Food
BOLOGNA FOOD
This region is known as Italy's food basket and for its pasta.
Pasta
Bologna is famous for tortellini, which is usually served in a broth. Bologna has pastas with many different shapes, fillings for stuffed pasta, and sauces.
Ragu sauce is a combination of cooked meat and tomato sauce. There are two kinds of ragu: Ground meat and a whole piece of meat that is cooked very slowly. The ground meat ragu is made in Bologna.
Bolognese Food
Mortadella: Bologna sausage
Crescentine: Fried pizza dough that is a snack with proscuitto, mortadella, or cheese
Tortellini, Ravioli, Torelloni, Tortellacci: Stuffed pasta ham, white meat, and parmesan or ricotta cheese with spinach, mushrooms and nuts
Lasagne and Cannelloni: Oven-backed pasta
Parmigiant Reggiano: grating and table cheese from cows' milk
Prosciutto di Parma and cured meats
Tagliatelle with a chicken liver sauce
Turkey scaloppine with proscuitto and Parmigiano
Gnocco fritto: Country fritter
Piadina: Flat bread
Erbanzzone: Swiss cheese pie
Galletti: cornmeal cookies
If one wants to learn how to cook like a Bolognese, they can contact Carmelita Caruana's [1]. She offers cooking classes, market tours and market shopping.
History of Food in Bologna
The Emilia Romagana Region
When traveling in the Emilia Romagna Region you must try their world famous parmigiano reggiano cheese, prosciutto and ham products, traditional balsamic vinegar, tortellini and the region's famous wines, such as Colli Piacentini, Colli di Parma, Reggiano and the Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa, Colli Bolognesi and Reno, and Bosco Eliceo and the Vini di Romagna.
The Emilia Romagna region has many different food and wine festivals that take place throughout the year. Some are local, while others are more well known. La Nott De' Biso is a festival which takes place in Faenza every Jnuary 5th; it is a festival dedicated to the Bisò or 'vin cotto' or the mulled wine produced in the area. Another festival is Festival of Forgotten Romagnolo Fruit; it takes place at Casola Valsenio in the province of Ravenna. The aim of the event is to refocus attention on foods and flavors which have disappeared from Romagnola cuisine.
Gelateria Gianni is a famous gelateria that was established in 1979. Each year they make between 100-200 kilograms of gelato per year, which is about 220-440 pounds.
Cooking Conversions: Grams = Ounces x 28.35 Ounces = Grams x .35 Grams = Pounds x 435.5 Kilograms = Pounds x .45 Litres = Cups x .24 Centigrade = (Fahrenheit - 32) x 5/9 Fahrenheit = (Centigrade x 9/5) + 32
Fahrenheit Centigrade Heat
225°F 107° C very cool
250° F 121° C very cool
275° F 135° C cool
300° F 148° C cool
325° F 163° C moderate
350° F 177° C moderate
400° F 204° C fairly hot
450° F 232° C very hot
Real Pizza: Pizza in Italy is very thin (like Mexican tortillas),which makes them difficult to eat by hand. They are also very large. Thus, it is advisible to eat pizza with a knife and fork.
Cheese plays an important role in Italian cuisine. It enhances the flavor of many dishes, makes creamy sauces for pasta, and combines with the other ingredients in lasagna. Some commnonly used cheeses are Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Gorgonzola, Fontina, "Quattro Formaggi", Hard (or dry) Ricotta, Fresh goat-milk Ricotta, Pecorino Romano, Sardo, Toscano
Food Fact: Fettuccine Alfredo does not exist in Italy.
Usually, Italians eat breakfast and lunch around the same time Americans do. However, dinner is eaten later. Seven is considered early, and eight or later is more typical.
