What most Americans don’t know is that Italy, as a country, wasn’t unified until 1861. Up until that point, each region and city/state pretty much kept to itself as much as possible. Travel between these different areas wasn’t always easy or even possible, so all the variety of cuisines had centuries to develop. Where some parts of Italy are close to the ocean and its bounty, others lie far inland. The climate and ecology can differ vastly, though it is a country half the size of Texas.
Many Italians immigrated to America, bringing with them the dishes and cooking styles of their homeland. Because there is a general, somewhat Americanized version of Italian food, it’s always a revelation to visit a MA or RI Italian restaurant where the chef and/or owner is first-generation.
There are 20 regions of Italian cuisine. Most of Italy’s population is concentrated in the north, and tourists are much more likely to visit Venice in the north, Rome in the middle, and Sicily in the far south. Tuscan cooking is probably the most popular with tourists and cooking enthusiasts in the U.S., but there are nooks and crannies where Italians continue to cook much like their ancestors without feeling the homogenizing touch of the tourism trade. Tuscan cooking captures the essence of simple cooking and exquisite taste. Relying on fruity olive oil, risottos, and the freshest of vegetables or seafood, the cooks of Tuscany perform magic with few ingredients.
In the mountains of the Abruzzo region, lamb, kid, sheep, and mountain goat are still mainstays of the diet. The foods of the Emiliana-Romagna region are prized by Italians for their rich flavors and stunning presentation. Prosciutto de Parma, Mortadella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, stuffed pastas, and balsamic vinegar are all famous foods from this region.
When you visit an authentic Italian restaurant, take a chance and try something new. There is so much more to the tasty, fresh flavors than spaghetti and marinara sauce – although in the right hands, spaghetti and marinara are absolutely divine. You will probably also find dishes that have evolved over time in specific areas of the country where Italian-Americans congregated. Muffuleta sandwiches, for instance, are a hybrid of Italian and New Orleans cuisines. Though the ingredients vary, muffuleta isn’t authentic without an olive salad as that base to the meats and cheeses. In St. Louis, you can find toasted ravioli on the menu. Stuffed ravioli is breaded and deep fried and served as an appetizer. Though it may have originated in Sicily, it’s become a combination of two countries.
Italian food remains a strong favorite with Americans today. Whether you’re visiting an Italian restaurant in RI or CA, chances are you’ll find dishes you grew up eating no matter where your ancestors came from.