Italian Food Glossary A abruzzese or all'abruzzese(adj.) From or in the style of the Abruzzo region of Italy; usually spicy. acquacotta A vegetable soup, generally spiced with peppers and thickened with bread, at times containing egg and cheese. A dish typical of coastal Tuscany and upper Latium, but one that varies widely depending on the location. affettati cold cuts, sliced meats agliata A garlic sauce, sometimes containing crushed walnut meats. Comes in numerous regional variations, most notably from Piedmont, Abruzzo, and Liguria. aglio dolce Garlic that has been previously chopped and soaked in milk to make it "sweet" (often used in Piedmont). agnolotti A Piedmontese stuffed pasta which was born as a way of using left-over meats, agnolotti are made differenly depending on the meat available, local habits, and the preferences of the cook. To prepare the stuffing, various kinds of roasted and boiled meats are used separately or in combination, and a cured meat is always included; escarole is the vegetable of choice, although Swiss chard or spinach are sometimes used, and rice cooked in mild is often added for a lighter texture. Agnolotti can be served in a broth, tossed with melted butter and fresh sage, or lavished with a truffle sauce or gravy from roasts. ajada garlic, walnut, and bread-crumb sauce albese (adj.) prepared with truffles alzata tiered fruit or cake stand amaretti Dry cookies made of ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar, ideal in the creation of stuffings and dessert but also excellent eaten on their own. amatriciana A pasta sauce, originally from the town of Amatrice in the porvince of Rieti (in the region of Latium) and a variation on the original Abruzzese version which contains no tomatoes. Amatriciana is made bu sautéing a cured meat called guanciale(from the pork cheek) in olive oil, then adding minced onion and cooking until golden. Tomatoes are stirred in, as well as a pinch of chili pepper or black pepper. The pasta that is typically used is long pasta: either perciatelli or bucatini. SInce guanciale is rarely available outside Italy, pancetta is frequently used instead. ammiscato (adj.) Mixed; alludes to an assortment of pasta shapes usually added to bean soup. amorosi (pl.) elongated, tubular, twisted pasta animelle sweetbreads anolino A filled pasta traditionally prepared in Parma and other neighboring cities. The filling is generally made with bread crumbs soaked in a very dense meat gravy, to which egg and grated cheese are added. They are cooked and served in a strong beef broth or consommé. In Italy, this ancient dish has many variations. Parma and Piacenza are the principal cities where anolini are made, and are sometimes called "anvein." aranciata orange drink, orange soda arancini Deep-fried rice balls from Sicily, also popular in Naples and Rome. These "little oranges" (the literal translation of their name) are made of boiled rice mixed with eggs and grated cheese, and filled with a spoonful of ragù or a piece of melting cheese. Each ball is covered with flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs. Finally it is deep-fried in olive oil until golden. aretina, all' Arezzo-style; typically contains duck, ham, vegetables, and nutmeg. avemarie (pl.) Literally "Hail Marys"; a small pasta for soup, named after and resembling the beads in a rosary. B babà al rhum This yeasted sweet is baked and soaked in a rum syrup until it is entirely imbued with the rum's aroma and flavor. The most famous are from Naples, where it was prepared for the aristocracy. baccalá This is dried codfish, either salted or sundried, often present in the menus from Veneto. A legacy of the Norwegians, and found in the cuisine of any Mediterranean countries, it can be prepared in a variety of ways beginning with a long soak in cold water (24 to 48 hours). The water should be frequently changed during the softening process. Though baccalá can be fried in strips or even eaten raw, the most familiar version involves cooking the cod very, very slowly in milk. baccalá mantecato A common dish native to Venice, consisting of salted cod cooked very slowly with milk, onion, olive oil, garlic, anchovy filets and parsley for at least four hours. bistecca alla Fiorentina The epitome of steak, Florentine steak is a hefty T-bone cut of Chianina beef, named after the Val di Chiana where these cows are raised. The meat is not fatty and more flavorful than other types of meat. To prepare the steak, the meat is grilled quickly over charcoal and seasoned with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. For best results, it should be 2" thick. bagna cauda Literally translated, "hot bath", this is a typical sauce of Piedmont. Flavor from crushed, sliced or minced garlic is underscored by a generous amount of minced anchovies; these are skillfully incorporated into olive oil and unsalted