Glossary

T

taconelle pasta squares

tacconi past squares

taccozze puff pastry for noodles

tagliata A very fine slice of beefsteak; in general, the steak is very rare and multiple slices are served.

tagliatelle flat noodles, usually made with egg

taglierini A thinner version of tagliatelle, taglierini are a thin, ribbon pasta with a flat, rectangular cut. Made with semolina flour and water, taglierini are good with any vegetable or fish based sauces.

taralli Crisp, black pepper-laced, pretzel-shaped snacks made in southern Italy. There are sweet versions where sugar and cinnamon are added to the batter.

tarantello a Pugliese cured-tuna salami

tardura fresh bread crumbs held together by egg and cheese, and cooked in broth

tartar a type of non-sweet pudding, made from egg, milk, cheese, onion, and spices

tartufo (1) truffle, the tuber; (2) a chocolate ice cream dessert molded into the shape of a truffle, and covered in chocolate

tigelle Rounds of bread dough that are cooked over a burner in a special 2-sided metal pan called a "stampo per tigelle." Crunchy on the outside but soft and doughy on the inside, they are sliced open at the table, filled and eaten like a sandwich. Though the traditional filling is a pesto made from garlic, rosemary, lard and Parmigiano cheese, it is also common to eat the dough rounds stuffed instead with sliced, cured meats such as salami, prosciutto or mortadella.

tiramisú Literally "pick me up"; a rich, layered dessert made from sponge cake, brandy, espresso, mascarpone, egg, and chocolate. (Note: A variety of different recipes for this popular dessert exists.)

tonnarelli Long, slightly square handmade spaghetti most commonly served with amatriciana sauce.

torrone Nougat made with beaten egg whites into which honey, vanilla, almonds, and hazelnuts are stirred in. Torrone is most associated with Christmas and its ingredients vary depending on the region where it is produced.

tortelli small pie or omelet, which is sometimes sweetened; filled pasta rectangles, often twisted at the ends and resembling pieces of wrapped candy

tortellini small rings of pasta filled with meat; generally found in broth, but sometimes served topped with a sauce

tortelloni Large, triangle-shaped pasta filled with ricotta, grana padano, eggs, parsley, and a hint of nutmeg. Usually served before Christmas because they do not contain meat. Tortelloni can also be stuffed with pumpkin purée.

tosella slices of fresh cheese sautéed in butter

tramezzino Tramezzino is the Italian name for sandwich, created by the fascist regime to replace the foreign expression. The word tramezzino means "in the middle" and it refers to the ingredients that are placed between the two bread slices. Typically, tramezzini are triangular shaped and are stuffed with cold cuts, tuna, or vegetables.

trenette long pasta, similar to linguine

tripolini small egg-pasta bow-ties used in soup

troccoli Rustic tagliatelle made of durum flour and eggs then cut with a special tool, called troccolo, which looks like a grooved rolling pin. Usually served with meat sauces.

trofie Tiny dumplings from the region of Liguria made with water, salt, and flour. The dough is kneaded by hand for 10 minutes then cut into tiny pea-size bits and rolled under the palm to create an elongated shape with curling ends.

tuffolone large tubes of pasta, typically stuffed and ultimately placed in the oven for baking

** 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).