copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati
Guest Blogger: Madigan Naylor
Even though the country of Italy is about the size of the state of Arizona, it is home to more than 60 million people, divided into twenty different regions. Each region has its own characteristics and qualities that set it apart from the others. They each have their own capital city, coat of arms, provinces and autonomy. Certain types of food are commonly associated with certain regions, often depending on factors such as geographical location, fertility of soil, its history, and more.
Lazio is the region in which the great city of Rome lies. It’s the largest region in Italy, and is home to 1/10 of the overall population. The cuisine of this particular region is similar to that of Abruzzo and Umbria too. This is where the most iconic and widely recognized Italian food comes from. It’s the central part of Italy, which is famous for it’s cheeses, olive oils, and tomato sauce.
(photo credit: www.europa.eu)
The region of Tuscany is probably the most well-known, as it is home to Florence, the world- famous birthplace of artists and their patrons. These artists include Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo Galilei–– to name a few! Tuscany is most famous for its wines like Chianti. This region is also known for white truffles, a delicacy is Italian and European cuisine.
( Photo credit: www.albergoeturira.it)
Piedmont is in the northern part of Italy. The former host of the 2006 winter Olympics, Turin lies here as well. Located near the Alps, northern Italy is known for its game meats like rabbit or quail. Butter is usually preferred here over olive oil too. The town of Arborio is in this region as well, which is where the rice used for risottos originates from. A fun fact is that Italians do not put meatballs on spaghetti. An average Italian meal is divided in two parts, il primo piatto and secondo piatto; the primo includes pastas and risotto, whereas the secondo category includes meat and fish meals, served with a side of vegetables. Milan and Venice are in two provinces located up there in the northern part of Italy too.
( Photo credits: http://blog.buonvino.uk)
Campania and Sicily are regions in southern Italy, near the Mediterranean Sea. Naples is the capital city of Campania, and Sicily is the island on the far side of the country (it’s the largest island in the Mediterranean). It is said that pizza originated from southern Italy because of the history of the spices that became popular here before anywhere else in Europe centuries ago. The cuisine in Sicily is viewed as healthy compared to other regions’ cuisines because it uses many fresh fruits and vegetables coupled with the fresh seafood caught on the coast. The most well- known part of Sicilian cuisine, however, is the sweet dishes like cannoli and gelati (plural word for gelato- the Italian version of ice cream)
It’s so amazing and exciting that there are so many different variations of cuisine in such a small geographical area. Each region of Italy has its own signature on the broad spectrum of Italian cuisine.
Here’s a great recipe for any Memorial Day Picnic
Rotolo di Fritatta- (Egg Frittata Roll Ups)
(photo credit: www.okmoda.it)
excerpted from the Gourmand World Award Winning Book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition
Serves 4.
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano–Reggiano cheese
- ½ cup milk
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ pound thinly sliced Fontina cheese
- (optional) 2 thin slices prosciutto
- 1 sliced leek
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Mix flour, rosemary, thyme, and black pepper together. Dip washed and dried turkey In a bowl, beat eggs. Add in grated cheese, milk, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Beat with fork.
Heat oil in pan and pour in egg mixture. Cook on one side, then the other. When cooked, place on large piece of aluminum foil. Top with Fontina cheese and prosciutto slices.
Roll up aluminum foil, and keep rolled until cooled. When cool, remove aluminum foil and cut roll into slices. Place slices on individual plates and decorate with leeks and parsley. Serve.
Appearances and Cooking Demos (for more info email: events@marialiberati.com):
*June 2, 3rd- Great Grapes Fest-Hunt Valley Maryland
*June 3rd- Italian Heritage Festival- Rose Tree Park, Media, Pa
*June 6th-Book Expo America, NY, NY, Javits Convention Center
*June 18th- Davios Northern Italian Steakhouse, Philadelphia, Pa -Celebrity Chef’s Dinner with The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and Maria Liberati
See You Then!
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm is a registered trademark of Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc
