Pasta is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Pasta was traditionally only made with durum, although the definition has been expanded to include alternatives for a gluten-free diet, such as rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils. While Asian noodles are believed to have originated in China, pasta is believed to have independently originated in Italy and is a staple food of Italian cuisine, with evidence of Etruscans making pasta as early as 400 BCE in Italy.
Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or carrots, and grains such as rice and barley. Chicken soup is commonly considered a comfort food.
Lasagna is a type of pasta, possibly one of the oldest types, made of very wide, flat sheets. Either term can refer to an Italian dish made of stacked layers of lasagna alternating with fillings such as ragù, béchamel sauce, vegetables, cheeses, and seasonings and spices. The dish may be topped with grated cheese, which becomes melted during baking. Typically cooked pasta is assembled with the other ingredients and then baked in an oven. The resulting baked pasta is cut into single-serving square or rectangular portions.
Tagliatelle is a traditional type of pasta from the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. Individual pieces of tagliatelle are long, flat ribbons that are similar in shape to fettuccine and are traditionally about 6 mm wide. Tagliatelle can be served with a variety of sauces, though the classic is a meat sauce or Bolognese sauce.
Ravioli are a type of stuffed pasta comprising a filling enveloped in thin pasta dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, though other forms are also used, including circular and semi-circular (mezzelune).
Avgolemono is a family of sauces and soups made with egg yolk and lemon juice mixed with broth, heated until they thicken.
Kreplach are small dumplings in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine filled with ground meat, mashed potatoes or another filling, usually boiled and served in chicken soup, though they may also be served fried. They are similar to Polish pierogi, Polish and Ukrainian uszka, Russian pelmeni, Italian ravioli or tortellini, German Maultaschen, and Chinese jiaozi and wonton. The dough is traditionally made of flour, water and eggs, kneaded and rolled out thin. Some modern-day cooks use frozen dough sheets or wonton wrappers. Ready-made kreplach are also sold in the kosher freezer section of supermarkets.
Tortelloni are a stuffed pasta common in northern Italy, with a shape similar to tortellini, but larger and with a cheese-based filling. They are traditionally stuffed with ricotta, Parmesan, leafy herbs or vegetables such as parsley or spinach, egg and nutmeg.
Agnolotti is a type of stuffed pasta typical of the Piedmont region of Italy, made with small pieces of flattened dough folded over a filling of roasted meat or vegetables. Agnolotti is the plural form of the Italian word agnolotto. Agnolotti can be di magro or di grasso depending on their filling of vegetables or meat.
Strozzapreti are an elongated form of cavatelli, or hand-rolled pasta typical of the Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Marche and Umbria regions of Italy as well as in the state of San Marino. The name is also used for a baked cheese and vegetable dumpling, prepared in some regions of Italy and on the French island of Corsica.
Italian cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine consisting of the ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques developed in Italy since Roman times and later spread around the world together with waves of Italian diaspora. Some of these foods were imported from other cultures. Significant changes occurred with the colonization of the Americas and the introduction of potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, maize and sugar beet—the latter introduced in quantity in the 18th century. It is one of the best-known and most appreciated gastronomies worldwide.
Neapolitan cuisine has ancient historical roots that date back to the Greco-Roman period, which was enriched over the centuries by the influence of the different cultures that controlled Naples and its kingdoms, such as that of Aragon and France.
Venetian cuisine, from the city of Venice, Italy, or more widely from the region of Veneto, has a centuries-long history and differs significantly from other cuisines of northern Italy, and of neighbouring Austria and of Slavic countries, despite sharing some commonalities.
Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese or ragù bolognese, is a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, typical of the city of Bologna. It is customarily used to dress tagliatelle al ragù and to prepare lasagne alla bolognese.
Tortelli is a type of filled pasta traditionally made in the Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany regions of Italy. It can be found in several shapes, including square, semi-circular, or twisted into a rounded, hat-like form. It can be served with melted butter, bolognese sauce, broth, or other sauces. The same word is also used to describe small, fried pastries filled with jam or cream.
Sfoglina, Sfoglino is someone who makes sfoglia, a form of Italian fresh pasta which resembles a sheet. A sfoglina is historically seen as a middle-aged woman who rolls and stretches out the dough with a rolling pin called a mattarello, on a large wooden pastry board called a taglieri. Their typical handmade creations are tagliatelle, tortellini and other egg-pasta, also many times stuffed pasta like tortelloni or cappeletti.
Agnolini are a type of egg-based stuffed pasta originating from the province of Mantua. it is often eaten in soup or broth.
Cappelletti are ring-shaped Italian stuffed pasta so called for the characteristic shape that resembles a hat. Compared to tortellini, they have a different shape, larger size, thicker dough and different filling.
