Italy

World Foods
 Italian Cuisine
• The Romans and Sicilians contributed to Italy’s
cuisine.
• Most common agricultural products in Italy
are grapes, wheat, corn and sugar.
• Haute Cuisine originated in Italy. This type of
cooking includes extensive, elaborate food
preparation and includes rich sauces, exotic
ingredients and ornate garnishes.
 Italian Cuisine
• Parsley, Rosemary, Basil, Saffron, and oregano
are common herbs used.
• Italy has a vast coastline on the
Mediterranean sea, so seafood has become a
major food staple.
• A harvest from sea and land is brought daily to
local markets.
 Meals
• There are 5 courses to a traditional Italian meal.
– 1. Antipasto-Appetizer: Marinated olives, bread & cheese, or
wine.
– 2. Primo-First Course: small portions of pasta, rice, soup or
polenta.
– 3. Secondo- Main or second course: small portions of meat,
chicken, or fish.
– 4. Contorno- Side dish: usually a vegetable dish.
– 5. Dolce- Dessert: bowl of fruit or biscotti.

The main meal of the day is served in the mid-afternoon.

 Cheese
• There are many popular types of cheese that
originated in Italy.
– Parmesan
– Provolone
– Mozzarella
– Ricotta
– Gorgonzola
– Romano
 Pasta
• Pasta is one of the most common dishes in Italy.
• Italians always serve pasta al dente, which means
it’s cooked so it’s slightly firm when eating.
• Common types of pasta include:
– Spaghetti
– Fettuccini
– Mostaccioli
– Rotini
– Farfollini
 Common Foods
• Biscotti- A hard cookie
• Minestrone- Vegetable soup
• Frittata- Omelet
• Polenta- cornmeal mush
• Chianti- Wine
• Risottos- rice dishes
• Gelati- ice cream
• Gnocchi- dumplings
• Ravioli- stuffed pasta
• Mortadella- sausage