Food

The main characteristic of Italian cooking is its healthy balance. Basic ingredients of outstanding quality are cooked simply and therefore retain their original taste and freshness. Those who want to sample Italian cooking should go not only to the well-known restaurants, but also to the more modest trattorie and rosticcerie.

Regional specialties include the truffles and agnolotti (stuffed pasta) of the Piedmont. In Lombardy, risotto alla milanese (rice with saffron), osso buco (veal shanks), tangy gorgonzola cheese and panettone (cake laced with candied peel) are the specialties. Risi e bisi (soup with rice and peas) and fegato alla veneziana (calf's liver with onions) are popular in Venetia. Emilia is known for its cappelletti ("little hats" of pasta), prosciutto di parma and parmigiano reggiano. Charcoal-grilled T-bone steak is something special when it's bistecca alla Fiorentina in Tuscany. In Lazio, you'll find the best abbacchio (suckling lamb) and carciofi alla giudia (artichokes fried in olive oil). Campania is the "official" home of pizza, and Sicily introduced the entire world to cannoli, cassata and other wonderful pastries.

Italian food is easy to make at home, if you just follow the recipe.