Glossary

G

galletta cracker

gambero shrimp (or crayfish)

garganelli a handmade short pasta whose dough consists of ribbed, rolled squares made of flour, water, and Parmesan

gelato (n.) ice cream

genovese, alla Genoa-style; typically a style of preparation using olive oil, garlic, and herbs

genovese, carne alla Neapolitan beef stew made with onions and tomato sauce (often used as a pasta sauce)

gianduja A hazelnut-chocolate confection from Piedmont. Used in countless chocolate desserts, cakes, and pastries.

giardiniera (1) pickled vegetables; (2) vegetable soup made without beans or lard; (3) mixed vegetables

grana padano Produced in Lombardy since the turn of the millennium, grana padano is one of northern Italy's greatest cheeses. Made from cow's milk with the addition of serum, rennet, and bacteria, grana is briefly soaked in salt brine and aged for two years. Younger wheels are best eaten at the table in small chunks, while older ones are best for grating.

granita A sweet, refreshing drink that has the consistency of a grainy ice cream. Granita is obtained by chilling fruit juices or other flavored syrups. The mixture is stirred several times during the freezing process in order to break the ice crystals and to obtain a homogenous mass of fine, icy grains. Usually Granita is served in long juice glasses with a spoon.

gricia, alla This sauce is the "white" version of amatriciana, another Lazio sauce that hails from the town of Amatrice in the province of Rieti. Guanciale is first sautéed in olive oil, then minced onion is added and cooked until golden; a pinch of chili pepper or black pepper gives a little kick. Some versions include garlic, which is cooked down with the onion.

grolla A cup made of wood or earthenware, grolla is also known as "the cup of friendship" because it is used to share warm drinks, usually spiked with grappa or other liqueurs, with friends. Grolla is native of Val d'Aosta.

gröstl A combination of potatoes and onions, typically cooked in a skillet with beef or speck. There are numerous variations on gröstl. Some are flavored with garlic, others with chives, oregano or cumin. Gröstl is oftern serve as a cake to be cut into wedges, either hot or at room temperature, and is an ingenious way to use leftover meat in Trentino-Alto Adige.

gnocchi (pl.) Essentially dumplings of any kind, but typically small potato and flour dumplings (though the term also includes dumplings made of semolino, polenta, or other ingredients).

guanciale The meat from the cheek of the pig which gets lightly rubbed with salt, freshly ground black pepper or chili peppers, then cured for three months.

gubana A sweet in the shape of a spiral or wreath commonly baked in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, gubana is often confused with presnitz. A version made in the town of Civiale boasts a puff pastry made with egg and brandy and a filling of nuts, almonds, raisins, pine nuts, candied citron and orange, Malaga wine, stale bread cooked in butter, sugar, egg yolks, and beaten egg whites.

gulasch One of the most noted Hungarian dishes, gulasch was originally a soup of thinly sliced meat cooked with onions. Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, incorporated gulasch into its cooking repertoire.

** Glossary created with the help of "Dictionary of Italian Cuisine", written by Maureen B. Fant and Howard M. Isaacs. (The Ecco Press: New Jersey, 1998).