Culinary Tour: Three Regions of Italy

The pasta dishes in this class come from three different regions of Italy: Trentino-Alto Adige in the far north, Emilia-Romagna just north of Tuscany, and Lazio, or, more specifically, Rome. To better understand what makes these dishes representative of their regions, it's helpful to know a little more about them.

Trentino-Alto Adige

This region of Italy borders Austria to the north and Switzerland to the northwest, so it’s no wonder the cuisine bears more than a resemblance to the hearty, rich foods of those cultures. Being on the sunny side of the Alps makes the region excellent for farming: apples and dairy cattle are prolific, and the wine production—though small—is highly regarded. Bread is an important staple—the most famous of which is Schuttelbrot, a thin crunchy bread made from leavened rye and flavored with caraway or fennel. Vegetables here reflect the Austrian table more than the Italian. The region is famous for its white asparagus, and cabbage, parsnips, and potatoes are used in many dishes. The mezzelune featured in this class is derived from the pierogi-like half-moon Austrian ravioli called schlutzkrapfen (the terms can be used interchangeably), and its simple filling of rich, soft ricotta cheese and fresh spinach is a celebration of the region's ingredients.

Emilia-Romagna

Perhaps the most gastronomically dense region in terms of the sheer number of specialty products, Emilia-Romagna is also home to Bologna, the epicenter of Italian food treasures (it's nicknamed "Bologna the Fat," to illustrate the point). From luxuriously fatty mortadella to prosciutto de Parma, from the balsamic vinegar of Modena to the king of cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano, many of Italy's most iconic foods are produced in Emilia-Romagna. It is common to find fresh pastas stuffed with these or other local ingredients and shaped into tortelli or tortellini. The Emilia region lies to the west and is flat and fertile; this rich farmland is vast and produces abundant fruit crops and wheat (which yields the flour used to make the fresh pasta), as well as pastureland for the dairy farms that produce Parmigiano Reggiano, among other cheeses. Romagna stretches to the east and runs along the coast. Part of the Po river valley, its lands also produce fruits and vegetables. The lands that abut the Apennine mountains in the south yield truffles, mushrooms, and grapes for wine.

Lazio

Lazio is home to Rome, the Eternal City located in the center of the region. Beyond Rome, where over 80% of the region's population resides, is arable farmland that produces olives and olive oil, as well as a rich array of vegetables (most notably artichokes and romanesco, the fractal-shaped cousin to cauliflower and broccoli). The area is abundant with meat production, from lamb and pork to poultry and veal. Meat is heavily featured in Roman dishes, as is the local sheep's milk cheese, Pecorino Romano. And while the region is located in the center of the country, its culinary traditions align more closely with those of the southern regions—dishes redolent with onions, garlic, and hearty herbs. Rome itself is famous for its classic pasta dishes, like Cacio e Pepe, Spaghetti All'Amatriciana, Pasta alla Gricia, and Pasta Carbonara, to name a few.