Since in my last post I mentioned to go grab some dinner, it only seemed appropriate to talk about Italian cuisine before I moved on to talking about our last day of visiting Rome.
Known for its diverse palate and regional cuisine, Italy’s culinary identity can be quite difficult to define. But pasta forms an integral part of its gastronomical personality and comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Agnolotti: Piedmont: Most commonly crimped, square-shaped and stuffed with meat, agnolotti (or ‘priest hats’) is the primary pasta of Piedmont, in the northwestern region of Italy. Farfalle: Lombardy: Universally recognised as the ‘bow-tie’, farfalle borrows its name from the Italian word for ‘butterflies’. Despite its intricate design, this good-looking variety remains the signature pasta of the northwestern Italian region of Lombardy. Curzetti Stampae: Liguria: Originating from the pastel-coloured coastal stretch of the Italian Riviera, curzetti stampae (or Corzetti stamps), are a fresh pasta unique to the northwestern Italian region of Liguria. Strozzapreti: Emilia Romagna Strozzapreti, (or ‘priest-choker’), is a hand-rolled variety of pasta from the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Gigli: Tuscany Gigli, (or ‘lilies’), is a type of dried pasta from the lush-green patch-worked pastures of Tuscany, in Central Italy. Bucatini: Lazio Bucatini (from Italian ‘buco’ meaning ‘hole’), is a spaghetti-like pasta with a hollow centre, that derives from the central Italian region of Lazio.
Spaghetti alla Chitarra: Abruzzo Spaghetti alla chitarra is a variety of egg pasta from the Abruzzo region of Central Italy. Penne: Campania: Penne (or ‘pen’) is a well-known variety of Italian pasta that is said to have arisen from the south of Italy, in the region of Campania. Orecchiette: Puglia: Head southeast to Italy’s ‘heel’ and you will find the pasta speciality of Puglia: ‘orecchiette’ (or ‘little ears’). Ziti: Sicily: Ziti (or ‘bride-grooms’) is the chunkier Sicilian version of Campanian penne, from the rugged, southernmost region of Italy. Ready to satisfy your tastebuds?
Are you hungry yet? Want to try these delicious Italian dishes? Let us help you plan your Roman vacation. Click on the link below and we can help you every step of the way!