Liguria

Pesto Genovese is a sauce with origins in the Italian city of Genoa. Traditionally, it consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino. Its name stems from the word pestare, meaning to pound or crush, referring to the... Read more

Polenta is an ancient dish of Northern Italian origin, most commonly made from coarse corn flour cooked in water. Although polenta today is characterized by its intense yellow color, before the arrival of corn in Europe in the 16th century, it was made with spelt, rye, and buckwheat, which gave ... Read more

Trofie al pesto is one of the most famous, if not the most famous dish from the Italian region of Liguria. The dish is a combination of two elements: trofie, the Ligurian hand-rolled pasta made with flour and water, and pesto, a famous green sauce consisting of seven elements: basil, gar... Read more

The simplest version of this Ligurian pasta dish consists of trenette noodles (or bavette, alternatively) and pesto Genovese basil sauce - another Ligurian specialty that hails from the city of Genova. However, most traditional recipes also include boiled diced potatoes and green beans, while the... Read more

This traditional Ligurian dish is a simple, oven-baked flatbread made only with chickpea flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Its origins can be traced to Roman times, but according to legend, farinata as we know it today is said to have been invented in August of 1284, when the Republ... Read more

This delectable cheese-filled focaccia hails from the town of Recco, Liguria's gastronomic capital where it can be found in every bakery, pizzeria, and restaurant. It was reportedly invented in the 12th century when, according to legend, the citizens of Recco were preparing this dish for the Crus... Read more

These traditional Italian fritters use salt cod as the star ingredient and couple it with a thick, leavened batter that is usually seasoned with parsley. When soaked in water or milk, the fish is either flaked and incorporated into the batter or cut into pieces that are later merely dipped in the... Read more

Pan di Spagna is a classic Italian cake that is widely used in confectionery as a base for many elaborate sweets, such as zuccoto or cassata. Fragrant and soft, this simple sponge cake is made with only a few ingredients: eggs, sugar, flour, and flavorings such as vanilla or lem... Read more

Pandolce is a sweet Italian Christmas bread from Genoa consisting of flour, sugar, butter, milk, raisins, eggs, lemon juice, and pine nuts. Its texture is both delicate and tough, dry and moist. Originally, whole families participated in the preparation of pandolce: the women made the cake, the y... Read more

Ravioli alla Genovese is one of the favorite traditional Ligurian dishes and an inevitable Christmas classic. Filled with a mixture of meat, endive, and borage, ravioli alla Genovese are traditionally served with a sauce called tocco, or tuccu in the Genoese dialect – that... Read more

Focaccia alla Genovese is believed to be the original focaccia. Hailing from Genova, this classic focaccia is coated in olive oil and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Unlike other focaccias, this one is traditionally shaped into a flat rectangle. It consists of flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water, an... Read more

Sugo di funghi is a traditional mushroom sauce originating from Liguria. In Ligurian, it's also known as tocco di funzi. This classic sauce is made with olive oil, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato paste, and porcini mushrooms. The sauce is cooked over low heat and it's s... Read more

The name of this flat, thin Italian pasta variety translates literally as “little tongues”. It is also known as trenette or bavette in Italy. Linguine is made from durum wheat flour and water, and it is typically served as pastasciutta with the traditional Ligurian sauces. It is somet... Read more

Genoa salami or salame genovese di Sant’Olcese is a traditional salami originating from Genoa and the surrounding area. This dry sausage is typically made with a combination of pork (sometimes beef or veal is added), red wine, garlic, salt, and peppercorns. Although the salami doesn’t... Read more

Trofie is a handmade pasta variety from Liguria, dating back to the times of the Crusades. It is traditionally made with durum wheat flour and water, then shaped by rolling a tiny piece of dough on a flat surface. The dough is then twisted to develop its final shape. Trofie is usually se... Read more

Cuore di bue (which means "oxheart" in Italian) is a traditional heirloom tomato variety known for its large, piriform shape, thin skin, and meaty, juicy flesh. It is a beefsteak-type tomato, prized for its sweet, delicate flavor and low acidity, making it ideal for raw consumption. This variety ... Read more

