Foods Italians know well

 

Italian cuisine is the most common ethnic cuisine in the United States, with 61 percent of Americans saying that they consume it on a daily basis, the numbers are 50 percent for Mexican food and 36 percent for Chinese food.

 

So here I want to share some really Italian favorites, you may or may not know about.

 

First up is, Affogato, which is a scoop of ice cream of your choice, drowned in espresso. And if you love coffee you will love this dessert.

 

Then, Antipasto, the meal before the meal, or the meal for some. It's a light and yummy arrangement of olives, cheese, meats, peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms, served with or without bread.

 

Arancini is another Italian Fav, they are breadcrumb deep fried rice balls, that are filled at times with cheese, egg and sauce. A true classic Sicilian street food.

 

Then you have, Baccala, which is a cod, that is slit down the length, salted and dried. It may smell nasty but cooked the Italian way, its especially tasty.

 

A common dish, is baked ziti, famous so much it was in the Sopranos. It is a pasta casserole with mozz and ricotta, and it's much easier to make then a version of Italian lasagna.

 

If you love to bake Italian food, then you would love biscotti, the Italian biscuit that has been made since around 1850.

 

A sauce that is also popular in Italian food, is the Bolognese sauce. It is a staple in many Italian kitchens. It is a sauce make with onion, celery, carrots, beef, white wine, milk and other wonderful ingredients.

 

Back to desserts, there is the, bombolini, a cream or jelly filled sugar doughnut, with a nice douse of chocolate .

 

Braciole is a beef or pork, that is popular at many Italian restaurants. It is not only succulent, but made right with sauce and cheese, it will melt in your mouth.

 

Then there is, broccoli rabe, a bold and bitter flavored super food, that gives you a ton of vitamins and minerals.

 

One of my favorites is, bruschetta, a toast with a topping of tomatoes, garlic and cheese, then topped with basil. Goes great as a appetizer, before the main meal.

 

When it comes to a Italian custard, budino is the best. A nice creamy and rich pudding that comes in a variety of flavors. There is butterscotch, chocolate, salted caramel and lemon and many others.

 

If you love pizza, you will also love a calzone. Coming from Naples, its where cheese and meat are stuffed into a turnover, of pizza dough.

 

Cannoli, one of the most well known Italian desserts. From Sicily, cannoli were made for the carnevale season. A tube shaped pastry shell, with ricotta, and at time tiny chocolate chips.

 

Cantucci, almost similar to the biscotti, but made to dip in white grape dessert wine, not often heard of, but very tasty.

 

On of my favorite lunchmeats, is capicola. It's different from prosciutto and is spicy around the edges.

 

A popular Italian drink is cappuccino, that comes from Europe. A very popular drink in many places, other then Italian café's.

 

Back to pasta, there is carbonara, that goes back to Naples, 1837. Carbonara means charcoal in Italian. And consists of bacon, cheese, eggs, and pepper for the ingredients.

 

Carduna, is another Italian food not heard of often. It is also the artichoke thistle that is fried and eaten during Thanksgiving.

 

Cavatelli and broccoli is another popular dish. Also it goes well with peas and carrots. The recipe ideas for it are endless.

 

Another fav of mine, is chicken cacciatore, it’s a true authentic chicken dish in Italian cooking. It is made in many versions, but always includes wine or vinegar.

 

Then you have another popular chicken dish, chicken francaise, with a encasement of gold. There are many dreamy recipes for it that you can find.

 

Chicken marsala is another popular chicken dish. Coming from the city of Marsala, in Sicily. It is pounded chicken cutlets, with mushrooms and wine, and very succulent.

 

If you like chicken and cheese, then this Italian dish is for you. It's chicken parmigiana. A very popular dish in many types of restaurants. A coated chicken cutlet, with sauce and mozz cheese, delicious in every bite.

 

Moving on to seafood, how about some clams oreganata. Clams topped with diced bacon, garlic, add some wine and red peppers, and you then bake in the oven. When its done you add some breadcrumbs and garlic again, for a delicious seafood dish.

 

Fig cookies are also popular with Italians, and that dish is called cuccidati. Very popular at weddings and for Christmas, and very popular in Sicily.

 

Eggplant parm is another favorite dish you will find in all types of restaurants. A eggplant sliced, with mozz cheese and sauce, then baked. Another version of this dish is called eggplant rollatini, which the eggplant is rolled with a combo of cheese and sauce.

 

When you enter Italian soups, you will find escarole and white bean. A combo of Egypt meeting Italy. A hearty soup with escarole and beans, that can be before a meal or as a meal with some nice toasted bread.

 

After dinner, how about a nice espresso, or in the morning for a quick pick me up. This drink came from Milan in 1906. If you want to make it at home, you will need a espresso machine.

 

Farfalle, is another pasta dish, known better as bowtie's. It is the tenth most popular in the pasta dish's. You can make it with all types of sauces.

