simple, direct, but with bold flavors that immediately win you over. Think of carbonara, made with guanciale, Roman pecorino, and eggs, or amatriciana, where tomatoes meet guanciale for a pasta dish that tells the story of the capital. And then there’s cacio e pepe, which elevates Roman pecorino and black pepper in a creamy and irresistible embrace.
I could go on for hours, telling you about the humble Lucanian tradition of slow-cooking lamb in terracotta for hours, or the Sicilian tradition that, like in Puglia, enriches its cuisine with exotic influences of great value. Or Calabria, which with its ‘nduja brings spicy flavors to levels of excellence. But each region will have its dedicated space in these pages and in this narrative of the Italy I have lived, whose flavors I want to share with you on Italia Mia.
The Variety of Italian Cuisine: Health and Flavor
One of the most fascinating aspects of Italian cuisine is its variety. Every region has its typical products, and this allows us to have a balanced and healthy diet, based on fresh and high-quality ingredients. Vegetables are always at the forefront: zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers… all these delights are part of our daily cuisine, along with legumes like beans and chickpeas, and fish, which enriches the Mediterranean diet with its health benefits.
We can’t forget cured meats, which represent another Italian excellence. Italian salami, in all its regional varieties, is an example of how the Italian charcuterie tradition is deeply rooted in the land and culture. Every slice tells a story, from the choice of meats to the curing process, to the spices that make each product unique (and I love truffle salami!).
Italian Cuisine: A Heritage to Share
Living and traveling in different Italian regions has taught me that Italian cuisine is not just about ingredients but about tradition and love for good food. Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma ham, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar from Modena are just a few of the products I’ve learned to value and appreciate on this journey of discovery. These flavors are part of our identity, and sharing their quality with the world is a true privilege.
I hope that as you enjoy these products, you can immerse yourself in our Italian way of life, made of authentic flavors, conviviality, and respect for raw materials. Because Italian cuisine is just that: a celebration of life, made with simplicity and love, but always with an eye on quality and flavor.
Welcome to the world of Italian cuisine and buon appetito!