Glossary

P

paglia e fieno literally "hay and straw"; mixed green and yellow pasta strands

pagnottella literally "little loaf"; a kind of brioche

pancarré Sliced bread; also, a packaged bread used for canapés and sandwiches when there is a preference for regularity of shape over flavor and texture.

pancetta The section taken from the fat belly or cheek of a pig, consisting of alternating layers of fat and lean tissue. It can be rolled, aged, salted or smoked.

pancotto bread soup, literally "cooked bread"; usually contains bread, olive oil, and cheese

pandoro (or, pan d'oro) type of pound cake widely sold at Christmas time, along with panettone

pangrattato dry breadcrumbs

panettone Italy's best known Christmas dessert originated in Milan. Soft and spongy, it is made with a natural yeast starter, eggs, butter, candied fruit, and raisins. Shaped like a dome, variations include chocolate or vanilla icing or gelato filling.

pane carasau A typical thin bread of Sardinia.

pane frattau Sardinian dish made with Carta da Musica bread briefly soaked in warm water and topped with crushed tomatoes, grated Pecorino, and a poached egg.

panforte- A traditional sweet from Siena, panforte is a firm sweet bread. Toasted walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts are stirred into hot caramel, flavored with candied fruit, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and flour. This batter is poured into a round pan lined with communion wafers, dusted with confectioner's sugar and baked.

panna cotta A dessert of Piedmontese origins, Panna cotta is made by dissolving unflavored gelatin in milk, then whisking the milk into sweetened heavy cream (sweetened with confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract). Panna cotta is refrigerated and served with a caramel or strawberry topping.

pan pepato gingerbread (pepato itself as an adj. means "peppered" or "spiced")

paparot spinach soup (Friuli-Venezia Giulia)

papassine Crumbly Sardinian sweets that are typically prepared for Easter, Christmas, and on the first of November for All Saints' Day. Papassine are made with flour, dried fruit, eggs, sugar, lard, orange, and various flavors. Their shape varies depending on where they are made within the island.

papazoi bean soup with barley and corn

pappa mush; soup thickened with bread; babyfood

pappa al pomodoro One of Tuscany's most famous soups, pappa al pomodoro is made with stale bread and ripe tomatoes with the addition of garlic, onions, and basil. Before serving, the soup must be drizzled with olive oil.

pappardelle broad, flat noodles; similar to tagliatelle but much wider

parmigiana, alla Parma-style, but not necessarily made with Parmesan cheese

passata (di pomodoro) tomato purée (typically sold in bottles or conserved in bottles, and liquid in consistency)

passatelli homemade soup noodles made from a mixture of eggs and bread crumbs

pasta frolla Crumbly, rich, delicate pastry base made with flour, eggs, sugar, unsalted butter, and salt. Pasta Frolla is used in the making of sweet pies, tarts, and cookies.

pasticciato (adj.) with ragú, cheese, and butter

pavese, zuppa alla Broth made with bread, egg, and cheese; similar to French onion soup, but with egg used in the place of onion. (Though its name suggests an origin in Pavia, this dish belongs to the classic repertory.)

penne literally, "feathers"; pasta "quills," with a hollow tubular form cut short on a slant (thinner than rigatoni)

penne all'arrabiata penne topped with tomato, garlic, and peperoncino

piccata slices of boneless veal, sautéed in butter with parsley and lemon

pici handmade pasta resembling spaghetti, but thicker and slightly more dense (Tuscany)

pignolata fried or baked balls of dough, which are coated half with chocolate and half with sugar glaze (from Sicily)

pilota, risotto alla risotto prepared with sausage and cheese

pizzichi tiny, square-shaped egg pasta

pizzoccheri Thick tagliatelle from Valtellina made from a mixture of buckwheat flour and all-purpose flour. They are boiled, then layered with blanched cabbage, sautéed onions and garlic, and cheese and butter.

polenta A thick porridge, best known for its preparation from cornmeal, though other grains (or potatoes) may be used. There are many different ways to prepare polenta, and in certain regions it can even be found as a dessert.

polpettone- Literally translated as "big meatball", in reality Polpettone is the Italian version of meat loaf. Polpettone is made differently in different parts of Italy; in Bologna it combines ground beef with eggs, pancetta, and bread-crumbs while in Florence ground veal is used.

porchetta A real treat, porchetta is roasted pork stuffed with a mixture of salt, black pepper, wild fennel, and garlic. Porchetta can be eaten warm, but it is mostly savored at room temperature or cold. It can be purchased in chunks or slices.

primo sale A sheep's milk cheese in the early stages of maturation that tastes excellent grated over pasta.

primizie (n. pl.) the first fruits or vegetables of the season

Prosciutto di Parma The first step in the making of a Prosciutto di Parma consists in the careful selection of a prime-grade hog. The pork must then be treated and seasoned using traditional methods carried out in a strictly delimited area of production within the province of Parma in Emilia-Romagna. The ham is aged for at least 10-12 months. Just one single ingredient, salt, may be used in the treatment of the meat.

Prosciutto di San Daniele The salty yet sweet flavor and velvety texture that characterizes Prosciutto di San Daniele hams is the result of a drying process that dates back to the second century B.C. All types of prosciutto are cured through the application of salt, exposure to sunlight, and aging. While the ingredients and conditions that go into the production of Prosciutto di San Daniele are identical to other types of Prosciutto Crudo, the use of pork thighs, salt, and aging, it is the unique climatic conditions of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, with its higher altitudes and drier air, that give Prosciutto di San Daniele its unique flavor and texture. Another feature that distinguishes Prosciutto di San Daniele from other types of prosciutto is the fact that it is cured with the bottom part of the leg bone in, a feature that makes for a very rustic looking ham.

prosciutto cotto Made from the hind legs of meaty pigs, prosciutto cotto is ham cooked in steam ovens. Prociutto Cotto can be sliced paper-thin and served in sandwiches, on top of salads or pizzas, or diced in pasta sauces.

puntine small pasta for soup

puttanesca, alla Puttanesca sauce is made by cooking tomatoes with olives, capers, garlic, chilies, anchovies, and olive oil. This sauce originated in the Isle of Ischia, near Naples, and was considered a poor dish, not good enough for high society. Fortunately for our taste-buds, now we can all enjoy this delightfully piquant sauce.

** 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).