Ligurian cuisine consists of dishes from the culinary tradition of Liguria, a region of northwestern Italy, which makes use of ingredients linked both to local production (such as preboggion, a mixture of wild herbs), and to imports from areas with which, over the centuries, the Ligurians have had frequent trade (such as Sardinianpecorino, one of the ingredients of pesto).
Liguria is known for herbs and vegetables (as well as seafood) in its cuisine. Savory pies are popular, mixing greens and artichokes along with cheeses, milk curds, and eggs. Onions and olive oil are used. Due to a lack of land suitable for wheat, the Ligurians use chickpeas in farinata and polenta-like panissa. The former is served plain or topped with onions, artichokes, sausage, cheese or young anchovies.[1] Farinata is typically cooked in a wood-fired oven, similar to southern pizzas. Furthermore, fresh fish features heavily in Ligurian cuisine. Baccalà (salted cod) features prominently as a source of protein in coastal regions. It is traditionally prepared in a soup.
Hilly districts use chestnuts as a source of carbohydrates. Ligurian pastas include corzetti, typically stamped with traditional designs, from the Polcevera Valley; pansoti, a triangular shaped ravioli filled with vegetables; piccagge, pasta ribbons made with a small amount of egg and served with artichoke sauce or pesto sauce; trenette, made from whole wheat flour cut into long strips and served with pesto; boiled beans and potatoes; and trofie, a Ligurian gnocchi made from wheat flour and boiled potatoes, made into a spiral shape and often tossed in pesto.[1] Many Ligurians emigrated to Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influencing the cuisine of the country (which was otherwise dominated by meat and dairy products that the narrow Ligurian hinterland would not have allowed). Pesto, sauce made from basil and other herbs, is uniquely Ligurian, and features prominently among Ligurian pastas.
Characteristics
Ligurian cuisine is affected by the geomorphological characteristics of its territory. It makes use of ingredients coming from the sea as well as game and meat. Ligurian cuisine has transformed over the centuries in relation to the socio-economic situation of the region. The scarcity of cattle pastures forced the Ligurians to develop dishes based on alternative ingredients such as fish and herbs, to which game was subsequently added.[2] Ligurians pair their meat condiments based on wild or cultivated herbs, among which pesto stands out, which is used both as a sauce for pasta as well as being added to autumnal soups with a variety of fresh vegetables.[3] Also important are the many savoury pies with vegetables, the most famous of which are the pasqualina cake, the ripieni and focaccia traditionally filled with stracchino cheese known as focaccia col formaggio. There are dishes based on ingredients such as herbs or chestnuts traditionally eaten by farmers.[4] The preservation of food and therefore the use of Mason jars is fundamental in Ligurian cuisine, traditionally filled with mushrooms in oil, jams, honey, salted anchovies, brined foods, and dips.[5]
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