 

Fettuccine Alfredo is another popular Italian dish, served with parm cheese and butter sauce, which you can add chicken or shrimp to.

 

Another popular Italian seafood is the fried calamari. Don't knock it until you try it. A breaded and chewy squid dish, that is deep friend and served best with a nice marinara sauce. This dish started as a Portuguese favorite.

 

Talking about fried dish's, fried zucchini, is also popular as a Italian appetizer. But it was native to Mexico and South America more then seven thousand years ago. And only came to Italy in the 19th century.

 

There are many pasta's in Italian cooking, like fusilli. It has a very distinctive taste and texture and is also known as corkscrew pasta. The spirals are great for holding on to any sauce you use for it.

 

Dessert gelato, is a very traditional ice cream for Italians. And it can be traced back to Italian renaissance and the Medici family. A wonderful frozen dessert!

 

Italians love, grappa, the distilled beverage that is made from pomace, which are discarded grape seeds. This beverage has been around since the middle ages. How's that for taste.

 

Another popular treat, is Italian ice, which is great for a hot summer day or night. This has roots to Arab, Sicilian, Turkish, Spanish, and French roots. It is very universally known and loved.

 

Italian wedding soup, although served at Italian weddings, its great for a cold winters night. You won't be disappointed in the taste. The dish comes from the Southern Italian region of, Campania. Made with tiny meatballs, and veggies.

 

Every knows, lasagna, a very popular Italian dish, that you can find in almost all eateries. Long noodles with meat, or just cheese, sauce and more cheese. In is in many layers of deliciousness.

 

Limoncello, a nice lemon flavored liqueur that is great for clams and pasta. You will find this dish all through Italy. Its easy to make and delicious to eat.

 

Talking about clams, you can't forget, linguine and clams. This can be made with a white sauce or a red sauce. How ever you make it, it is a true Italian dish.

 

Manicotti is another pasta dish, better known in Italy as cannelloni. Tube shaped pasta that is filled with ricotta cheese and topped with mozz and sauce, then baked.

 

During cold winter nights for dinner, you might find on a Italian dinner table some, minestrone soup. A very hearty soup that can be a starter dish, or the main course.

 

Making a cheese board, how about some, mortadella. Going back to the Roman army, this is a true napoleon meat. A cured meat that goes well with cheese.

 

Mozzarella is another popular Italian cheese, that is used in so many dish's. From pasta, to a nice tomato caprese.

 

And you can't leave out, mussels marinara. Mussels in a nice red sauce or garlic sauce, that you can serve with or without pasta.

 

Panettone is a wonderful dessert that is known as sweet bread in, Milan. Popular around Christmas and New Year's. Stuffed with raisins and citron, or dried fruit. It is known as the Italian fruitcake, but less expensive.

 

For a cream dessert, how about, panna cotta. Made with milk, sugar, cream and gelatin, turned into a custard.

 

Another popular Italian soup, is pasta e fagioli. A white bean soup that is also found in the Alps and the Mediterranean.

 

Pasticiotti, little mini pastries or pies, with a wonderful tender crust and a filling of rich ricotta or custard. It is the best made with lard crust, then a butter crust.

 

Pastina is another pasta, that Italians call baby. It is the smallest of the pasta group, and also comes in the shape of stars or tubes. Great for soups, or feeding young children.

 

For another version of pasta, there is penne vodka. Invented by a Roman chef, it is made with vodka and is very popular in Italy.

 

Pesto, is a very versatile product, made with pine nuts, basil and crushed garlic and olive oil. You can use it on top of crusty toasts, or add it to a pasta dish.

 

Pignoli cookies are another dish cooked with pine nuts. A staple in Southern Italy and Sicily. They are crispy on the outside, but chewy on the inside. And very easy to make in your kitchen.

 

Awe, who can't forget, Pizza, that dates back to the most popular Italian dish's there are. There is over three billion pizzas sold in the US a year. They come with a array of sauces and toppings, never ending.

 

Another popular cookie is the, pizzelle, a Italian waffle cookie that is made with eggs, flour, sugar and butter and made in a pizzelle iron.

 

Polenta is also a popular staple in the Italian kitchen. It dates back to the 16th century, and is coarse stone ground cornmeal. There are also many recipes for polenta, and many ways to eat it.

 

Back to lunch meat, there is the popular, prosciutto, this is a Italian word for ham, that dates back three thousand years.

 

The Italian rainbow cookie, this is the Technicolor treat that is most known for Italian cookies. It can be plain, or flavored with jam, even topped with chocolate. It's color was created by immigrants to honor the Italian flag.

 

Ravioli is another pasta dish that is very common, in Italian homes. They are pasta squares that can be filled with meat or cheese, and topped with sauce. You can also coat them with breadcrumbs and deep fry them.

 

The dish's just go on and on, from pasta to the San Marzano tomatoes.