| When people think of popular Italian food they most | | | | dish is pasta and beans. Beans are used in many |
| likely think of spaghetti, lasagna, or tortellini. However, | | | | dishes here due to their ready availability. This is also |
| the popular Italian food in Italy is actually a little | | | | an area of Italy where anchovies and stockfish are |
| different and much more diverse. | | | | used extensively in Italian food. However, fish is not |
| When discussing popular Italian food it is essential to | | | | the dish of choice here, being beaten out by meats |
| talk about the most popular breads and pastries. | | | | and sausages. A favorite meat is sopressata which is |
| Breads serve an important role in Italian food. They | | | | a dry-cured salami. It gets its name from the fact |
| can be used as appetizers, sides to a meal, and | | | | that while drying it is often pressed with a weight |
| desserts. The most popular breads are flavored with | | | | and comes out looking flat. It is most often made |
| herbs, cheeses, and sun-dried tomatoes. An excellent | | | | with pork, but sometimes beef is used. Another |
| dessert bread in Italian food is the biscotti which | | | | favorite Italian food meat is garlic salami. The Italian |
| means "twice baked". This popular dessert is more | | | | food here is also reliant on some of the prized |
| like a biscuit or cookie and is often flavored with | | | | vegetables of the area. Veneto is especially known |
| almonds and spices. Fruit can be added to the biscotti | | | | for their high quality red radicchio and their asparagus. |
| and a popular choice is cherries. Biscotti are very | | | | One last dish that is unique to the area is a rice dish |
| versatile in Italian food, being served for breakfast | | | | with young peas. |
| with coffee or as an after dinner treat. | | | | The Italian food diet |
| The regional Italian food | | | | With Italian food diet, a great example of the fact |
| As you move further south in Italy you will find that | | | | that Italian food will not make you fat is in Sophia |
| the cuisine changes. In the south there is more fish | | | | Loren. She told the world in her book that she grew |
| used. Often this brand of Italian food is called | | | | up on spaghetti and ate it constantly. She says that |
| Mediterranean food. The dishes here are much lighter | | | | it is not the pasta that makes you fat; it's what you |
| and are healthier in general. The people in the | | | | put on top of it. People who gain weight eating Italian |
| southern half of Italy are amongst the healthiest in | | | | food typically do so not because of the pasta, but |
| the world and it is due in great part to the types of | | | | because of creamy sauces like Alfredo sauce and |
| Italian food that they eat. One of the reasons this | | | | because they eat in too large portions. Italian food |
| Italian food is so healthy is because they use olive oil | | | | from the Mediterranean doesn't rely on rich, thick |
| to cook most of their food in. | | | | sauces and uses olive oil instead of butter, making it |
| On the Risotto and the Veneto region Italian food | | | | very healthy. |
| The Veneto region is also home to some unique | | | | Italian food is full of a variety of pastas and recipes |
| foods. The dishes here are heavier and rely on exotic | | | | that can keep you satisfied and healthy as long as |
| spices and sauces. One unique dish that originated | | | | you stay away from the heavy sauces and creams. |
| here and is quickly gaining popularity as an Italian food | | | | |