Piedmont, also known as Piemonte, is an Italian region at the foot of The Alps in northern Italy that shares borders with France and Switzerland. The cuisine of Piedmont is distinguishable by the local products people use in their creations. As a mountainous region, fishing and hunting are essential factors in the region’s cuisine. There are also many amazing products grown and produced in this region that influence the dishes. Here is an overview of Piedmont cuisine.
Local Produce Used in Piedmont Cuisine
Beef is the most common meat used for cooking in Piedmont, as cattle are the most populous farm animal in this region. The locals harvest grapes, mushrooms, and truffles in the autumn months. The area is particularly well-known for its white truffles. Rice also grows in abundance, so this is a staple in Piedmont cuisine. Castelmagno is the most famous cheese from this Italian region. It is a cheese made using the milk of Piedmont cattle.
Pasta
Like all regions of Italy, Piedmont has varieties of pasta. One of the most common pasta dishes in Piemontese cuisine is tajarin, a rich yellow-coloured pasta in ribbons, similar to tagliatelle. The people of Piedmont often serve tajarin in a sage and butter sauce or a meat ragu. Another popular form of pasta is agnolotti del plin. Like small ravioli, people traditionally stuff the agnolotti with veal, but people now often use pork.
Hazelnuts
Great Italian Chefs says that a food widely available in the Piedmont area is hazelnuts, and the region’s hazelnuts are famously sweet. Nutella, the famous chocolate and hazelnut spread, is from Turin, Piedmont’s capital.
The Famous Dishes of Piedmont Cuisine
Like all regions in Italy, the cuisine of Piedmont has traditional dishes for which it is known, and they use the local produce and the region’s culinary traditions. Here are some of the most famous dishes of Piedmont cuisine.
- Bagna Cauda: It is a fondue of anchovies and olive oil. The Piemontese typically serve it in the middle of the table and surrounded by dishes of food for dipping, such as chopped vegetables. This dish is one of the best-known in Piedmont’s cuisine, and there is even a three-day event celebrating it in November.
- Carne Cruda: A raw meat dish that chefs generally serve in one of two ways. They either slice it thinly like beef carpaccio, or it is ground meat with olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice. People serve both options as an antipasto.
- Brasato al Barolo: Veal is a popular dish in this region due to the wide availability of beef in Piedmont. The veal is braised overnight in Barolo wine with vegetables and herbs. There are many variations of this dish using different wines and seasonal vegetables.
- Finanziera: A winter stew made from veal offal.
- Vitello tonnato: A dish from Piedmont that many people consider unusual is vitello tonnato. It is slices of veal with a tuna sauce seasoned with herbs.
- Panissa: A thick rice and bean stew with salumi, pancetta, and lard, usually eaten as a warming meal on colder nights.
Want to Learn More About Italy’s Regional Cuisine?
If you enjoyed reading about Piedmont cuisine and want to learn more about Italy’s regional cuisine, read some of our other articles on the subject:
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