Italian Food Glossary A–Z

A quick reference to the Italian and Mediterranean food words you see on menus, labels and in recipes. Each term has a short definition and, where it fits, a link to try it.

A

Aceto balsamico di Modena: balsamic vinegar of Modena, made from grape must and wine vinegar in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. See PGI vs DOP.

Al dente: "to the tooth". Pasta cooked until tender but still firm in the center.

Amaretti: Italian almond cookies, crisp or soft. Try soft amaretti.

Antipasto: "before the meal". A starter course of cured meats, cheeses, olives and marinated vegetables. See how to build an antipasto board.

Aperitivo: the Italian early-evening drink with small snacks such as olives, taralli and grissini.

Arrabbiata: "angry" sauce. Tomato sauce spiced with chili and garlic. Try arrabbiata sauce.

B

Bella di Cerignola: very large, mild green olives from Cerignola in Puglia. Shop.

Biscotti: in the US, twice-baked Italian cookies made for dunking (in Italy, cantuccini). Shop biscotti.

Bronze die (trafilata al bronzo): pasta extruded through bronze molds, which gives a rough, porous surface that holds sauce. See bronze die vs regular pasta.

Bucatini: thick spaghetti with a hole through the center, classic for amatriciana.

C

Cantuccini: almond biscotti from Tuscany.

Capers (capperi): pickled flower buds of the caper bush. "Capote" are a small size. Shop capers.

Castelvetrano olives: bright green, mild and buttery olives from western Sicily. Learn more.

Conchiglioni: jumbo pasta shells made for stuffing.

D–F

DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta): Italy's Protected Designation of Origin, the strictest EU origin label.

Durum wheat semolina: the coarse, high-protein flour used for dried Italian pasta.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO): the top grade of olive oil, extracted mechanically, with low acidity and no taste defects. See how to choose EVOO.

Farfalle: "butterflies", or bow-tie pasta.

Fusilli: spiral pasta that traps sauce in its twists.

G

Giardiniera: a pickled mix of vegetables such as cauliflower, peppers, carrots and celery. Use it in a muffuletta.

Gigli: ruffled, bell-shaped pasta ("lilies").

Gnocchi: soft dumplings, usually made with potato. Shop gnocchi.

Grissini: thin, crunchy Italian breadsticks. Shop grissini.

I–L

IGP / PGI (Indicazione Geografica Protetta): Protected Geographical Indication, an EU label tying a product to its region.

Kalamata olives: dark purple, almond-shaped olives from Greece. Learn more.

Lupini: brined lupin beans, a traditional Mediterranean snack. How to eat lupini beans.

M–O

Marinara: a simple tomato sauce with garlic and herbs.

Mother (of vinegar): the natural, cloudy culture left in unfiltered vinegar.

Orzo: small rice-shaped pasta, great in soups and salads.

P

Pappardelle: very wide egg pasta ribbons for rich ragùs.

Pepperoncini: mild, tangy pickled peppers. Mississippi pot roast recipe.

Pesto: an uncooked sauce of basil, cheese, nuts, garlic and oil, from Genoa.

R–S

Ragù: a slow-cooked meat sauce, such as Bolognese.

Rigatoni: wide, ridged tubes that hold chunky sauces.

Savoiardi: lady fingers, the sponge biscuits used in tiramisu. Tiramisu recipe.

Squid ink pasta: pasta colored black with cuttlefish or squid ink, served with seafood.

T–Z

Tagliatelle: flat egg pasta ribbons from Emilia-Romagna.

Taralli: crunchy ring-shaped snack crackers from Puglia, often with fennel or rosemary. Shop taralli.

Tiramisu: "pick me up". A dessert of coffee-soaked savoiardi and mascarpone cream.

Trafilatura: the extrusion step of pasta making; see bronze die.

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