butter, which are melted and kept hot at the table in a fondue pot. Raw vegetables like radishes, peppers, cabbage, carrots and cardoons are used for dipping in this sauce, and cooked vegetables like turnips and potatoes are often served as well. bagnapan seafood soup thickened with bread bagnèt In a dialect of Piedmont, this means sauce. A red and a green version are common, and both are used to accompany bollito misto, a typically Piedmontese assortment of boiled meats. The red bagnèt features tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic that are cooked for hald an hour, to which wine vinegar and sugar are added; the sauce is simmered for two more hours. The green bagnèt is a piquant blend of anchovies, hard-boiled egg yolks, parsley, galric, capers, bread that has been soaked in milk and squeezed dry, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. bagozzo hard, sharp Grana cheese, otherwise known as Bresciano bagnomaria / bain-marie Known as a water bath in America, this refers to the technique of immersing a pot of food in a hot water bath to cook it gently and evenly, much like a double- boiler. The technique is often used for chocolate dishes, custards, mousses and other delicate dishes. The water in the lower bowl or pan should be hot, but never boiling. balsamico extravecchio Real balsamic vinegar is always vecchio (old), but the most flavorful and aromatic is extravecchio (extra-old). To get its seal of extra-old approval, an extravecchio must be aged at least 25 years, and sometimes up to 100 or more years (as opposed to the 12 years required of a regular balsamico tradizionale). bastarda, salsa butter sauce, thickened with egg bastoncini small, stick-like pasta for soup batufolli polenta balls prepared with meat sauce and Parmesan, traditionally placed in a pyramid bavette pasta similar to Linguine bel paese a variety of well-known mild, soft, pale yellow cheeses from Lombardy besciamella / béchamel, a white sauce bigoli A type of pasta from the Veneto region in which the dough (flour, eggs, melted butter, salt, milk) is worked until pliable, cut into small stick shapes, and extruded through a special instrument called a bigolaro. The resultant rough texture gives a surface that is excellent for absorbing sauces. Egg noodles are a suitable substitute. bisna polenta made with beans, sauerkraut, and onion bodino (budino) baked veal stuffed with layers of vegetables and prosciutto bolognese, alla Outside Bologna, and especially outside Italy, the term refers to a meat sauce for pasta. (In Bologna, it's known simply as "ragú.") bonarelli thin ribbons of pasta bonet This dessert is a specialty of many trattorie and home cooks in Piedmont. First, a caramel is prepared and poured while hot into the bottom of a baking dish. An egg custard typically flavored with crumbled Amaretti di Saronno, rum, and melted chocolate is poured over the caramel base, then the while is baked in a water bath. bottarga Made from salted and pressed fish roe, bottarga is an orange hued bar with an intense flavor. Most commonly identified with Sardinian and Sicilian cooking, Bottarga is made with grey mullet in Sardinia and tuna in Sicily. bresaola Made from lean beef (top-round, rump, or filet) bresaola is a savory cured meat native to the Valtellina area in Lombardy. The meat is lightly salted, marinated in wine and herbs, and dry- cured. Bresaola can be aged for long periods of time or very briefly. Its flavor intensifies as it ages. The best way to savor Bresaola is raw, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with pepper. brovade A peasant food that is virtually unknown outside the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, based on sliced turnips macerated fro a month or so in grape skins. They turnips are most often served as an accompaniment to meat dishes, but they can also be folded into pasta e fagioli or other soups. bruschetta toasted bread seasoned with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, at times served with tomatoes or other various toppings brutti ma buoni Literally "Ugly But Good," these light almond macaroons from Northern and Central Italy may look ugly and irregular but taste absolutely delicious. bruz Sometimes called bròs, this is a cheese preparation typical of Piedmont and Liguria. It is made by mixing together left-over bits of robiola or goat cheese, adding grappa or brandy, olive oil, vinegar, chili pepper or peppercorns, and salt, then placing the mixture in hermetically sealed terra-cotta pots to ferment and become spicy. The fermented cheese is slathered on warm toasted bread and grilled polenta. bucatini A dried pasta that looks like spaghetti but is hollow. Typically, bucatini are served with tomato- or meat-based sauces. buccellato A traditionally wreathed-shaped sweet of Lucca in Tuscany, buccellato was often prepared to celebrate confirmations.