Traditional Italian recipes

The history of Italian cuisine is very long and diverse. The country has been influenced by many cultures throughout the centuries, including Ancient Rome, Byzantine empire, Arabic empires, French and Spanish rule. This has led to a fusion of different culinary styles in Italy: from Roman to Sicilian cuisines.

Italian cuisine is one of the most popular in the world. It consists mainly of dishes that are heavy on pasta or rice as well as on vegetables and meats such as beef or chicken. There are many common ingredients used in Italian cooking: tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil for example.