Italian cuisine is not only pizza, ice cream and pasta. Each region of Italy has its own delicacies, which makes the country's culinary tradition very diverse and unique. A huge surprise for many tourists may be the cuisine of South Tyrol, which unites
But where did the Austrian influence in the cuisine of this region come from? South Tyrol is the northernmost region of Italy. Together with Trento, they form a region that borders Austria and Switzerland. Until 1919, South Tyrol belonged to Austria, but under the Saint-Germain peace treaty it was incorporated into Italy.
Despite this, the local population did not agree to abandon their traditions and language. Thanks to this, the inhabitants of this region still speak both languages, but some speak only one of these languages. However, they function in parallel – for example, the names of places and towns are written in both Italian and German. In turn, the indigenous Romansh population still uses the Ladin language. It is therefore not surprising that Austrian influences are also visible
One of the most important ingredients of South Tyrolean cuisine is smoked ham with a delicate and slightly spicy taste. The unique taste is achieved by combining light smoking with air-drying the ham. The peel of herbs and spices gives it additional aroma. Speck is used in many local dishes and is served in slices as a snack or breakfast item.
Apple orchards are an integral part of the South Tyrolean landscape. About 7 thousand farmers there grow various varieties of apples (currently there are as many as 24 of them), which are then used to make juices, jams, and also. Apples in South Tyrol sometimes also enrich savory dishes such as pizza or risotto. Interestingly, South Tyrol is the largest producer of organic apples in Europe.
The winemaking tradition of South Tyrol dates back 2,500 years. 300 sunny days a year and the specific terrain create ideal conditions for growing vines. Vineyards in South Tyrol cover an area of 5,700 hectares, where local vineyards produce excellent white wines, such as Pinot Grigio and Gewürztraminer, or red wines, including Vernatsch and Lagrein. Being in South Tyrol, we can go to , and taste wines during organized for tourists
Apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, is one of the most popular desserts in South Tyrol. This aromatic cake is made of hand-picked South Tyrolean apples, raisins and pine nuts and thin filo pastry or rich shortcrust pastry. It is usually served with vanilla ice cream or vanilla sauce. Interestingly, approximately 85,000 kilograms of strudel are produced in South Tyrol every year!
Another important element of South Tyrolean cuisine is . They are prepared both sweet and salty – but the most characteristic dish are savory dumplings with speck, cheese or spinach.
They are prepared very simply with just a few ingredients. Their base is dry white bread, which should be cut into small pieces and then mixed with milk, eggs, onion, chives, and a selected addition, e.g. speck. Then just cook them for 15-20 minutes by steaming or in water. The dumplings are served drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or dipped in broth.
Some South Tyrolean agritourism farms organize events for tourists, during which we can learn how to prepare this delicacy under the supervision of local housewives.
South Tyrol is also famous for its delicious bread, which is called Baking tradition is deeply rooted in the culture of this region, and bread and other varieties of bread have been prepared there according to old recipes for years. The bread is made from natural ingredients and regional cereals, including spelt and rye. The South Tyrolean hosts also organize bread-making courses for the whole family.
South Tyrolean cuisine is based on seasonal products. When visiting this region in spring, and especially in April and May, we can enjoy the taste in many versions – on pizza, in risotto or in the form of a thick, aromatic and creamy soup. They are often served with ham and Bolzano sauce based on eggs, vinegar, olive oil and chives.
In summer, when the fruit ripens, the farmers prepare sweet dumplings stuffed with e.g. apricot. In autumn, when fresh ones appear on the trees, they dominate our plates.
In South Tyrol we can experience an unusual combination of Italian and Alpine flavors. A great example is, among others, , i.e. ravioli with spinach and ricotta, served with butter and parmesan. In the region, we can also enjoy alpine pasta. For me, the biggest surprise was the pasta with cranberries and white cheese. Such perfectly balanced and original flavor combinations are something that cannot be found in other regions of Italy.