Our Favorite Italian Food Recipes by mollyjean4, Stamford

Our Favorite Italian Food Recipes

There's is nothing quite like touring the Italian countryside; with every region offering a new adventure and culinary experience. The mountains of the North and it's cuisine rich with butter, creamy cheeses like fontina and hearty dishes like Osso Bucco and risotto.

Head slightly south to the Emilia-Romana region and you are greeted with some of the most famous Italian delicacies, wheels of nutty aged Parmesan, melt-in-your-mouth Prosciutto di Parma and complexly flavored (and highly regulated) Balsamic Vinegar of Modena or Reggio Emilia made from native Trebbiano or Lambrusco grapes (once you taste the real thing, you'll never want to use the standard grocery store variety again!).

Travel all the way south to Sicily, and you'll think you've arrived in a different county. Sicilian cuisine is truly a melting-pot influenced by it's central location (smack in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea) and the many groups who once laid claim to this tiny island. Each of the most famous dishes of the region seem to take a bit of the island's rich history and combine it into one incredibly flavored dish. Caponata for example is a mix of eggplant, peppers spices and nuts, a delicious marriage of Arab, Greek and Spanish influence. Or look to Cuscusu alla Trapanese made from the North African staple Couscous and filled with the regions best seafood.

Now that you may be longing to jump on a plane and experience these varied tastes for yourself, we decided to pull together some of our favorite Italian dishes from the feedfeed community so you can experience the vastly diverse cuisine of Italy at home. While it may never replace a once-in-a lifetime tour, they will certainly fill your kitchen with irresistible new flavors and comfort food classics!

Homemade Pasta
There are few things more satisfying in life than transforming a few humble ingredients (flour, eggs, olive oil and salt) into homemade pasta. The texture is unlike anything out of a box, and although the process my seem intimidating, it's actually quite simple and can even be made without any special tools.

Homemade Fettuccine by @modestmarce

This recipe is for our basic pasta dough. You could use a traditional hand-crank pasta machine to roll it into fettuccine or use a few common kitchen tools to shape it by hand, as seen here.

Halloween Cavatelli by @saltyseattle

Add this spooky homemade pasta to your Halloween Menu! The color comes from fresh pumpkin and activated charcoal. We were lucky enough to have @saltyseattle on our snapchat (thefeedfeed) to show us the step by step recipe, which you can view in full, here!

Handmade Butternut Squash, Sage and Goat Cheese Cappalletti by @chocolateforbasil

This cappalletti pasta (which translates to "little hats") is filled with roasted butternut squash studded with fresh sage and creamy goat cheese. Once cooked, it's tossed in a rich garlic butter sauce.

Get 25+ Homemade Pasta Recipes

Hearty Braises

There is a chill in the air stateside which calls for piping hot bowls of slow-cooked food! Check out these Italian renditions for the ultimate Sunday Supper.

Pollo Alla Potenza by @thedaleyplate

This spicy chicken stew was inspired by the Basilicata region of Italy where the fiery peperoncino is revered.

Braised Artichokes with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan by @chefnk

The intoxicating aroma of these braised artichokes will make them hard to resist! These pair niceley with roasted chicken and potatoes.

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Over Gnocchi by @bevcooks

Toss a few ingredients in the slow-cooker (pork, herbs, garlic, red onion and diced tomatoes) and let it do all the work!

Get 25+ Slow-Cooked Recipes

Entertaining Italian Style
Visit any Italian family and you'll find one thing in common, lots of food, preferably shared amongst family and friends.

Bagna Cauda by @husbandsthatcook

Bagna Cauda, which translates to "hot bath" comes from the Piedmont region of Italy and is a popular dish during the holidays. It's made by simmering garlic in a mix of olive oil and herbs, and sometimes anchovies and butter. It's served similar to fondue, and is delicious to dip bread into, or even raw or roasted vegetables.

Broccoli Rabe Arancini with Marinara Sauce by @flourishingfoodie

Serve these to guests and they may never want to leave. A great way to use up leftover risotto.

Homemade Fresh Ricotta by @thekitchenmccabe

This simple to make fresh ricotta is delicious on top of crostini. Set out some toasted bread along with the ricotta and assorted toppings like roasted red peppers, olives, roasted butternut squash, shredded Brussels Sprouts and cured meats and let guests DIY.

Get 25+ Entertaining Recipes

Last but not least...
Your Italian tour wouldn't be complete without a sweet treat and a classic cocktail.

Chai Tiramisu by @acozykitchen

Although this strays from the classic recipe, the warming chai spices are a welcome addition to this traditional dessert.

Negroni Floats with Juniper Berry Ice Cream by @ashroseconway
Another twist on a classic, the bitterness of the Campari in these grown-up floats is the perfect match to the sweet, creamy and herbaceous ice cream.

GIVEAWAY Today Only!

Photo by @saltyseattle

We've teamed up with Ballarini USA to share recipes inspired by Italy's rich food culture and today only we're giving away 20 of their amazing non-stick pans with built-in thermopoint indicator (so you know when the pan is ready to cook with!). These pans are crafted in Northern Italy, where this cookware has been made for over 127 years! Click here for all of the details and a chance to win!

Remember to add #feedfeed to your cooking, baking & drink making social media posts for a chance to be featured on our Instagram feed & on the site.