Emilia-Romagna

This region, often called Italy's food basket, is particularly fond of pasta, especially when it is stuffed.

In Piacenza and Parma, one can find anolini, in Ferrara cappelletti and cappellacci filled with squash, in Modena square ravioli.

Considered by many the gastronomic capital of Italy, Bologna has a tradition of sophisticated dishes like tortellini, often served in broth, tagliatelle al prosciutto, and lasagne with a rich meat sauce. In Piacenza, tagliatelle are served with a walnut sauce, and the most famous dish is pisaréi e fasó, hand-made gnocchi in a rich bean sauce.

The area offers pastas of spectacular shapes, delicious fillings for the stuffed pasta, and luscious sauces to season them. Ragù is a type of sauce generally characterized by the combination of cooked meat and tomato sauce. There are two types of ragù: the first is made of ground meat, the second by a whole piece of meat that is cooked very slowly. The ragù that is made in Bologna, capital of this region, is of the first kind.

Famous products of the area include the inimitable Parmigiano Reggiano, a grating and table cheese made from cows' milk, and Prosciutto di Parma, and a number of cured meats like coppa, culatello, salame di Felino, and pancetta.

Some signature dishes were created for the Duchess of Parma, like tagliatelle with a sauce of chicken livers, beaten eggs, and Parmigiano; turkey scaloppine with prosciutto and Parmigiano; and patate duchessa di Parma. Other specialties are gnocco fritto, a country fritter; a flat bread called piadina; torta di riso, a rice tart; and erbazzone, a pie filled with Swiss chard. Desserts include galletti (cornmeal cookies) and piada dei morti (baked on All Souls' Day). Enological masterpieces are abundant, among them Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Albana, and Lambrusco.