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Mangia!
Cooking Authentic Italian
By Jacqueline Rupp
With varying climates, geography and ethnicities, Italy is comprised of many different regional cuisines, each embracing the regionally grown foods. "There really is no such thing as 'Italian cooking,'" Sanders says. "There are over 20 regions of Italy and although there are some underlying common qualities, there are many differences, such as the vast change in climate from the southern tip of 'the boot' to the northern Alps region."
Northern Italian meals are often based with risottos, beef and game. Tuscan dishes are lighter, employing more greens, cheeses and of course olive oil, while Sicilian and southern Italian dishes have more pasta in sauce dishes and vegetables like eggplant.
Seafood, from clams to anchovies, and cured meats like prosciutto are mainstays in Italian cooking.
There are traditionally numerous courses of food in a midday meal or weekend family gathering. Moderation plays an important role in Italian eating. Rarely is an overflowing plate of pasta served. Instead Italians move through courses gradually, enjoying conversation and good wine with their meal. If anything about Italian cuisine inspires you, it should be this: Eating is not a necessity; it is a pleasure and should be shared with others over good conversation.
Courses usually move from an antipasto (olives, cheeses and cured meats) to small servings of pasta, a meat dish and a vegetable dish, fresh greens and fruit. "When we think of the familiar Italian American cooking, this has traditionally been a Sicilian-style," Sanders says. "Southern Itaian cuisine. However there has also been a blending of cultures in America and new ingredients and dishes have been introduced into the cuisine over time."
