Traditional Italian food and Italian food recipes have become staples the world over for their simple yet succulent dishes that combine robust sauces, cured meats and a variety of delectable cheeses to produce exquisite and filling dishes. Traditional Italian food is rich in history as each region of Italy has produced its own signature dish to the overall menu of savory Roman cuisine. From Tuscany and Lombardy to the islands of Sardinia and Sicily traditional Italian food is a flavorful expression of the rich history of the country.

Traditional Italian food spans a wide range of culinary specialties including pasta, cheeses, meats, sauces, spices and vegetables. Traditional Italian recipes feature a hearty blend of pastas including linguine, fettuccine, ziti, capellini, spaghetti, rigatoni and penne rigate. Traditional Italian pasta is made from durum wheat and semolina flour and is cooked al dente, or “to the tooth” meaning not too soft. Any pasta base can be accented with an unlimited number of additions including sausage, chicken, red and green peppers, mussels, clams and a wide variety of other meats and vegetables.

The traditional Italian meal structure is a multiple course feast that features appetizers, main dishes and desserts. The standard sitting will include Aperitivo (aperitif drink), Antipasto (cold appetizers), Primo (pasta, risotto or soup), Secondo (main dish consisting usually of fish or meat), Contorno (a side dish of a salad or cooked vegetables), Formaggio et Frutta (a first dessert of cheese and fruits), Dolce (cakes and cookies), Caffe (coffee and espresso) and finally Digestivo (grappa, limoncello and other after dinner liquors.

Italy is the largest producer of wine in the world so naturally traditional Italian food is always accompanied with a bottle or two of vintage red or white wine. Depending on the dish there are a wide variety of wines to choose from to compliment any Italian food recipe. As with food Italian wines also have distinct characteristics depending on the region the grapes are grown and harvested. Because of Italy’s landscape scope that includes the mountainous Alps and the southern Mediterranean beaches a rich and vibrant selection of wines can be found to accompany any traditional Italian food dish.