Lombard cuisine

Lombard cuisineconsists of the cooking traditions and practices of the Italian region ofLombardy. The historical events of its provinces and of the diversity of its territories resulted in a varied culinary tradition. First courses in Lombard cuisine range fromrisottosto soups andstuffed pasta(inbrothor not), and a large choice of second-course meat or fish dishes, due to the many lakes and rivers of Lombardy.
The cuisine of the various Lombardy provinces have the following traits in common: prevalence of rice and stuffed pasta over dry pasta, both butter andolive oilfor cooking, dishes cooked for a long time, as well as the widespread use of pork, milk and dairy products, and egg-based preparations, as well as the consumption ofpolenta, common to the whole of northern Italy.
Lombard cooking has ancient historical roots dating back to the settlement ofCeltsin thePo Valley.The most ancient Lombardy dish iscuz, whose preparation has Celtic origins: it is a second course based onlambthat is common inVal Camonica.
Later on, the elaboration and methods of Lombardy's cooking were influenced by the dominations that followed one another during the centuries: from theancient Romansto theDuchy of Milanand theDuchy of Mantua, that is theAustrians, the Spanish and the French, as well as the dominion of theRepublic of Venicein the areas ofBergamoandBrescia.Milan is home to the oldest restaurant in Italy and the second in Europe, theAntica trattoria Bagutto[it], which has existed since at least 1284.
Due to the great territorial and historical variety of Lombardy, it is very difficult to identify a unified Lombard cuisine: it makes more sense to identify a continuum of provincial cuisines having similar elements throughout the region.
Perhaps the most peculiar characteristic is the prevalence of filled pasta over dry pasta, but above all rice: from the latter it is possible to make both traditional poor man's rice soups and rice with meat or vegetables, up to the most elaborate and refined risottos. Related to the cooking of risotto, but not only, is the use of butter, and sometimeslard, insautéingand frying instead of oil: the use of butter for cooking food is part of the high regional diffusion of milk and dairy products, Lombardy is the largest producer of milk in Italy with about 40% of the national production, and one of the regions with a greater variety of cheeses. The common Lombard panorama is completed by the use of recipes based on eggs (omelettesand similar preparations), pork and polenta, shared with the rest of the Po Valley.
From the point of view of preparation, preponderant, although not exclusive, are the recipes with prolonged cooking and low heat, such asbraised,stewedandboiled meat, historically derived from the abundance of firewood in the territory and the consequent cooking on the grill.
A first approximate subdivision of Lombardy's cooking can be done from a territorial point of view: in the low Po Valley, in the areas where rice is cultivated, risottos will be more common together with vegetables widely cultivated in the plain, whereas as one gets closer toalpineareas will be more common dishes based ongameorpasture animals, as well as side dishes based onpotatoesandcabbage. Gastronomic islands are constituted by the lakes, where there are risottos and stews based on freshwater fish and olive cultivation is practiced: there are two olive oils with protected designation of origin (PDO),GardaandLaghi Lombardi.
A second classification can be done by taking into account the history of the single provinces and their geographical borders: as it is logical to expect, the eastern Lombard cuisine will have some traits in common with theVenetian one, the western one with thePiedmontese onebased on braised meat and stews, the southern one with the Emilian one where preparations based on stuffed pastas predominate, whereas the cuisine ofValtellinawill have some traits in common with theAlpine cuisinewith a wide use of game,salamiand cheese as base or condiment for main courses.
The most common appetizers on Lombard tables are based on cured meats and cheeses, widely spread in the region; however, they are often consumed as second courses or as the conclusion of a meal, accompanied or not by polenta or fried polenta.
Appetizers includesciatt valtellinesi, crispybuckwheatpancakes filled with cheese which is melted during cooking in butter,nervettiin insalata milanesi, prepared with calf feet,beansand onions, andmargottini alla bergamasca,semolinacakes bound with egg, branzi and meat broth.
Among thepâtésare Milanese-style veal liver pâté, goose pâté fromLomellinaandchubpâté from theBrescia area. A popular appetizer was once trifoliatedsnails, widely available in the wooded and agricultural territory.
