Italian dishes in a hurry. Italian dinner with or without rules: Ligurian evening at La Prima. Parma ham on bruschetta with ricotta, nectarine, honey and black pepper

Italian cuisine has many advantages. Among them are bright, unusual combinations of products, simplicity, and loyalty to tradition, but the main thing is that Italian cuisine is not overloaded with meanings, which makes it accessible and understandable to everyone. Frankly, I can’t even imagine a person who might not like Italian cuisine, with its bright Mediterranean flavors and ability to squeeze the most out of seemingly simple products. Along with the French one, it made a huge contribution to the formation of the world culinary heritage, and you can now find an Italian restaurant or a modest pizzeria anywhere in the world.

In this collection, I decided to collect 10 of my favorite Italian recipes, and I had to rack my brain wondering which ones to include in this list and which ones to cross off. As a result, the list was still incomplete, because it did not include a single recipe for risotto or pizza, there are no desserts or fish dishes, but there are three classic pasta recipes and several vegetable hits. Nevertheless, I hope that you will appreciate this collection of recipes, despite some of its one-sidedness, because Italy is invariably delicious - in any form and in any execution!

Ricotta is an Italian specialty, a traditional Italian cream cheese. Without it, it is impossible to imagine almost any Italian dish - ravioli, lasagna, vegetables and desserts. There are several types of ricotta: Ricotta fresca - fresh soft white cheese, used for fillings, salads, desserts, pizza, pasta dishes; Ricotta salata - mature, salty cheese, used grated instead of Parmesan; Ricotta affumicata is a smoked mature cheese, used alone or in grated form. In the assortment of cheeses offered by stores in our city, I only find fresh ricotta (fresca). This is what I suggest preparing at home. No lemon juice!!! (as in only two recipes offered on the site), with the addition of cream, through natural ripening, I got, I’m not afraid of this word, GREAT, natural, tasty, delicate creamy ricotta, a hundred times tastier than store-bought (even Italian, which costs a lot of money) ! Besides the obvious savings, my ricotta has a much creamier texture and mild flavor! I invite you, dear cooks, to enjoy it!!!

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Pasta and pizza are two of the most popular dishes around the world that sunny Italy gave us. In fact, the range of traditional dishes of this distinctive country is so rich and varied that it is difficult to fit it into one article.

However, the editors website I have chosen for you the 10 most famous and most delicious Italian dishes that you will definitely want to try.

Panini

A traditional Italian hot sandwich filled with ham, Parmesan, tomatoes and pesto sauce on wheat bread, it has become popular all over the world for its simple yet sophisticated taste.

You will need (for 4 servings):

• 8 slices white bread
• 2 tbsp. l. butter
• 200 g Mozzarella
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. l. pesto sauce
• fresh basil leaves to taste

Preparation:

1. Spread pesto on 4 slices of bread.
2. Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into thin slices. Place tomato slices on halves of bread with pesto and top with Mozzarella.
3. Then, if desired, you can put basil leaves on top, and cover each sandwich with the other half of the bread.
4. Then heat the pan and fry the panini in butter for 3 minutes on each side.

Panna cotta

A real celebration of taste made from cream, sugar and vanilla. The name of this amazing dessert is translated from Italian as “boiled cream” and is prepared mainly in the north of the country.

You will need:

• 1 liter full fat unsweetened pastry cream
• 150 g grated raspberries (optional)
• 20 g gelatin
• 20 whole raspberries (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp. l. Sahara
• 1/2 tsp. vanillin

Preparation:

1. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, place over low heat, add sugar and vanilla.
2. Dilute the gelatin with a small amount of warm water, then pour it into the heated cream, mix everything well until smooth - the gelatin should dissolve. Pour dessert into bowls.
3. Place raspberries in each glass with buttercream.
4. Refrigerate the dessert for at least 4 hours, during which time it should harden well.
5. Pour grated raspberries (or any other berry sauce) over the dessert and serve.

Chicken Parmignana

One of the most popular dishes in the Campania region and Sicily has become widespread in the United States. Tender chicken fillet baked in tomato sauce with Parmesan is the perfect complement to spaghetti.

