The Real Italian Recipe Guide

My site focuses mostly on Piedmont (please visit my Piedmont recipes page) Sardinia, and le Marche. But... I felt it would be remiss of me if I didn't include some great Italian dishes from other regions of Italy.

So, these are the recipes I've chosen—family favorites that my family and I have always loved. Included are recipes ranging from a panettone recipe (Italian Christmas cake) through traditional recipes including a recipe for cannelloni and a couple of wonderful pasta recipes.

The tiramisu recipe is also very, very good, and it is the authentic, traditional recipe. The way it was invented in Treviso many decades ago and the way it is meant to be made.

By the way, if authenticity is your thing, then you have got to try the carbonara recipe; it is the real one from Rome. Carbonara is a dish that has veered so far away from the beautiful simplicity of the Roman original, and to see all sorts of things added nowadays, especially cream, is enough to break the heart of even the toughest Roman. Once you try the real one though, I am sure you will agree with me that it is the absolute best. No other fake carbonara will ever do.

Whichever one you try, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. A taste of Italy makes life just a little more dolce wherever you may be in this world!

The Recipes

Starters & Main Courses

Lasagne

Cannelloni

Fettuccine with Basil and Cheese

The REAL Bolognese

The REAL Carbonara

Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Tomato & Parma Ham Pasta

Polenta Cordon Bleu

The real recipe for Carbonara

Italian Cakes, Cookies & Desserts

Questions I am often asked...

What is traditional Italian cooking?

Traditional Italian cooking emphasizes using fresh, high-quality ingredients to create simple yet flavorful dishes. It's characterized by regional diversity, with each region having its own culinary specialties and techniques.

What Are Some Misconceptions About Italian Cooking?

One common misconception is that dishes like pasta Alfredo, spaghetti Bolognese, and chicken Parmesan are traditional Italian dishes. In reality, these dishes have been modified outside of Italy to suit international tastes.

What Role Do Regional Differences Play in Italian Cuisine?

Regional differences play a significant role in Italian cuisine, with each region boasting its own unique culinary traditions, ingredients, and flavors. From the seafood-rich dishes of coastal regions like Sicily to the hearty, Alpine-inspired fare of Northern Italy, the country's diverse geography greatly influences its cuisine.

How Does Italian Cooking Embrace Seasonality?

Italian cooking embraces seasonality by showcasing the best ingredients available at any given time of year. From fresh tomatoes and basil in the summer to hearty root vegetables and wild mushrooms in the fall, Italian chefs prioritize using seasonal produce to create vibrant and flavorful dishes. Using the freshest, seasonal ingredients allows flavors to shine through and enhances the overall quality of the dish.

Le Marche

The Marche (discover more here) is one of the lesser known culinary regions of Italy. It's cuisine combines the best Italian cooking traditions of Northern Italy with the great culinary traditions of South Italy.

The region has two distinct culinary types: the most famous is probably that of the coastal region, where seafood is the order of the day. The seafood soups and seafood recipes of this region are legendary throughout Italy.

Inland, the cuisine is dominated by the truffle, mushroom and olive.

The olive is the unifying element of Marchese cuisine, used often on both the coast and inland. The olives of Le Marche are as renowned in Italy as their Tuscan cousins and are noted for their huge size.

The great taste of the olives themselves is already a joy to experience. But what the locals do to that perfect olive is beyond wonderful. They take it to a whole new level with their incredible stuffed olive antipasti. These huge olives are stuffed with mince, parmesan, eggs, and spices. The amazing taste that results is impossible to describe.

My personal all time favorite when it comes to local dishes are some of the inland meat recipes, mostly involving lamb and pork.

Desserts in Le Marche are not really anything special, yes, nice they are but their are better regions in Italy for sweet treats. Sicily is one that comes to mind with their cannoli and much else too. Most of the Le Marche desserts are based around almonds and fruit and the frustingola consisting of dried figs, almonds, and dark chocolate is probably the best to try.

Wine is also good in the Marche as wine in Italy invariably is. In the main the most common varieties are Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Verdicchio. The most famous Le Marche variant is undoubtedly the Verdicchio, the perfect accompaniment to seafood dishes. The Matelica variety is particularly good. My favorite red is the Conero from Ascoli Piceno.

If you are not into cooking, then I suggest you go to my le Marche restaurant review page where you will find my personal recommendations of Le Marche restaurants I can thoroughly recommend.

Click here for a favorite Marche recipe of mine.

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In the verdant landscapes and quaint villages of Piedmont, Italy, the art of cheese-making is a storied tradition that unfolds like a mesmerizing tapestry, …

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