Rice is a common element to all the local cuisines of Lombardy, and represents the base of first courses from Valtellina toMantovano: Lombardy is responsible for 42% of the whole Italian rice production. The "basic" rice preparation common to the whole region is ricein cagnone, rice boiled in salted water and seasoned with butter in which garlic andsagehave been sautéed, and finally sprinkled withGrana cheese. It can also be served withasparagusorpumpkin.Besides this there are also soups prepared with rice, combined with typical vegetables of the whole region, such as cabbage,turnip,peasandcoratella. The main dish of the region is risotto, rice toasted and then cooked with hot broth: common in the whole Lombardy territory is risotto with mushrooms, and with sausage.
Traditionally local, although known well outside the region, arerisotto alla milanese, which owes its characteristic yellow color tosaffron; its "simplified" versionalla monzesewithout saffron and withluganegainstead of beef marrow; andrisotto alla pilota, typical of theMantua area. In addition to meat and vegetable risottos, in the vicinity of the lakes fish risottos are common, such as risotto with perch fromLake Comoand risotto withtenchfromLake Garda.
A commonstuffed pastadish of the whole region are the so-calledravioli di magro,ravioliwith a generic stuffing made ofegg yolk,ricotta cheeseand herbs which vary from area to area. Among the most common variants there arespinachandhoptops, whereas in the past, in times of economic hardship,ravioliwere also filled with wild herbs, such asdandelion,nettlesandborage.
Typical of the eastern provinces arecasoncelli(casonsei), stuffed pasta of various shapes (half-moon shaped inBergamo, square or "candy-like" inBrescia) stuffed with meat, Grana cheese and aromatic herbs and eaten with a sprinkling of butter and cheese,marubiniin broth from the province ofCremona, square shaped and stuffed with braised meat, mixture of salami,Grana Padano cheeseandnutmeg. In the province of Mantua aretortelli di zucca('pumpkin tortelli'), to which is added applemostardaandamaretto, and finally the very particulartortelli cremaschi, prepared with a filling of amaretti,raisins,mint, candied citron,mostacciniandlemon peel, as well as classic ingredients such asbreadcrumbsandnutmeg.Belonging to the province ofPavia, in particular toOltrepò Paveseareagnolotti pavesi.
Among the most famous examples of dry pasta arepizzoccheri della Valtellina, thicktagliatellemade of buckwheat flour and seasoned withpotatoes,savoy cabbageand melted cheese,bigoli con sardelle,bigoliboiled and then browned in the cooking juices ofsardinestypical of theMantua area, orbardele coi marai, orboragetagliatelle generally seasoned with butter typical of the Garda area ofBrescia. Among the dishes similar tognocchican be mentioned, besides pumpkin gnocchi andpizzoccherifromValchiavenna, small potato gnocchi with butter and melted cheese,strangolapretifromBergamo, made of a dough made of stale bread, eggs, milk and herbs.
A renowned soup based on Lombardy's agricultural products isminestrone alla milanese, obtained by boiling the main vegetables growing in the region and flavored with lard andpork rinds.Other dishes of the poor tradition are thezuppa alla pavese, a soup made with broth,stale bread, eggs and grated cheese, and thepancotto, stale bread soaked in water, cooked in a pot together with butter and with the addition of meat, cooked in the whole region: a sort of "summation" of the two dishes is constituted by theminestra mariconda bresciana, obtained by adding to the previous ingredients also some cow's milk. InBrianzacan also be foundurgiada, a soup of barley with bacon,leeksand beans.
Dishes of the Lombardy region are mainly based on meat, even though there are many examples of fish dishes spread near lakes and big rivers such asPoorTicino.
Widespread throughout the territory is sausage, especiallypork sausage, in all its variants such as mutton sausage from Valcamonica andstrinù. Another popular dish isbollito misto(mixed boiled meats), according to the province, prepared with different cuts of meat, accompanied byCremoneseor Mantuanmostarda:cotechinois also widely consumed throughout the territory and is sometimes served together withbollito misto. The most famous variant of the territory is thegran bollito cremonese, in which are added to the classic boiled meat cuts, calf's head, calf's tongue and pot salami, accompanied by the classic boiled sauces.