You will need:

• black pepper - 1/2 tsp.
• breadcrumbs - 2/3 cup
• salt - 1 tsp.
• red hot pepper - 1/2 pod
• Parmesan cheese - 50 g
• chicken (breast) - 1 pc.
• sifted flour - 1/2 cup
• basil - 1 bunch
• olive oil - 3-4 tbsp. l.
• Mozzarella cheese - 4 slices
• large egg - 1 pc.
• young garlic - 4 cloves
• large tomatoes - 3-4 pcs.
• small onion - 1-2 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Remove skin and bones from the chicken breast, wash and dry with a towel. Cut each half lengthwise into 2 parts. Season with salt, black pepper, chopped garlic and basil. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, stir and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the sauce. To do this, fry an onion cut into small cubes until transparent in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add chopped garlic, simmer for another 5 minutes. Then add grated or blended tomatoes and hot pepper flakes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to evaporate excess liquid. Add chopped basil to the prepared sauce.
3. Prepare 3 containers for breading. Pour flour into the first, break a raw egg mixed with a little water into the second, and place a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese, grated on a fine grater, into the third. Roll each piece of chicken fillet successively in flour, lezone and bread-cheese mixture and place on a greased baking sheet or in a baking dish. Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the pan with the fillets from the oven and top each piece with a layer of tomato sauce and a slice of Mozzarella cheese. Return the pan with the fillets to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve garnished with a sprig of fresh basil.

Gelato

The taste of the original Italian dessert gelato cannot be compared with any other ice cream. It is rightfully considered the best sweet culinary masterpiece of this sunny country.

You will need:

• 250 ml whole milk
• 250 ml cream with a fat content of 33-35%
• 4 egg yolks
• 150 g sugar
• 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Pour milk into a deep non-stick bowl, add cream and half a portion of sugar. Heat over low heat and bring the mixture until small bubbles appear, stirring constantly. Don't boil! Remove from heat, add vanilla extract.
2. Separate the yolks from the whites. Lightly beat the yolks. You can beat it either manually (with a whisk) or using a mixer.
3. Add the second part of sugar and continue whisking continuously. Pour in a little more hot mixture and continue whisking for another 1-2 minutes. Pour the yolk-sugar mixture into the milk-cream mixture and continue whisking continuously. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly.
4. Using a thermometer, measure the temperature of the mixture. It is very important to prevent it from overheating. The custard is ready when it begins to thicken and reaches 185°F (85°C). You can determine the temperature without a thermometer by observing the cooking process. As soon as the mixture begins to bubble, the heating process must be completed. The custard is completely ready when it has become sufficiently thick and viscous. Just enough to completely cover the back of the spoon or spatula.
5. Strain the mixture through a sieve to avoid lumps into a deep bowl immersed in crushed ice. The ice bath will allow the hot custard to cool much faster so it can be cooked further immediately. Pour the well-cooled mixture into the bowl of an automatic ice cream maker. The freezing time in the ice cream maker is indicated in the instructions for your machine. Typically this time is between 20 and 30 minutes.
6. Then transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in the freezer for another 30 minutes.

Risotto

Along with spaghetti, Italian risotto is considered one of the most common dishes. The rice base allows you to endlessly fantasize with fillings and add any ingredients to your taste.

You will need:

• chicken fillet (breast and thighs) - 1 kg
• celery stalk - 1 pc.
• onions - 2 pcs.
• carrots - 1 pc.
• butter - 100 g
• dry white wine - 200 ml
• Arborio rice - 200 g
• Parmesan cheese - 50 g
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken meat into cubes, do not throw away the bones. Place chicken bones, whole celery, carrots and 1 onion in a saucepan. Add 1.5 liters of water, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the broth, pour 500ml of the broth into a clean pan and heat until it simmers gently.
2. Melt 65 grams of butter in a saucepan, add 1 finely chopped onion and chicken meat. Stir-fry over low heat for 10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown. Add wine, salt and pepper. Cook for another 12-15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated.
3. Add rice and cook, stirring, 2 minutes until rice is translucent. Add enough broth to cover all the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the broth has evaporated. Then add the broth again and continue cooking, stirring.
4. Continue until the risotto is cooked (about 20 minutes), then remove the pan from the heat and, while the risotto is hot, stir in the remaining butter and grated Parmesan. Cover with a lid and wait 5-7 minutes. The dish is ready!

