Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine belongs to the Mediterranean tradition, drawing on ingredients, recipes, and cooking methods that have evolved in Italy from the Roman era onward. As Italians emigrated in successive waves, their food spread across the globe. The cuisine is built on both nationwide customs and distinct regional dishes; many plates that originally belonged to one area have since appeared in varied forms throughout the country.

A defining trait is simplicity—dishes often use few components, so cooks depend on ingredient quality rather than elaborate techniques. Ordinary people, more than professional chefs, have created many beloved recipes over the centuries, which is why so much Italian cooking suits home kitchens, respects local specialties, uses only raw materials from the dish’s region of origin, and follows seasonal availability. The Mediterranean diet underpins this cuisine, rich in pasta, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Cheese, cold cuts, and wine are central, alongside pizza and coffee (especially espresso). Desserts blend local flavors like citrus, pistachio, and almonds with sweet cheeses such as mascarpone and ricotta, or with exotic tastes like cocoa, vanilla, and cinnamon; gelato, tiramisu, and cassata are famous examples. Italy protects many traditional specialties under EU law, is the world’s top wine producer, and boasts the greatest diversity of native grape varieties.

The cuisine’s history stretches back to the 4th century BC, with roots in ancient Rome—elaborate preparations appear in the cookbook *Apicius*. After the Roman Empire fell, cooking changed dramatically as cities developed separate traditions shaped by climate, local agriculture, and trade. Over centuries, neighboring regions, conquerors, prominent chefs, political shifts, and the discovery of the New World all left their mark. Trade along the Silk Road and routes to Asia also influenced local dishes. Different basic foods and spices were available depending on climate and proximity to the sea. Major cities exemplify regional cuisine: Milan is known for risottos, Trieste for multicultural food, Bologna for tortellini, and Naples for pizza. Evidence shows the Etruscans making pasta in Italy as early as the 4th century BC.

The first known Italian food writer was Archestratus, a Greek Sicilian from Syracuse in the 4th century BC. His poem advocated using top-quality, seasonal ingredients and avoiding masking flavors with spices or herbs, emphasizing simple fish preparation. As the Roman Empire grew, simplicity gave way to a culture of gastronomy. By the 1st century AD, *De re coquinaria* featured 470 recipes with heavy use of spices and herbs. Romans employed Greek bakers for bread, imported cheese from Sicily (renowned for its cheesemakers), reared goats for meat, and grew artichokes and leeks. Some foods now considered traditional were imported during Roman times, including jujube (celebrated in Arquà Petrarca), cherries, apricots, and peaches.

In the 9th century, Arabs conquered Sicily and introduced spinach, almonds, rice, and other foods that later became staples: citrus fruits, artichokes, chickpeas, pistachios, sugarcane, aubergines, and durum wheat (used for pasta). A 12th-century Norman king observed people in Sicily making long strings from flour and water called *atriya*, which evolved into *trii*, still a term for spaghetti in southern Italy. Normans also brought casserole, salted cod (*baccalà*), and stockfish, all still popular. Without refrigeration, food preservation was chemical or physical—meats and fish were smoked, dried, or kept on ice; brine and salt pickled items.