FromMilanbut common in the whole western part of Lombardy arecassoeula, a sort of stew with ribs, luganega and cabbage, to which can be added other parts of the pig such as rind and pig's foot according to the area, androsticciata(rustisciada), a dish made of sausage and pork shoulder with onions. Always common in the wholeInsubriaarea arebruscitti, originating fromAlto Milanese, which consist in a braised meat dish cut very thin and cooked in wine andfennel seeds, historically obtained by stripping leftover meat. Typical of Milanese cooking is insteadossobuco.
In the area of Bergamo and Brescia is known the dish ofpolenta e osei, where birds such asthrushesorlarksare browned in butter or on the spit and served together with polenta,to which is added the porkalla bresciana.In the province of Mantua, beef stew and donkey stew are common: in general, stews are quite common in the lowlands, as in the case of Pavia-style stew.
In the Alpine, cuisine of Valtellina can be mentionedpork ribsal lavècc, where marinated pork ribs are cooked for hours with wine inlavècc, particular pots made ofsoapstone, and porkalla pioda, where different cuts of pork are cooked on thepioda, a stone slab on which are also cooked vegetables such as potatoes and eggplants. Widespread in the whole alpine territory, betweenLecco,Bergamo,SondrioandBrescia, are stews and ragouts of Alpine fauna such asroe deer,deerandhares, often accompanied by polenta.
Vealmeat is particularly used in the Milan area and is at the base of two of the most popular city dishes:cotoletta alla milaneseand ossobuco, traditionally prepared with sautéedparsley,garlicandlemon zestand served as a single dish together with risotto.Goose meatis widely consumed in the Pavia andLomellinaareas for the preparation of first and second courses and sausages.
The most famous fish dish of Lake Como are themissoltini, salted and driedagonion special "wheels", themisolta, which are then cooked on the grill and eaten possibly with toasted polenta and red wine:fishing and its preparation were a real ritual, and in the villages of the Como Riviera occupying someone else's fishing place was considered a serious offense. Other larian preparations are thelavarelloor thealborelle, which can be fried orincarpione.
On Lake Garda, famous dishes aretroutbaked with mushrooms and eel Gardesana, cooked on the grill and seasoned with oil and lemon, both typical products of the Benaco.Eelwas once also cooked near rivers, whereas today it has practically disappeared: on the Mantuan banks of thePo, fried fish and pike in sauce are typical. Dishes based on fresh water fish can also be found in the Pavese area and in western Lombardy: in these same areas is historically prepared thefrog, once widely spread inrice fields: frog is also present in other areas such as Val Camonica, where the typical frog cake is prepared.
Typical vegetables of the Lombard plain are:celery, beans,green beans,carrots, leek,zucchini, eggplant,pumpkin,tomato, spinach and asparagus; whereas because of their rusticity, potatoes and savoy cabbage can be cultivated even in the coldest mountain areas. Among the second courses based on vegetables there are various versions of stuffed vegetables, above all zucchini, savoy cabbage meatballs and asparagus Milanese style, boiled and then laid on afried egg(Oeuf in cereghin) andchardparmigiana. With herbs such as mint,chives,parsleyandchervilit was customary to prepare the omelette with fine herbs.
In previous centuries,polentawas the staple food of Lombard people: polenta could be eaten alone or as a side dish in meat dishes, such as the famouspolenta e osei, vegetables, such as polenta with mushrooms, with lard forpulenta e gras pestà, or with one of the many cheeses. However, there are many seasonings and variants of the classic polenta:
Thetochwas the base of the ritual oftoch e regell, where once the polenta was consumed, the copper pot was put back on the fire: once the pot was heated, red wine with cloves, cinnamon and lemon rind was poured inside. The wine, which softened the hardened polenta on the walls of the pot, was then drunk.
Polenta, as well as corn flour, could be reused in its leftovers to create sweets, as in the case of the Mantuanfiapòn.
Typical condiment which is not to be missed when boiled meat is served, ismustard, which is however an excellent match with the most flavorsome cheeses: the most common versions are Cremona mustard, withcherries,tangerines,peachesandpearsinfused in a syrup with mustard oil,Voghera mustard, similar to the Cremonese one but less spicy,and mostarda mantovana, prepared with pears,apples,quince, pumpkin andmelon.Widespread is alsomostarda di cipolle(onion mustard), more similar to a jam because of its consistency, but always prepared with the addition of mustard essence.
