Permission granted to Madera Online to use for their site. No wonder American cooks are enjoying an Italian renaissance.
Italian cuisine features infinite variations beyond lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, and pizza.
It all depends on who's cooking and what region of Italy they call home. In the north, where dairy and beef cattle graze, dining focuses on butter, meat, and flat noodles. In the south, where fruits and vegetables thrive, tomato sauces and tube-shaped pastas make the menu. There are literally hundreds of variations in-between. One of the backbone ingredients is the pomodoro, which is Italian for tomato.