For many of these products there are specific legal protections: the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) for wines; the Denominazione di Origine Protetta (PDO) and Indicazione Geografica Protetta (PGI) for olive oil and other autoctonous products.
Typical Italian Foods and Drinks

Italian Foods of Excellence
Among the most appreciated foods are: the cheeses, of which Italy has the greatest diversity; wines of which Italy is the world's largest producer, holding also the widest variety of native vines; and the extra virgin olive oil of which Italy is the world's second largest producer and exporter and has the widest range of cultivars.
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Sections on Italian Cuisine
Recipes by Category
Recipes by Region
Abruzzo | Basilicata | Calabria | Campania | Emilia‑Romagna | Friuli‑Venezia Giulia | Lazio |
Liguria | Lombardia | Marche | Molise |
Piemonte | Puglia | Sardegna |
Sicilia | Trentino‑Alto Adige | Toscana | Umbria | Valle d'Aosta |
Veneto
Info on Italian Regions

Abruzzo | Basilicata | Calabria | Campania | Emilia‑Romagna | Friuli‑Venezia Giulia | Latium | Liguria | Lombardy | Marche | Molise | Piedmont | Puglia | Sardinia | Sicily | Tuscany | Umbria | Trentino‑Alto Adige | Valle d'Aosta | Veneto
Centerbe
One hundred herbs and flowers from Abruzzo mountais to make an emerald-green drink...
Rosemary
Is the herb connected tp the amazing longevity of the citizens of an Italian village?
Pasta al forno
This all-time classic with meatballs and bechamel is a perfect dish for family reunions and festive days...
Camille cupcakes
Very light Italian cupcakes based on carrots, almonds and orange juice, easy and fast to make...
Cotoletta
The Cotoletta alla Milanese or "fettina panata" appears in all cuisine books and restaurant menus the world over...
Ciabotto
A vegan dish typical of the Abruzzo tradition, easy to make and tasty...
Pasta e fagioli
a typical Italian dish, simple and poor, which has its origins in the countryside tradition...
Zibibbo of Pantelleria
Both a grape and a wine, the "vite ad alberello" was included in the Unesco...
History of Nutella
Nutella, invented by Pietro Ferrero and put on the market in 1964, a true mass phenomenon...
Bellini cocktail
An Italian cocktail based on white Verona peach purée and Prosecco wine, invented at "Harry's Bar", Venice, in the 1930s...
Polenta
A very old dish of Italian origin made from flour obtained from a number of cereals, the most...
Risotto alla Milanese
The risotto-type cooking is exclusively Italian, its main feature being the retention of starch...
VOV liqueur
The brand name of a liqueur made from eggs with 17.8% alcohol content, also commonly used for...
Insalata caprese
As with many great Italian culinary inventions such as pasta and pizza, for the Caprese salad...
Americano cocktail
An Italian cocktail that uses only typically Italian products: bitter Campari, red vermouth...