Regional Flavors of Italy – Piemonte

By Alessandra Bianco, MA 2013-14

Piedmonte, in the northwest part of Italy and surrounded on three sides by the Alps is home to the city of Turin, known for manufacturing and cars. But this region has more than just mountains, metal, and motors – the food options in Piedmont are endless and delicious. Read on for an overview of what they have to offer!

Bread
Grissini- Breadsticks, now common all over Italy and the world, are traditionally from Torino!

Tanti Antipasti
Piedmonte has perhaps the largest variety of antipasti in all of Italy! Here are a few:
Bagna càuda – Raw vegetables served with a heated sauce of garlic and anchovies in a mixture of olive oil and butter.
Fonduta – The birth of fondue. Fontina Cheese, milk and egg yolk melt.
Fiori di zucca ripieni – Fried, stuffed squash blossoms.
Cavolo verza ripieno – Stuffed Savoy cabbage.
Crocchette – Everyones favorite fried mashed potato balls/sticks with cheese.
Insalata di carne cruda – a minced raw beef or veal appetizer prepared with a marinade of lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. When truffles are in season, they are used to garnish this, otherwise it is served with salad greens. Other cold salads are made with wild mushrooms, beans, greens, asparagus or sweet and sour onions.

Hand-made Pasta

Tajarin – Piemonte’s “preferred pasta.” Noodles simmered in beef broth and topped with butter, grated Grana Padano cheese, and shaved truffles with nutmeg.
Agnolotti piemontesi– Meat and herb filled dumplings are generally served with fresh sage fried in butter and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Gnocchi alla bava– Gnocchi garnished with a mixture of melted Fontina cheese, Grana Padano, and butter

Meats
Brasato al Barolo – beef marinated in red wine and then braised with herbs and vegetables until tender.
Misto piemontese – This mixture of ingredients from Piemonte is found as both a bollito (boil) or a fritto (fried) dish. Various cuts of veal and beef with poultry, cotechino sausage and vegetables are boiled together. When fried, the battered mixture consists of the same meats, vegetables, fruit, cheese, and starches (somewhat like dumplings or biscuits), battered and fried.

Dessert
Panna cotta is smooth and silky custard deliciousness, made with cream and caramel thickened with gelatin.

Local Cheeses include: Bra DOP, Castelmagno DOP, Gorgonzola DOP, Grana Padano DOP, Murazzano DOP, Raschera DOP, Robiola di Roccaverano DOP, Taleggio DOP, Toma Piemontese DOP

Drink
Moscato d’Asti, a White Aromatic Sparkling Wine

For more on the food and wines from Piemonte check out these sites:
http://www.piemonte-landofperfection.org/en/portfolio/moscato-dasti-docg/
http://www.made-in-italy.com/italian-food/regions/piedmont