Food is one of the first things I research when I book a holiday and Italian food is without a doubt my favourite. After a recent trip to Sorrento, I returned home made up of 40% pasta, 40% Buffalo mozzarella, 10% cannoli and 10% limoncello. Here are just a handful of the delicious dishes you should try in Italy…
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana
Made from the milk of Italian water buffalos, mozzarella has an EU Traditional Specialities Guarantee (TSG) since 1998, ensuring that it’s produced in the traditional way. The tastiest way to enjoy it, in my opinion, is with tomato, basil and olive oil in a Caprese salad.
Neapolitan Pizza
Neapolitan pizza, or pizza Margherita, also has the EU TSG protection. Created in 1889, when Raffaele Esposito, a Neapolitan pizza maker, created a pizza with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil, in honour of Italy’s first queen, Queen Margherita. If you want to sample the real deal, head to Naples.
Limone di Sorrento
It’s hard to walk 5metres in Sorrento without crossing paths with a lemon, whether it’s a tree on the street, item on a menu or a lemon product being sold in a shop. Lemons in Sorrento, Capri and Amalfi all have geographical protection so if you like lemons, these are places to visit. Try the zesty lemon liqueur, limoncello or some creamy lemon ravioli.
Cannoli
Cannoli is a fried tube-shaped pastry filled with cream or ricotta cheese, nuts, chocolate or candied fruits that hails from Sicily. A perfect crunchy and sweet snack to go with your Caffé Americano.
Tiramisu
With origins in the Veneto region of Italy, tiramisu is a dessert that is loved worldwide. Tiramisu is made with ladyfingers, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder – coffee and liqueurs are only a recent addition. The nicest tiramisu I’ve had was near Piazza San Marco and Salizada San Moisè (luxury shopping street) in Venice.
Risotto alla Milanese
Did you know Italy is Europe’s largest producer of rice? Arborio rice becomes the delicious dish, risotto. Risotto is made by continuously stirring arborio rice in stock until it becomes creamy. In Ireland, the risotto we’d see most often would be a mushroom risotto, but the most famous Italian risotto is the saffron-infused risotto that hails from Milan, Risotto alla Milanese.
So which part of Italy will you visit on your next gastronomic adventure?
