Italy is home to some of the most delicious food in the world, but what most people might not know is that Italian cuisine varies greatly from region to region. Much like the myriad dialects found throughout the country, Italian cuisine is often so specific to a location that neighbouring small towns will offer surprisingly different menus.
While pasta dishes are popular throughout Italy, the Northern regions are known more for stuffed pasta dishes like ravioli, whereas flat pastas like linguini are virtually non-existent in this region’s cooking. Dishes like risotto, polenta, osso buco and endless seafood offerings are extremely popular in the North, and rich hearty soups get these communities through the winter. No trip to Lake Garda in Northern Italy is complete without trying the food, and you can find holidays to Lake Garda at Inghams. Listed below are three examples of regional cuisine throughout Northern Italy that are as different as they are delicious.
Bacalà alla Vincentina
Bacalà alla Vincentina is a dish native to Vincenza, a city in northeastern Italy that features bacalà (salted cod) simmered in milk slowly with a savory soffritto of anchovies, garlic and onions for additional flavour. The fish is typically served with a portion of the white soft polenta, or polenta bianca, that is native to Veneto.
Angolotti al Plin
Angolotti al Plin is a regional speciality that comes from the Langhe region in the Cuneo province of Piedmont. This ravioli dish is filled with an assortment of noce moscato (nutmeg), spinach,Arrosto Vitello (roasted veal), egg, Parmigiano cheese, Coscia di Miale (pork leg) and of course salt and black pepper. Unlike other ravioli, the Ravioli al Plin are rolled together by hand. The ravioli are typically served in a sauce of butter and sage leaves which give the dish a fantastic aroma and delicious taste.
Focaccia al formaggio
Focaccia al formaggio is a cheesy variation on the focaccia found in many parts of Liguria. It’s made by extending a thin sheet of dough, adding a splash of creamy cheese to it, covering the cheese with another layer of dough and baking it. What you get is a mouth-watering regional treat. The original variation of this food is native to the small town of Recco just south of Genova. In the days of carriages, Genovese people would take day trips to this small town to enjoy this delicious dish.
This region of Italy is a must for any traveller, but not only for its incredible cuisine. If you’re considering traveling to Northern Italy, to the Italian Alps or even to Tuscany, holidays to Lake Garda and the surrounding area will put you in the center of it all. A Northern Italian holiday is an incredible trip for anyone who loves warm people, stunning scenery and delicious food.
For more information about the regional cuisine of Northern Italy and Lake Garda, click here.
Picture credit: Lucadea