A Focus on Northern Italian Cuisine

A Focus on Northern Italian Cuisine

Most of us think we “like Italian food”, but the truth is we probably actually like the food of a very specific region within greater Italy.

You see, Italian food is actually very different depending on how far north or south you go. And then there’s the cuisine of the centre of Italy; Roman food that has it’s own unique characteristics.

Today we focus on the north, and what to expect from cuisines in these regions.

Northern Italy and The Food

The north of Italy is divided into eight very distinct districts. They are: Liguria, Val D’Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna.

Lombardia, or Lombardy, is the region in which the district capital is found; the city known as Milan. Milan is often confused as the capital of Italy as a whole, but this is incorrect.

If you imagine Italy as a boot, then the north is everything on the upper thigh area. The knee and shins are where you find central Italy, including the real capital city, Rome.

Venice – by Federico Beccari – Unsplash

So how does the cuisine of the north differ to that of the districts below? In many ways, actually. Everything from the types of pasta used in national dishes to the types of fats used to bind said dishes.

In the north, most traditional Italian dishes call for the use of unsalted butter in place of olive oil — something that would be considered insane in the south. The northern people also use far less tomatoes in their cooking; another largely unheard of notion in the southern regions.

Piemonte – by Cristian Giordano – Unsplash

The northern regions of Italy have easy access to some top-quality cattle and hog breeders, so this becomes their meats of choice.

With regards to pasta choices, flat, plain pastas tend to be uncommon in the north where people prefer a stuffed pasta pillow, or polenta and risotto instead.

Cuisine of Lombardy Region

As mentioned, Lombardy is where Milan is situated. This is a transportation hub for the country, and likely to be your first port of entry upon arrival in Italy if not Rome.

The use of butter in place of olive oil was the first thing I noticed when I visited Milan right after having spent two weeks in Rome. Romans love their olive oil, but Milanese people love their lard and butter.

Milan – by Cristina Gottardi – Unsplash

Throughout history, the people of Lombardy have far preferred rice and polenta over pasta. These are the dishes you’ll find in local trattorias and they are usually always made to perfection. This is also a region of fantastic soups!

Pasta has become more and more of a sought after dish in Milan and greater Lombardy due to ever increasing tourism in the area. Tourists come to Italy and want to eat pasta, so Lombardy have catered there and there but it’s never quite as satisfying as the pastas of the south.

What I did find in Milan was great gnocchi; which seems to be the regions way of merging the northern cuisines with the south’s.

Risotto – by Marika Sartori – Unsplash

Cuisine of the Piedmont Region

Some say experiencing the cuisine of the Piedmont Region is where you’ll get the fullest taste of what Italian dining has to offer.

This is because the cuisine of the region is multifaceted due to the fact that this was once the home to the royals of Italy. Kings and Queens lived and dined here, and naturally expected every meal to be more lavish than the last.

Piedmont – by Yanapi Senaud – Unsplash

Dining at a restaurant in Piedmont will usually involve a very heavy range of starters, many of them incorporating fresh picked truffles (if they are in season). Creamy cheese dishes and vegetarian plates are popular, and then there is usually a starter portion of classic northern stuffed pasta before the main course.

Mains in Piedmont are usually centered around beef fillets. This region has access to some of the best quality cows in the country, as well as some fine Barolo wines. The two will usually be braised together as an outstanding main course.

Braised Beef – by Kristian Ryan Alimon – Unsplash

The people of Piedmont also love hazelnuts, so desserts give way for these to be brought to the table. Hazelnut cakes or infused panna cotta are popular, as are Gianduiotti; candy made from hazelnut paste.

Venetian Cuisine

The Venetian region is better known by its most influential city, Venice. This waterlogged area made the Venetian region a perfectly positioned merchant hub throughout history.

Years of trade with the Arabic people brought more rice into the region than you can imagine. Over time, rice became a dominant element to the local Venetian diet. Trade with the Portuguese also brought salted cod fish into the north of Italy, and it remains a significant dish in Venice and surrounding regions to this day.

by Travis Yewell – Unsplash

Because of the water-side position of Venice and the region as a whole, seafood is an important element in the local cuisine up here. You’ll dine on fantastic sea food and sides of polenta, rice and beans.

Pizza and pasta hardly feature in the local cuisine of this part of Italy, as you can see.

Ligurian Cuisine

One area of the north that I personally find fascinating is Liguria. This is undoubtably one of the most rugged terrains in the country, with cascading mountains that lead to the ocean, giving locals few suitable places to live other than the valley floors.

It’s here that they scavenge whatever fresh produce they can from the surviving plant life.  For this reason, the Ligurian diet is mostly a vegetarian or pescatarian one.

Liguria – by Wilfried Santer – Unsplash

The locals are able to send boats out to see and bring back fresh seafood in a limited capacity. Fish stews are considered the heartiest meals you’ll have in this region, though local Ligurians love a good pasta every now and then.

The fresh produce that grows in the valleys makes for fresh pasta sauces. Pesto is the most popular, and Ligurians will make them with just about any herb or spice they can find.

Ricotta cheese is a big-time guilty pleasure here in the Ligurian region!

by Jade Wulfraat – Unsplash