Varieties of Italian Food

Italian food is loved by people around the world because its filling combinations and hearty flavors. Situated in the Mediterranean climate, Italy has been home to a variety of flavors and food, with an emphasis on eating fresh seasonal food. Because of Italy's rich historical tradition many of the Italian food dishes have their roots in cooking practices and farming dating back over a thousand years. A Greek Sicilian by the name of Archestratus was the very first Italian food writer known. He lived in the 4th century BCE and in his writings he insisted that Italian food be seasonally refreshing. He also stated that spices should be used to enhance a food, not mask the flavor. Although this concept's popularity came and went during the following centuries eventually using spices to high light the refreshing flavors became Italian cuisine's cornerstone. More posts on Healthiest Breakfast Foods and What to Cook for Breakfast When people think Italian food the very first thing that comes to mind are pasta dishes. Relating to experts they believe that pasta came to Italia sometimes during the 9tl century. It was thought to have come from an Arabic recipe that combined water and flour but today Italy has perfected pasta in many different forms. In addition to spaghetti you will find other Italian pasta dishes like ravioli also, which are loaded pastas. Italian food includes dumpling-like pasta that is made from potatoes called gnocchi also. Most pasta dishes, including gnocchi, are served in some type of sauce usually. The most common Italian sauce is called marinara and is made from a tomato base and includes garlic, onions, and herbal remedies like oregano and basil. Many of the classic Italian pasta and sauce dishes will have various mozzarella cheese and meats or vegetables that have been sautéed in olive oil added to the dish. Italian food is noted for using seafood in many of their dishes also. One notable food, Calamari, is a dish that has deep-friend quid that has been garnished with parmesan mozzarella cheese. It is an extremely popular appetizer. The fish dishes found in Italian cuisine are simple and reflect the seasonality of the food generally. It is cooked in olive oil usually, parsley, and lemon juice that will present different variations but keeping the integrity of the original flavors. There are many different Italian desserts also. Tiramisu is one of the more popular desserts. It is a concoction of sponge dessert that is flavored with premium coffee and marsala-wine. It is layered with a heavy custard and coated in cocoa powder. Another favorite dessert is gelato, which is a frozen dense sweet that is similar to ice cream. The difference is that gelato is more rich and creamy.