mussels in cider sauce at The Steamboat Inn

Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s Cuisine: A Look at Friulian Cuisine

The types of dishes you will enjoy during a visit to Italy will depend on where you stay. There are significant differences between the foods in the northern and southern regions, and the dishes differ depending on whether you are inland or by the coast. One Italian region you may visit is Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and it offers a unique cuisine. Here is an overview of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s cuisine and some of its most famous dishes. 

mussels in cider sauce at The Steamboat Inn to represent Friuli-Venezia Giulia's cuisine

Where Is Friuli-Venezia Giulia?

Friuli-Venezia Giulia is the northeasternmost region of Italy. It is Italy’s fifth-smallest region, and a large proportion of the landscape is mountainous. The region borders Austria, Slovenia, the Adriatic Sea, and the Italian region of Veneto

What Ingredients Are Typical of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s Cuisine?

The Italian region is famous for wine and soy production. Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s cuisine features fruit, vegetables, cured meats, and polenta. The region’s most famous cheese is Montasio. Fruilian cuisine is also known for its stunning seafood, including calamari, mussels, scallops, sea bass, and anchovies.

Examples of Dishes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Friulian cuisine is diverse, with influences from Mediterranean and Austro-Hungarian cultures and cuisines. Some of the most famous dishes include:

  • Frico e polenta: This dish best represents Friuli-Venizia Giulia’s cuisine. It is a fried dish like a potato rosti made with the addition of frico and polenta. 
  • Blecs al ragù di cervo: Blecs is a wide, flat pasta variety, while ragu di cervo is a ragu made with venison.
  • Gnocchi di zucca con ricotta affumicata: Pumpkin gnocchi with smoked ricotta cheese.
  • Tagliolini al San Daniele con semi di papavero: Ribbons of pasta with priosciutto in a rich and creamy sauce. 
  • Brovada e muset: Pork offal sausage with pickled white turnip.
  • Frittelle: Fritelle is a type of pastry you can commonly find in Italy, particularly in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. They are small, fried balls of dough typically sweetened with sugar and flavoured with lemon zest or raisins. Some regions also have a filling of pastry cream or other sweet fillings. People often enjoy fritelle as a snack or dessert, particularly during carnival season.
  • Tiramisu: Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert and probably the most famous dessert in Italy. It has with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers (savoiardi) and a rich, creamy mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar. It is typically has a dusting of cocoa powder or grated chocolate on top. People often chill a tiramisu before serving.

If you enjoyed reading about Friulian cuisine, you might also like to read about the food in Lazio, Liguria, Sardinia, and the Aosta Valley.

Have you tried any of the dishes from Friuli-Venezia Giulia? Let us know about your favourite dishes from the region in the comments below. 

2 Comments

  1. […] Friuli-Venezia Giulia is Italy’s noth-easternmost region, bordering Austria, Slovenia, and the Adriatic Sea. The region’s cuisine boasts hearty and warming meat dishes due to the cooler temperatures, says Cellar Tours. There are influences from both Mediterranean and Austro-Hungarian cuisines. Polenta is a staple ingredient, as are seafood such as mussels, octopus, sardines, sea bass, scallops, and anchovies. Image credit: Liz Flynn […]

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