Lasagna

A traditional dish from Bologna, made from layers of dough mixed with layers of filling, topped with a sauce (usually bechamel). Layers of filling can be made from meat stew or minced meat, tomatoes, spinach, other vegetables and, of course, Parmesan cheese.

You will need:

• minced beef - 400 g
• onion - 40 g
• carrots - 100 g
• celery stalks - 40 g
• tomato paste - 40 g
• water - 400 ml
• wheat flour - 40 g
• butter - 40 g
• milk 3.2% - 750 ml
• ground nutmeg - 1 pinch
• fresh basil - 4 sprigs
• salt - 2 pinches
• olive oil - 1 tbsp. l.
• Parmesan cheese - 80 g
• pasta dough for lasagna - 8 pcs.

Preparation:

1. Prepare bolognese sauce.
   Mix tomato paste with hot water. Cut onions, carrots and celery into small cubes. Place the vegetables and minced meat in a saucepan, pour in tomato sauce, add salt, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium heat under the lid for 30 minutes. 2-3 minutes before readiness, add finely chopped basil.
2. Prepare bechamel sauce.
   Pour the milk into a saucepan and heat without bringing to a boil. The milk should be hot. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add flour, fry for 2-3 minutes, then gradually add hot milk, stirring so that there are no lumps. Continue stirring and simmer over low heat, add salt and nutmeg. The sauce will be ready when it thickens and you can remove it from the heat.
3. We spread the lasagna.
   Grate the cheese. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Grease the bottom of the pan with oil, pour in a little bechamel sauce so that the bottom is completely covered, then follow the same principle with Bolognese sauce. Lay out 4 sheets of lasagna dough overlapping each other. Pour sauces on top, sprinkle with cheese, lay out sheets of dough again, pour sauces and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Place the mold in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Then turn off the oven, cover with foil and leave in the hot oven for another 10 minutes.

Tiramisu

A fabulously tender delicacy with a mild coffee flavor is traditionally prepared from Mascarpone cheese and special savoiardi cookies.

You will need:

• 500 g Mascarpone cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• powdered sugar - 5 tbsp. l.
• 300 ml cold strong espresso
• 1 glass of sweet wine Marsala (or cognac, or rum, or Amaretto - just not glasses, but a few spoons)
• 200 g prepared savoiardi (or lady fingers)
• bitter cocoa powder for dusting or dark dark chocolate

Preparation:

1. Beat the whites into a very strong foam. For greater foam strength, it is advisable to add a little powdered sugar at the end of whipping. The density of the whipped egg whites will determine whether the cream will spread or not.
2. Grind the yolks until white with powdered sugar.
3. Add Mascarpone and stir well (it’s easier to use a large fork).
4. Add egg whites to the cream by spoonfuls and mix gently.
5. Mix cold espresso with alcohol. Dip each cookie into the coffee mixture for 5 seconds and place in the pan.
6. Spread half the cream on the savoiardi. Place a second layer of coffee-soaked cookies on top.
7. Place the remaining cream on them. Decorate the top with cream from a pastry syringe.
8. Place the tiramisu in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours. During this time the cream will thicken.
9. Sprinkle with bitter cocoa powder or dark chocolate before serving.

Tortellini

Italian dumplings made from unleavened dough with meat, cheese or vegetables. The historical homeland of tortellini is the Emilia region.

You will need:
Dough:

• flour - 2 cups
• yolk - 1 pc.
• water (warm) - 100 ml

Filling:

• spinach (fresh or frozen) - 2 large bunches (200 g)
• cheese (ideally ricotta, but regular cottage cheese is fine) - 200 g
• onion - 1 pc.
• salt to taste (0.25 tsp)

Refueling:

• butter - 100 g
• garlic - 1-2 cloves
• Parmesan (can be replaced with any hard grated cheese) to taste

Preparation:

