 1. Simple- colorful, lovely, interesting and varied.  2. Fresh high quality ingredients. Shop daily  3. Many herbs and seasonings – dried and fresh  4. Fresh fruits and vegetables  5. Prepare on the top of the stove by simmering/ frying. (fuel is expensive) or often use wood brick ovens  6. Invented the double boiler  7. Staple foods – pasta, rice and seafood  8. Large family meals

 Pasta – any pasta made from wheat flour, dried into various shapes.  Rice – risotto (cream based)  Seafood- anchovies, sardines, mackerel, tuna, squid, octopuses, shellfish, oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, crayfish.

 High in calories, cholesterol, fat and sodium.  Not a lot of meat  Pasta and rice- good source of cho – low in fat and calories  Preparation- concern over amount of frying – use a lot of cheeses, creams, butter, and sauces.  * leads to weight problems, heart disease.  High cholesterol

 Meats : expensive  Italian sausage  Lamb  Salami  Chicken  Rabbit  Veal  Prosciutto – uncooked unsmoked ham  Pancetta – bacon cured in salt  Fish/ shellfish:  Anchovies  Sardines  Squid  Octopus

 Vegetables:  Eggplant  Zucchini  Mushrooms  Olives  Rice:  Risotto – raw rice sautéed in butter and broth.

 Sauces: all bases are cream, tomato, or oil.  Pesto  Alfredo  Red  Eggs:  Frittata – baked egg dish with pasta  One dish meal  Served in the evenings

 Oil:  Green  Olive  Extra Virgin ▪ *green olives – unripened, usually stuffed  Beans:  Kidney beans: red or white  Black  Pinto  Chick peas = protein

 Soups  Many varieties: ▪ Broth base ▪ Minestrone- big meal soup.* most popular  Desserts: special occasions, very elaborate and high in calories  Granita – Italian ice  Tiramisu – lady fingers, coffee flavor, whipped cream  Ice Cream: spumoni (green, red, white)  Biscotti: cookie

 Beverages: flavored coffees are popular  Mocha  Cappuccino - mornings  Espresso  Caffe  Macchiato- espresso top with steamed milk and foam

 Bread: big eaters of bread. At every meal. Usually heavy and dense.  Whole wheat bread- most common  Focaccia – flat bread with olive oil and seasonings.  Brushetta- used as appetizers- slice of bread with variety of toppings  Bread Sticks- both hard and soft.  Ciabatta

 More breads  Gnocchi- Italian dumpling. Potato, spinach, and cheese. Served as 1 st course with sauce or in soups  Polenta – cornmeal porridge. Served at breakfast or evenings. Cooked by frying, baking, and boiling. Eaten with butter and cheese.

 Flat bread with light sauce and cheese  Originated in Naples  Pizza Margherita - invented in 1889, create a pizza in honor of Queen Margherita –  a pie swathed in the colors of the Italian flag: red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella)

 1. Long and Narrow  2. Flat noodle  3. Tubular shapes  4. Filled shapes  5. Specialty shapes  Most pasta dishes are named for shape of pasta.

 Good source of carbohydrates and fiber  Low in calories, sodium, fat and cholesterol  B-vitamins and iron. *enriched – stripped in processing and put back into product.  B- vitamins; thiamine, essential for good appetite, good digestion and steady nerves.  Riboflavin- important to growth and good vision.  Niacin- essential to the efficient use of protein in the body.  One gram of fat provides approx. 9 calories carbohydrates and provides only 4 calories. …?

 Bring water to a boil  Add pasta slowly  Check for doneness by tasting (al dente)  Drain – only rinse if using in salads  Pasta should double in size  Meat in sauce is American  Pasta does not swim in sauce