Beef Stew

The old saying "the Italian food is just composed of about twenty dishes" found at the Italian restaurants in the United States is quite false. Actually, Italian food has an extensive variety and it differs really throughout the world. The diverse regional Italian cuisines present in Italy takes cues from surrounding inhabitants and spices it up with a lot of local inspiration to offer the unique Italian cuisine. An attractive example of the famous Italian food is the cuisine from the area of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

This area has its border with the previously Soviet state of Yugoslavia, and has a lot of common traditions and customs including culinary trends. The famous Italian food of this area has an Austrian, Hungarian, Croatian, and Slovenian influence to it. The beer halls of this typical state reveal the most significant influences. Italian dishes for example Goulash and Viennese sausage are easily available here, goulash which formerly was a Hungarian dish, now acquired the unique Italian taste from this region. Goulash -has become an Italian dish which, among numerous other famous Italian foods, is extremely popular in this region and can easily be found in nearly in all restaurants within and outside of Italy. This particular famous Italian food constitutes a chunky beef stew and it includes fresh vegetables like onions and red peppers. It is generally served with pasta here (although with rice in Hungaria).

Another famous Italian food, the San Daniele del Friuli hams, are also of utmost importance in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and these hams are the staple food of the local population. This whole area is famous for its Italian sausages and bacon. The local soup, jota (pronounced yota), a specialty of this region, is usually prepared with bacon and beans. The pork used in this Italian dish is spicy which is really loved and liked by foreigners and tourists which usually are not familiar with this fiery product of Italian cooking. Though one might not associate sauerkraut with Italy, it's common in Friuli, and is central to Jota, a simple, hearty bean and sauerkraut soup from Trieste.

But perhaps the most famous Italian food offered in this area is polenta. This is quite similar to American grits (grits are similar to porridge or oatmeal, but are closer to the Italian dish polenta) and includes boiled cornmeal and constitutes a major part of the Italian dishes of this region. Polenta can be served with cheese and meat dishes.

Some Italian staple food ingredients like dairy products are also among specialties of this region. The Montasio cheese which is well-known all over the world comes from this region. If you like Italian cuisine with heaps of cheese in it then this region is definitely for you.

Brovada is another famous Italian food from this region. Undoubtedly, this dish is very special to this area and believe it or not it is pickled turnip - sometimes called Turnip -Kraut It is made with red wine vinegar and often contains the wine marks from the bottom of the tank. The turnips are shredded before being macerated in the vinegar. It is really good and not "turnipy" at all.

Though this typical dish is not among famous Italian foods but still most of the people like it very much. Brovada is a dish that is very popular in Italy so it constitutes an important part of Italian cuisine.



Kath Ibbetson has a BSc, a diploma in aromatherapy and a certificate in counselling. But most of all she is a mother and an enthusiastic Italian cook. Italian food is her passion and she has been cooking it for 30 years. Visit her site FoodTheItalianWay.com

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