To accompany the mixed boiled meat, there are also thepeverata, made withcapers,anchovies, garlic andhot pepper, typical of Pavia and Brianza (where there is no hot pepper), thehorseradishsauce, made with horseradish andvinegar, and thegrattacùsauce, made withrosehip berries, wine and sugar. Other sauces, partly shared with relative variants in the whole northern Italy, aregreen sauce(orbagnetto verde), made ofparsley, oil and anchovies (compared to the original Piedmontese version, in Lombardy stale bread and egg yolk are also added), red sauce, obtained by cooking tomatoes, peppers and carrots.
The most famous Lombard sweets arepanettoneandcolomba, belonging to the Milanese confectionery tradition: by now spread all over Italy, the first one is a typicalChristmas cakewith a cylindrical shape whose dough is enriched with raisins and candied fruit while the second one is generally consumed during Easter time, with a dough similar to panettone, but shaped like adoveand covered with icing and sugar. Another typical Milanese sweet of Christmas festivities, in particular of New Year's Eve, iscarsenza, which is made of raisins and apples.
A elaborated version, with a dough halfway betweenpanettoneandbriocheand covered with icing and sugar grains isveneziana: consumed in the big version, of the size of a traditional panettone, at Christmas, during the year it is instead consumed in "monodose" portions of the size of a doughnut. Other Christmas sweets outside the Milanese territory are thebisciolavaltellinese, a loaf of bread with a dough similar to panettone with raisins, and thebossolà bresciano, obtained by three successive leavening.
Widespread all over Lombardy arefrittelle, which have different names according to the ingredients and the method of preparation as well as the area of origin: very common arechestnutfrittelle, because of the flour used, and applefrittelle, because of the filling ingredient.
Other famous sweets of the region are Cremona nougat (turòon),according to the legend created by local confectioners for the wedding ofFrancesco SforzaandBianca Maria Visconti, andamaretti di Saronno, crispy cookies made ofalmonds,albumenand armelline. Probably influenced by Piedmontese confectionery arebaci di Cremona, similar tobaci di damabut with a crispy cookie made of hazelnut flour, andbaci del Signore di Pavia, more flattened, filled with orange marmalade and half covered with melted chocolate.Among other cookies, we haveoffelle di Parona, sometimes prepared with rice flour,mostaccini, a Cremonese cookie prepared with the addition of, among other spices,clove,mace,corianderandstar anise,biscottini di Prosto, a cookie with a high content of butter cooked twice in the oven typical ofValchiavenna.
In the area of the low plain, there are a famous series of cakes: the Mantuantorta delle rose, so called because it is made up of various forms of rolled dough, theAnello di Monaco, a sort of high doughnut made of leavened dough covered with icing, and thesbrisolonacake, a cake made of yellow flour and almonds which is particularly crumbly, and its similarLodicaketortionata, prepared with white flour instead of yellow.
From Cremona arespongarda, a cake filled with dried fruit, andtorta Bertolina, made with strawberry grapes, and finallytorta del Paradisofrom Pavia. Sweet version of the famous dish from Bergamo ispolenta e osei, made with sweetpolentacovered with yellowalmond pastedecorated with chocolate birds ormarzipan.
Typical of western Lombardy arebrutti ma buonifromGavirate, sweets made of almonds and hazelnuts,chiaro di LunafromPaullo, thetorta paesanafromBrianza, made ofcocoa, milk and stale bread, created to reuse bread left over from meals. Prepared withmaize flourareAmor polenta, fromVarese, andpan meino(pan de mej), a sort of small sweetfocacciaflavored withelder flowers.
Lombardy, thanks to its territorial variety has one of the highest numbers of PDO and PGI products, to be precise 34 (updated January 2019): 14 cheeses, 10 sausages and salami, 4 types of fruits and vegetables, 2 species of fish, 2 designations of olive oil and 1 honey.The region also has 250 Products with adesignation of originrecognized by the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Forestry according to the 2017 revision.