Trenette is a variety of long Italian pasta that is similar to linguine, but somewhat thinner and narrower. It can be bought in dried form, either straight or curled into nests. This pasta variety is a specialty of the Genoa region, where it is traditionally served with pesto in... Read more

The fragrant Genovese basil is a cultivar of Ocimum basilicum (sweet basil), traditionally grown in the Ligurian provinces of Genoa, Savona and Imperia. It has an intense clove aroma and it is widely known for being an essential ingredient of the famous Pesto alla Genovese... Read more

Bavette is a variety of Italian pasta that is prepared in the same way as tagliatelle, but the dough is much narrower, like a flat spaghetti. It consists of durum wheat flour and water. Their slightly convex shape is ideal hor holding different types of sauces. It is re... Read more

Pansotti is a type of Italian stuffed pasta made with flour, white wine, eggs, and salt. This pasta type was invented as an alternative to the famous ravioli. Pansoti are usually triangular in shape and filled with wild herbs from the Ligurian countryside such as borage and char... Read more

Produced exclusively from locally bred pigs and made by following ancient traditions, the Ligurian variety of pancetta is made with salt-cured pork belly flavored with lemon, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Covered with spices, pancetta is bound in asiunca, a special sort of skin f... Read more

Produced in the entire region of Liguria, Riviera Ligure extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the olive cultivars of Taggiasca, Lavagnina, Razzola, and Pignola. The olives must be harvested by the end of March each year. Depending on the varietal co... Read more

Prescinsêua (also called quagliata) is a traditional dairy product from the Italian province of Genoa. Named after presù, meaning rennet in Genovese dialect, prescinsêua is in fact coagulated milk, with a texture somewhere between yogurt and ... Read more

Croxetti is a unique and unusual Italian pasta variety that is traditionally produced in the region of Liguria. The pasta is presented as wide, flat discs that are stamped with various decorative designs, patterns, and symbols, although croxetti were mostly stamped with aristocratic coat... Read more

Vermentino is a white grape variety predominantly grown in several Mediterranean wine regions, especially in Northern Italy and Sardinia. It is particularly known for producing crisp, aromatic white wines. Vermentino wines are known for their vibrant acidity and crispness. They often exhibit arom... Read more

Chinotto is a carbonated soft drink made from the juice of the chinotto fruit. This beverage has been produced since the early 20th century in Liguria region of Italy. The chinotto fruit, a small and intensely bitter citrus fruit, imparts a distinctive flavor to the drink that balances sweetness ... Read more

Locally known as Asinello and classified as vermouth, Corochinato is a fortified and aromatized wine that hails from Genova. The base of the drink is made with fortified white wine that is infused with a secret blend of herbs and spices such as wormwood, gentian, cinnamon, thyme... Read more

Rossese is a red wine grape variety predominantly grown in the Liguria region of Italy, particularly in the Riviera Ligure di Ponente. This grape produces wines that are typically light to medium-bodied with a bright, ruby-red color. The aroma profile of Rossese wines often includes red berries, ... Read more

Cinque Terre wine region predominantly produces fragrant white wines that are based on Bosco grapes, with the addition of Vermentino or Albarola varieties. The wines are typically light and fresh, with mineral hues, good acidity, and aromas of citrus, fruit, and dry flowers. They are bes... Read more

These ruby red wines are mainly produced in western Liguria with Rossese as the principal grape variety. Although their main characteristics can vary, Dolceacqua wines are usually light and fragrant with typical notes of herbs, roses, violets, and red fruit, while they commonly display a... Read more

This amber-colored dessert wine is based on Bosco grapes, which must constitute at least 40% of the blend, while the other significant grape varieties include Albarola and Vermentino. The wine is produced with a passito method in which the grapes are air-dried before they are processed -... Read more

Scimiscià is a rare native Italian white variety that hails from Liguria. It is one of the ancient Ligurian grapes that was on the verge of extinction by the 1990s. It was saved and later promoted by local enthusiasts who wanted to preserve this rare local gem. The grape is mainly... Read more