If you think of Centre of Italy, the first association will have to be with Rome Caput Mundi, the capital of the world. Yet, in the same part of Italy there are other two less-known regions that bring an amazing culinary tradition. Here you have an overview.
Lazio
The region of Rome, the Eternal City, one of the most famous places in the world. Around the hills of the Capital, it’s all countryside, and the local cuisine is therefore rural-based. Lazio’s culinary tradition goes back thousands of years to an agricultural tradition that includes tender, milk-fed Easter lamb, as well as pasta dishes and offal. The most important vegetables are artichokes, beas, peas, courgettes, celery, potatoes, lentils, and olives. In the town of Nemi there is an important strawberry festival. It’s held in June, at the height of the strawberry season, and one can enjoy not only the fruit itself, but also ice-cream, wines and liqueurs made from it.
Abruzzo
Raising livestock and planting crops is still the main characteristic of this craggy, mountainous region where pasta, vegetables and meat are the staples of the cuisine. Peperoncini, the small, very spicy chillies that season just about everything, reign supreme. Among the most important regional products are saffron, hand crafted pasta, olive oil and cheese, especially pecorino and scamorza. The most important wine is the full-bodied Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
Molise
Hands up who knows this Italian region. It’s the second smallest Italia region (after Valle d’Aosta) and stretches from the Apennines mountain chain to the sea. Sheep and goats are herded traditionally here, and are raised mainly for their milk.
If all this talking about good food made you feel like cooking something Italian, why not start from here: a simple appetizer where all that counts is the quality of the ingredients: ham and melon; or a very tasty firs course: sausage pasta with saffron.
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