In the south, the pastas are made with just flour and water, so the sauces must be stronger because the pasta is harder. This is the land of Barolo wine and truffles. Risotto or rice dishes are another specialty, often covered with truffles. The cooking is dense, and flavors and aromas result from combinations rather then mixtures. The main element of Ligurian cooking is olive oil that comes from trees in the area.
More rice is consumed here than pasta.
Cheese is usually served at the end of a meal. Alto Adige features few soups and greens, but smoked meats are popular as are root vegetables following many German cooking traditions. The basic element of food in Trentino is polenta, an Italian version of cornbread. Root vegetables are popular and include potatoes, white turnips, red beets and Savoy cabbage. For years, Venice was the crossroads for the trading of spices between Europe and the Orient.