Lombardy is one of the Italian regions with the greatest tradition of dairy products: Lombardy counts among its cheeses 14DOP. products and 63PAT, the highest number among the Italian regions.
One of the most famous and widespread cheese in the region is Grana Padano, produced in most of the region except for Valtellina andComo, it is one of the most famous and ancient hard paste Italian cheeses, used together withParmigiano Reggiano, produced in theprovince of Mantua, as a condiment for first courses and fillings:both derive from Granone Lodigiano, the ancestor of all Italian Grana cheeses, whose origin is attributed to the monks of theChiaravalle Abbeyin the 12th century.
Another famous cheese from Lombardy, originally from Milan but nowadays produced in almost all the region, isGorgonzola, a raw cheese in two versions: a "sweet" one, softer and creamier, and a "spicy" one, more compact and with a stronger taste.Other "panlombardi" cheeses areTaleggio, a soft cheese with raw paste coming from thehomonymous valley, andQuartirolo Lombardo, whereas the last DOP denomination in order of time isSilterfromBrescia.
Exclusively from the mountain areas, especially from Valtellina, are Casera and Bitto, cheeses with a semi-soft and soft texture that can be eaten alone, or used melted as a condiment overpizzoccherifrom Valtellina, or as a real dish as insciatt. Among other DOP cheeses from Lombardy we can mentionProvolone Valpadana, Salva Cremasco, Strachitunt, Nostrano Valtrompia, Formai de Mut from Alta Valle Brembana and finally Formaggella del Luinese, the only DOP goat cheese from Lombardy.
Stracchinoandrobiolaconsidered as cheese categories: belonging to the first group there are Stracchino Bronzone, Stracchino della Valsassina, Stracchino Orobico and Stracchino Tipico;belonging to the second group there are Robiola Bresciana and Robiola della Valsassina.
Other famous Lombard cheeses worthy of note are Agrì di Valtorta, Bagòss,Branzi, caprini Bergamaschi, Casatta di Corteno Golgi, Casolet,Rosa Camuna, Tombea, Semuda, Zincarlin andMascarpone, eaten alone or used as a base element for the cream used to accompanypanettone.
The historical spreading of breeding in Lombardy has given the region a wide tradition of cold cuts and sausages. Among DOP and IGP products, there are three types of pork salami: Brianza salami, produced in the hills between Lecco and Milan, Varzi salami, produced in the Oltrepò pavese with pork meat, pepper and wine, and Cremona salami. More particular is the goose salami from Mortara, in the land ofLomellinawhere the use of goose in cooking is very common.
Every province has at least one typical salami, among which the most famous are Milano salami, Casalin mantovano, and bastardei from Valchiavenna. Also from Valtellina territory arebresaola, obtained from the seasoning of beef meat and that can be smoked or not, andslinzega.
As far as hams are concerned, we can mention prosciutto mantovano, with its sweet taste,prosciutto crudodelle Orobie,prosciutto al pepe della Valtellina, andprosciutto d'oca stagionato della Lomellina.Besidesmortadellaproduced in the whole region, there is also the Vin Brulé liver mortadella, originally from the mountains between Lecco and Valtellina.
Typical and common bread in Milan, but also in the rest of western Lombardy, is therosetta, locally calledmichetta, blown bread (almost empty inside) and with a "turtle shell" shape derived from the mold used to make the dough, traditionally consumed with cold cuts, especially withmortadella, it was the symbol snack ofmagut(bricklayers) and workers for its rusticity and low cost.
Typical of Pavia area are instead the hard bread, whose dough must be prepared in three different moments at a distance of some hours, and the rice bread, common in Lomellina, a land where the cultivation of rice is strongly spread.Similarly, given the wide diffusion ofmaizein the Lombardy plain, in the lower Lombardy area it is possible to find yellow bread, prepared with maize flour.
Typical of Valtellina isrye bread, a doughnut shaped bread created with the addition ofrye flour, whereas originating fromLivignoispan carcent, a doughnut shaped bread with turnips added in the dough, andpan da cool, loaves of bread withcolostrumadded in the dough.