1. Let's prepare the filling. If the spinach is fresh, wash it thoroughly, dry it and chop it. If frozen, then defrost, drain, and chop. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the spinach for about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Transfer the prepared spinach to a separate bowl, add a little more vegetable oil (1 tbsp) to the frying pan and sauté the onion until soft for about 5 minutes. Add cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese) and sautéed onions to the spinach and mix - the filling is ready.
3. Fill a wide saucepan with water, add salt and place over medium heat until the water boils.
4. Knead the dough: to do this, combine all the components of the dough according to the recipe, knead it for a while (it is very convenient to first mix everything with a mixer, and then add it with your hands). Then divide the dough into 2 equal parts and wrap each in cling film so that it sits and does not dry out.
5. After 10-15 minutes (or better after half an hour), unroll the dough and roll it into long thin rectangular strips. The thinner the dough you can roll out, the better.
6. Place the filling on one layer of dough in such quantities and at such intervals that the size of the finished tortellini suits you. So, cover the filling placed on one layer of dough with another rolled out layer. Press down with your fingers where the layers of dough meet to form the contours of each dumpling.
7. As soon as the first part of the tortellini is ready, immediately place them in boiling salted water. As soon as they surface, continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, and then remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
8. To make the dressing, melt the butter and mix it with pressed garlic. Place the tortellini in a bowl (pour a little dressing in there so they don’t stick to the plate) and pour the dressing over it, sprinkle grated Parmesan on top, decorate with a leaf of any greenery and start enjoying.

1. Beat eggs with cream, salt and pepper. When the eggs and cream turn into a homogeneous mixture, add the herbs.
2. Heat a frying pan, pour a spoonful of olive oil. Fry the sausages on both sides. As soon as they become soft, use a wooden spatula to separate them into pieces. Continue frying until fully cooked.
3. Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan. We put half of our sausages on the bottom. Then pour in the egg-cream mixture. Lay out the tomato pieces and spoon the ricotta between them. Then lay out the remaining sausages.
4. Place the frittata in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
5. When the dish is ready, take it out and cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and eat.

They say that the best chefs are men. Perhaps you are not destined to become a master in this matter, but now is the time to make sure that it is not at all difficult to prepare something truly tasty and unusual! Today we are in a romantic mood, and we decided to dedicate this article to love. Love for girls and... Italian cuisine.

Let's imagine that you decide to have a romantic evening - just like that, in honor of some pleasant event or inviting a girl to your home for the first time. A bottle of good wine, calm music, dim lights... What else is needed to have a good time and communicate or remind you of your feelings? Apparently, a delicious dinner or just a pleasant accompaniment to a drink. You can, of course, order food from a restaurant, but you have to admit, cooking something really interesting yourself is almost like taking the moon out of the sky. Does the task seem overwhelming? But no! We thought for you and selected two full menus of three incredibly easy-to-prepare, but at the same time delicious and quite refined dishes. Even if you have never cooked anything more complicated than scrambled eggs in your life, you will succeed in this culinary experiment, just like the evening itself, for which we are all trying.

Menu No. 1

Caprese

Caprese salad, or Capri salad, is a light and healthy dish from the Italian island of the same name. The only thing easier and faster to make is probably a sandwich with cheese - you can have time to prepare the caprese while the girl goes out onto the balcony to admire the sunset.

Simply place thinly sliced ​​tomatoes on a plate, alternating them with sliced ​​mozzarella, garnish with basil leaves, salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic before serving.

Advice

Caprese is a great option for summer - light, fresh, and the classic combination of tomatoes and mozzarella will be an excellent complement to good wine. The most important thing when making a salad is the ingredients you use. The tomatoes are only ripe and fresh, the oil is cold-pressed, the basil is impeccably green. By the way, the colors of the Caprese salad exactly repeat the colors of the Italian flag, so additional ambience is guaranteed.

Pasta carbonara

To prepare this classic Mediterranean dish you need 400 grams of spaghetti (Italian, of course, made from durum wheat), 200 grams of thinly sliced ​​bacon, a couple of cloves of garlic, three whole eggs and one yolk, 100 ml of heavy cream, 60 grams of Parmesan, olive oil, deep frying pan, saucepan and 25 minutes of time.

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water, following the timing indicated on the package (the main thing is not to overcook!). While the spaghetti is cooking, immediately start frying the bacon: place it in a preheated frying pan coated with olive oil and stir-fry for two to three minutes until crispy. Add finely chopped garlic 30 seconds before the end of frying.

Advice

To easily separate the egg yolk from the white, carefully break the egg into a small funnel placed in a mug or glass: the white will flow out, but the whole yolk will remain in the funnel.

Let's start with the sauce: mix three eggs, yolk, cream and 50 grams of grated Parmesan in a bowl with a fork. Once the spaghetti has finished cooking, drain it in a colander and, while still hot, combine it with the creamy egg mixture in the pan with the bacon to form a smooth sauce. Sprinkle the dish with the remaining Parmesan already in the bowls.

