Italian food Italian food
Stories About

Italian food

Gloria Lucchesi cooks some local beans that she prepared using the cooking containers, on Nov. 12, in San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy. Valerio Muscella for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Valerio Muscella for NPR

Amid rising energy costs, Italian cooks go old-school to save gas

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1140042621/1140082460" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Wayne Wright shares a recipe for lasagna. He learned many Italian recipes from circus performer Edmondo Zacchini. Jennifer Wright/Collage by NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Jennifer Wright/Collage by NPR

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating two salmonella outbreaks that are tied to Italian-style meats like salami and prosciutto that are often used for charcuterie boards. Richard Drew/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Richard Drew/AP

Sebastiano Ridolfi tries on the costume of Papà del Gnoco, or "Gnocchi Dad," the Santa-esque figure who's the symbol of the gnocchi-themed pre-Lent celebration in Verona, Italy. Although Ridolfi didn't win the election to be Papà del Gnoco, he was received warmly by the crowd and remains committed to challenging traditions. Andrea Di Martino hide caption

toggle caption
Andrea Di Martino

Sugar is considered critical for achieving a smooth and silky consistency in gelato. But new technology is aiming to achieve the same results with less (or no) sugar. Irina Marwan/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Irina Marwan/Getty Images

Mimosa cake is made of layers of sponge cake brushed with citrus liqueur and liberally spread with pastry cream, then topped with small cubes of even more sponge cake that are meant to mimic the small blooms of the mimosa flower. It's the taste of the Festa della Donna, an Italian holiday when women of all ages leave the menfolk behind to celebrate each other. GiuseppeParisi/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

toggle caption
GiuseppeParisi/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mary Cittoni, Joanne Cittoni Gonzalez and Clemente Cittoni work together, making malfatti in the kitchen of Val's Liquor in Napa. Lisa Morehouse/KQED hide caption

toggle caption
Lisa Morehouse/KQED

Malfatti, The Dumpling That Became A Napa Valley Legend

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/494569112/497256717" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

In Italy and the U.S., restaurants are pledging to use sales of Amatrice's signature dish, spaghetti all' amatriciana, to raise funds for the devastated Italian town. Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty Images

Last June, Milan swiped the record for world's longest pizza with a 1.5-kilometer pie. Naples is not amused — and it's cooking up its vengeance. Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

With A 2-Km. Pizza, Naples Aims To Deliver A Slice Of History

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/477900548/477900549" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Japanese food was once derided, but it's now in the canon of haute cuisine, says author Krishnendu Ray. How we value a culture's cuisine in our society, he says, often reflects the status of those who cook it. Alex Green/Getty Images/Ikon Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alex Green/Getty Images/Ikon Images

Michele Vaccaro buries a fig tree in the yard of Mary Menniti in Sewickley, Pa. Hal Klein for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Hal Klein for NPR

Why Bury Fig Trees? A Curious Tradition Preserves A Taste Of Italy

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/371184053/373128474" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

At 820 calories, Maggiano's tiramisu packs in more than the tiramisu served at Olive Garden (510 calories) or Macaroni Grill (690 calories). But it pales in comparison with the version served at Carrabba's, which has 1,060 calories. Maggiano's hide caption

toggle caption
Maggiano's

Ava Gene's, a Roman-inspired restaurant in Portland, Ore., incorporates colatura, a modern descendant of ancient Roman fish sauce, into several of its dishes. Deena Prichep/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Deena Prichep/NPR

Fish Sauce: An Ancient Roman Condiment Rises Again

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/240237774/240955358" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Various types of pancetta, bacon made from pork belly, on display in Turin, Italy. Unlike the American variety, which is smoked, Italian pancetta is cured in salt and spices. Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images