Affogato al cafe

This dessert, contrary to its name, is fantastically simple to prepare - place a ball of ice cream, just taken out of the freezer, into a cup or bowl (the balls can be scooped with a special spoon) and pour hot espresso right before serving.

It is somewhat more difficult to prepare the drink itself correctly. If you have a coffee machine or coffee maker, this is done very easily and quickly, the main thing is to maintain the required proportions: 7-9 grams of beans per 25-30 ml of water. If you don’t have a coffee maker, brew it in a Turk: pour cold water over the ground coffee and heat (do not boil!) over low heat until foam forms.

Advice

Choose strongly roasted and finely ground coffee so that it dissolves completely and does not crunch on your teeth. Its grains should be smaller than sugar crystals, but larger than flour. The simplest thing is to buy coffee whose packaging indicates that it is for espresso.

Menu No. 2

Pasta with pesto sauce

This dish is a real find, including if your girlfriend is a vegetarian. There is no meat, but due to the use of pine nuts, rich in protein, it is very filling. And one more thing: thanks to the basil, the smell is simply fantastic!

Dry 45 grams of pine nuts for a minute in a frying pan (at this stage the main thing is not to be distracted so that nothing burns). Boil water for pasta. Let the nuts cool, and at this time put 400 grams of spaghetti in boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce: place the nuts in a blender along with 1.5 cups of finely chopped fresh basil leaves, a couple of garlic cloves and about 60 grams of finely chopped Parmesan cheese. Grind everything into a single mixture with a blender, gradually pouring in olive oil (about five tablespoons). Drain the finished spaghetti in a colander, then mix with the sauce and serve. If you still have pesto left, you can use it with tomatoes - very tasty!

Panzanella salad

Fresh juicy vegetables with crispy croutons - a simple and tasty salad in a few minutes. Cut red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, red onions (small onions) into small pieces, finely chop a clove of garlic and mix everything with fresh basil leaves.

In a separate bowl, combine wine or balsamic vinegar and olive oil (1:2 ratio), a pinch of salt and a little ground black pepper. Season the salad and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Before serving, add oven-dried cubes of white bread to the salad.

Advice

It is better to add bread to the salad just before serving - so that it does not have time to absorb the dressing and vegetable juices and remains crispy.

Sabayon

Light and delicate sabayon cream is not so easy to prepare, if only because it requires a water bath, and the bowl in which the ingredients are mixed should not touch the water. However, believe me, the result is worth it! Be sure that your lady will appreciate the feat that you accomplished for her. Start cooking a few hours before your meeting to give the sabayon time to set.

In a separate glass, pour cold water over gelatin and leave to swell. In a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, carefully whisk four egg yolks (you already know how to separate them from the whites), three tablespoons of sugar and 200 ml of white dessert wine (it’s best to use nutmeg). After 8-10 minutes, the mixture should turn into a cream, to which you need to add gelatin. Remove the cream from the heat, cool and combine with the heavy cream whipped to peaks. Pour into glasses or bowls, add berries or fruits to taste and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

1. Do a little cleaning, make sure that the apartment has a pleasant smell and a comfortable air temperature. But don’t overdo it and don’t push yourself: your girlfriend understands perfectly well that she is going to visit an ordinary man, and not a mythical perfectionist whose home is sterilely clean and things are arranged by color. Leave a little “creative clutter” that gives coziness.
2. Maintain the order. First clean up, then cook, then put yourself in order, or vice versa. Don’t try to do everything at once, but in half an hour. If you cook, be only in the kitchen. If you're going to shower, finish everything else. In other words, don’t vacuum the carpet while the pasta is cooking, don’t shave while the bacon is frying: you don’t want something to burn, run onto the stove, or for the cat to steal the most delicious food from the table?
3. Plan your time so that you can do all the most important things a little earlier. Yes, yes, girls like to be late, but what the hell is it? If she arrives earlier, she won’t take you by surprise with a colander in her hand and shaving foam on her chin. Leave the preparation of the easiest dishes for last - if you don’t have time for her arrival, you can do it while she’s looking at an album with children’s photographs or “powdering her nose.”
4. Pay great attention to the products you cook from. Italian cuisine is often very simple, and the quality of the ingredients comes to the fore. All vegetables, berries and herbs should be fresh and juicy - in the summer there are no problems with this, and all this beauty is not so expensive. Don’t skimp on olive oil - it’s better to take a small bottle of good extra virgin than a liter of a dubious refined mixture.
5. Buy flowers. There is hardly any need to give arguments here. Depending on the situation and the occasion for dinner, choose a large bouquet of scarlet roses or a simple delicate arrangement of irises, gerberas or tulips. It could even be a modest bouquet of garden flowers, bought from your grandmother in the passage or near the metro - the main thing is that it is in harmony with the general atmosphere and mood of the evening.
6. Pay attention to the serving. The forks are on the left, the knife and spoon are on the right, the glasses are perfectly clean and wiped dry. Do not forget to put a salt and pepper shaker on the table, even if you are sure that there is enough seasoning in the dishes. And no mugs and plates with funny inscriptions and drawings - everything is serious with us, right?
7. Choose music that will be an unobtrusive background. A light lounge would be perfect, maybe something from jazz or blues. If you want to talk about your passion for heavy rock, metal or hip-hop, it is better to do this during a conversation about musical preferences when they come up.

Many things only seem complicated, but in reality everything is simpler than it seems. You just need to gather your courage and start! And when the result exceeds expectations, it inspires you to move on - both in cooking and in relationships. Bon appetit and have a wonderful evening!

Should you eat pizza with your hands, should you serve Parmesan with pasta, how to use a spoon, and the peculiarities of Ligurian cuisine. To find out the truth, it is better to turn to the Italians themselves. A lucky chance turned up at a private dinner at La Prima restaurant .

The organizers of the gala evening “Destination Liguria – investment opportunities in real estate” were the Agency for the Promotion of Foreign Economic Activities of Italian Companies - ICE, the Department for the Development of Trade Exchange of the Italian Embassy in the Russian Federation, and the Administration of the Liguria Region.

The dinner was attended by a large number of officials: the Director of the Department for the Development of Trade Exchange of the Italian Embassy-ICE Maurizio Forte, the First Counselor of the Italian Embassy in the Russian Federation Stefano Ravagnan, as well as the President of Liguria International Franco Aprile. The main speakers of the event were the President of the Liguria region, Claudio Burlando, the President of the real estate division of the Confederation of Industrial Enterprises of Genoa, Mario Giacomazzi, and the authorized representative of the Cassinelli real estate agency. Among the guests were Elena Ishcheeva, Ekaterina Odintsova, designer Natalya Valevskaya, lawyer Alexander Dobrovinsky, Maria Lemesheva - editor-in-chief of the magazine The Hollywood Reporter- and many others. All these people are familiar with Italian etiquette firsthand. It was with the guests of the evening that I talked about the national cuisine of Italy and, in particular, about the features of Ligurian cuisine.

Some of the most famous cities in Liguria for Russians are San Remo, where the popular Italian song festival has been held since 1951, and the city of Portofino, which is one of the most picturesque Mediterranean ports.

Claudio Burlando, President of the Liguria Region:

Ligurian cuisine is very high quality, tasty and quite modern. It is not as fat as it is in other regions of the country. The most famous element of local cuisine is pesto sauce, prepared from various herbs and always basil; its consumption in Liguria is very high. Ligurian olive oil is also very popular. Its production accounts for 0.8% of all olive oil produced in Italy, but its taste is completely different from the taste of other oils. Our Genoese focaccia is known in the form of a thin flatbread with cheese, seasoned with olive oil and salt, maybe with onions, as well as traditional pies with herbs, artichokes and, of course, many fish dishes.

The fish that is found on the coast of Liguria compares favorably with other regions of Italy, since the waters are deep, which means they are richer in food for different types of fish. In addition to fish, Liguria has a lot of seafood: shrimp, lobsters, shellfish... If we talk about Italian cuisine in general, the average qualification of cooks in Italy is much higher than the average level in the world. Although most famous chefs in Italy are men, I believe that the ability to cook does not depend on gender, but more on passion and interest. Because, along with men, our Italian mothers, of course, are excellent cooks, and therefore “mother’s” home cooking in Italy is at a high level, and in general there is a special attitude towards it. As for me, I really love cooking fish and mushrooms.

Each cuisine has its own rules and customs. Our Ligurian cuisine is extremely simple. For example, 20 years ago the cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region (a region in Northern Italy with the administrative center - the city of Bologna) was in fashion, but it is fattier and is losing its popularity a little, since it does not always meet modern ideas about proper nutrition.

Elena Ishcheeva, director of the Banki.Ru portal:

I was just recently in Italy at a conference of bankers, near Venice, in Triviso. This time in Venice, in Piazza San Marco, I finally tried spaghetti with cuttlefish ink. My husband loves mozzarella, from my last trip I brought it from the village supermarket, I went specifically and observed what the locals choose. By the way, now trends have generally changed, and if previously bags, clothes, and shoes were brought from Italy, now in Duty Free it’s funny to watch people choosing products, buying sausages, cheeses, olive oil, and aromatic bread. I myself brought cheeses and cold cuts “to eat right now.” In general, Italians pay great attention to the thickness of the slices: the thinner the slices, the more refined the taste. You will never see prosciutto crudo cut like doctor's sausage in Russia. If I had the opportunity, I would definitely bring Italian tomatoes. They smell different, it's amazing! Now Russian tourists returning from Italy are ready to pay for the quality of products and buy traditional foods rather than cosmetics from famous brands.

Italian cuisine has become widespread throughout Russia; having recently visited one of the Italian restaurants in Ufa, I noted the very high quality of the prepared dishes. Today, Italian cuisine has practically taken root in Russia. It is simple, easy to prepare, versatile and tasty, and most importantly - it is inexpensive. I recommend that all Russians learn how to prepare risotto correctly and in a variety of ways, including for economic reasons. At home, I very often use Italian products, since I really love arugula, so even in Moscow I buy this salad, even if it is grown in the immediate Moscow region. Be sure to add olive oil and balsamic vinegar; this all helps me create the aroma of this amazing country in my kitchen. I read in one of the glossy magazines that Italians do not drink cappuccino in the afternoon, it is considered bad form. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I try to follow this rule even in Russia. Sometimes, during a busy day at work, it is so nice to drink a cup of this drink with delicate milk foam that sometimes I break this rule in secret from everyone. Until now, I have not noticed that an Italian digestive has taken root here, for example, Limoncello; I think this is due not only to the national characteristics of the cuisine, but also to the geography of the countries. Being in warm, sunny Italy, you perceive this pleasant, refreshing drink as something normal and integral, but when crossing the border, returning to Russia, it is difficult to “carry” this tradition with you. Still, Russians, perhaps due to our climate, prefer vodka, to be honest.

Gabriele Papadia, Consul General of Italy in Moscow:

Liguria is definitely famous throughout the world for its pesto sauce, and this is where you will find the best sauce. In Italy, both men and women cook really well. Which of them cooks better is too delicate a question, but it is still traditionally believed that men mainly cook meat dishes, especially when it comes to a Sunday family dinner or lunch. In my family, dad usually acted as a chef and handled the meat himself. It's nice that in Moscow there are many Italian restaurants of very good quality, but real Italians never use a spoon when serving pasta. This, of course, is not a crime, but it is still better to use only a fork. Pizza is often served with beer, but wine is also allowed. In ordinary life, you can eat pizza with your hands, after dividing it into pieces. But if we are talking about a dinner party, then it is better to use cutlery.

Pierluigi Vidorno, director of the group of corporate business and financial institutions of Bank Intesa:

I think that Italian cuisine in Moscow has been presented in the best possible way in recent years. I don’t know all the restaurants, but I’ve been to many of them and most of them follow Italian recipes. Italian cuisine did not have to be adapted for the Russian people; it was initially quite close to him. At the same time, Italians have their own clear rules and traditions. I can say that when you eat spaghetti, there is absolutely no need to use a spoon. Pasta is eaten exclusively with a fork. The spoon is used for sauces, and no Italian would use it for spaghetti.

Unlike Russia, the first dish in Italy is pasta, macaroni, tartellini... There are also soups, but they are not as common as here. In Italy they never sprinkle Parmesan cheese on seafood pasta. Personally, I don’t sprinkle any at all, since this cheese has a very strong taste and it simply overwhelms the others. I prefer to eat it separately. I also never drink coffee in the evening, although in some regions this is a tradition. But serving a digestif after dinner is a must: Amaro, Limoncello, Grappa...

There is a myth that all Italians without exception are slim, but this is not entirely true. Although in general our diet is very healthy - in most areas the cuisine is simple and low-fat. They say that in Italy you don’t drink wine with pizza - this is also not true. If you like, you can drink both wine and beer - it's purely personal taste. When it comes to Ligurian cuisine, the most famous and famous is the Ligurian pesto and the wonderful fish. In Italy, both men and women cook well; I'm a great cook myself. As a child, I watched my mother cook. I now have a Russian wife, but I cook exclusively, she doesn’t know how, we have no options: either I or we go to a restaurant. 12 years ago in Moscow it was not so easy to find good olive oil or cheeses, but today everything is available, although it costs more. What I couldn’t find in Moscow was real Italian ice cream, but in Italy it really is the most delicious! In general, it’s better to try cuisine where it comes from.

Ekaterina Odintsova, PR TREND agency:

It's no secret that I really love Italian cuisine and have already celebrated my birthday several times in Italian restaurants. I cook well myself, which is probably why I will never be thin. But I prefer to order real pizza where it is cooked in a wood-burning oven, then it has a completely different taste. Classic pizza is baked in a special oven called Pompeian and has a hemispherical vault shape. In wood-burning stoves, the fire is lit on one side, rising upward, the heat from it hits the focus of the sphere and is reflected into the center of the stove, heating it. Therefore, pizza is cooked in such an oven for about 90 seconds. Otherwise, Italian cuisine is quite simple and not pretentious, but in Moscow it is difficult to maintain the freshness of products that we see in Italy. Otherwise, in the capital you can find many places where they cook very well.

Natalya Valevskaya, designer:

I'm a good cook and even won a cooking match on the Dinner Party program. I prepared dishes from Ligurian and Italian cuisine. These were an Amalfi dessert, pasta with seafood and classic strachetti - meat with vegetables, arugula and focaccia. I studied Italian cuisine about 10 years ago from a unique chef at a restaurant on the Garden Ring next to the puppet theater. I took classes for three or four months, and that's when I learned how to cook Italian food.

By the way, there are several misconceptions about Italian cuisine: serving pasta with a spoon is a French tradition, but it seems to me that French traditions and etiquette are closer to Russians in mentality, which is why they serve a spoon in Russia. Also, in Italy they never serve Parmesan cheese with pasta with seafood, but this rule has taken root in Russia. Parmesan itself is very aromatic, it can overpower the taste of seafood, so serving it is considered unnecessary.

This may be an adaptation of Italian cuisine, but in Russia pasta is often “overcooked,” while traditionally the degree of readiness of spaghetti should be “al dente,” which means “slightly tough.” Italian cuisine presented in Russia lacks spice. Quite often, some soups common in Italy are not available in Russian restaurants, for example, Ribollita - a thick Italian vegetable soup originating from Tuscany. There are many variations of the recipe, but the main ingredients are legumes (beans, beans), dried unleavened bread, black cabbage and various vegetables (zucchini, carrots, potatoes, onions), as well as olive oil. Before serving, you can sprinkle the soup with grated cheese (Parmesan, Pecorino). The dish is traditionally served with a tart red wine (such as Chianti).

Marisa Florio, director of the Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce:

Unfortunately, or fortunately, in Italy the best chefs are men. All Italian men can cook well, but women often cook at home. True, working as chefs in restaurants is mainly the prerogative of men. I also cook myself. My main courses are pizzas and dessert, but also first courses: pasta and risotto, sometimes legumes. The main secret to preparing a delicious dish is to have love and patience. Having visited many Italian restaurants in Russia, I can say that their level is very high and close to real Italy. This is especially true for cooking pasta. In France and Germany I never eat Italian pasta in local restaurants, it’s completely different, unlike in Russia. Even in our home it is not always possible to eat as tasty as in Moscow restaurants. I can only point out one common mistake: using balsamic vinegar everywhere. For example, delicately flavored cheeses such as mozzarella or burrata (Italian fresh cheese made from cream and buffalo or cow milk) are never seasoned with balsamic vinegar in Italy. There is no clear rule on how many appetizers should be served at dinner. If we are talking about some kind of official event, then I don’t remember that there were less than five, but modern Italians prefer a light dinner at home.