Recently elected as typical bread of Bergamo is theGaribalda, a loaf of bread made of a mixture of semolina flour, whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour and corn flour. Typical of the city ofVirgilioispane mantovanoormantovanina, a hard dough bread created by rolling up the dough, which will create the typical curls at the ends of the bread once it is baked.
The cultivation of vine dates back to Neolithic times, as witnessed by the finding ofgrape seedsin archaeological sites of the same period, however the first reliable sources about the production of wine date back to the first century BC, in which are described the wines of Oltrepò Pavese and the "Rhaetianwines" produced in the area of lake Como.
Lombard provinces boast 5 DOCG, 22 DOC and 15 IGT: 60% of the regional wine production falls under DOC and DOCG appellation, that is about the double of the national average.
The most renowned wine production areas areOltrepòPavese, in the province of Pavia,Franciacorta, a hilly area south fromlake Iseo,themorainicarea around Lake Garda, and Valtellina, where wines are cultivated on the typical terraces which allow the cultivation on very steep mountainous terrains and a higher insolation to vineyards.
The 5 Lombardy DOCG denominations are:
Famous DOC wines of the region are Buttafuoco,Bonardaand Sangue di Giuda, sweet red wine not passito, from Oltrepò Pavese,CurtefrancaandCellatica, from Franciacorta, Valtenesi, Garda Bresciano and Lugana from the Garda area, Rosso di Valtellina, and Lambrusco Mantovano.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning the wines of the province of Bergamo, such as Terre del Colleoni and Valcalepio; IGT wines of Terre Lariane, produced in some areas of the provinces of Lecco and Como, and the only DOC wine produced in the province of Milan,San Colombano.
In the hills ofBrianza, especially in the Lecco area, there are still many big knobs producing wines which are very appreciated in the area, such as Pincianel and Nustranel.
Until the second half of the nineteenth century,Alto Milanesewas also a wine area.The history of viticulture in the Alto Milanese area has its roots inRoman times. In this area were once produced some renowned wines, among which Colli di Sant'Erasmo, Santana and Clintù.
Although Lombardy is outside the tradition of cultivation, the cultivation of olive trees and the production of olive oil is attested since the Middle Ages on the lakes of Lombardy, where the effect of large water basins mitigates the climate and protects plants from the high temperature changes typical of the rest of the region: overall in the region there are more than 1,600 hectares of land planted with olive trees, most of them dedicated to the production of olives for mills.
The territory of Lombardy has two protected designations of origin:
Both productions present in general a low productivity with oils of low acidity, delicate flavor and particularly valuable.
Widespread in all wine territories is the production ofgrappa, especially in theprovince of Bresciaand in theprovince of Sondrio: in particular Valchiavenna was, before the opening of the Sempione tunnel, one of the most famous places of grappa production in Italy.
The local grappa producers (grapat de la Val di Giust) were forced to emigrate because of the crisis in Valchiavenna, deprived of its historical traffic of people and goods due to competition from theSimplon Pass: some of the main families of grappa producers in all of northern Italy originate from Valchiavenna, including the Ghelfi, the Vener, the Levi and the Francoli families. Distilled differently from grappa are imperial drops, a distillate of herbs produced by the monks of theCertosa di Pavia.
As for typical liqueurs, the most renowned ones areBraulio, a liqueur from Valtellina obtained by the infusion of mountain herbs,amaretto liqueur, made of almonds and herbs whose origins date back to the sixteenth century, andFernet Branca, a liqueur with a characteristic bitter taste produced in the centre of Milan in the original factory, at the time of its foundation at the outskirts of the city. Other liqueurs areVespetròfromCanzo, made ofcoriander, anise and orange peel,Ramazzotti bitterscreated in a store in the center of Milan by the pharmacist of the same name, Acqua di tutto cedro, produced inSalò, andnocino.
Remaining distillates and liquors of big industrial groups are: theCampari group, creator ofAperol, Illva of Saronno, for the production of Zucca rhubarb as well as the famousamaretto, and Distillerie Fratelli Branca.
A famous Lombard aperitif ispirlo, which is made of still white wine andCampari. It has origins in Brescia and it is similar in concept to the more knownspritz, which has origins in Veneto. The fashion ofhappy hourhas also introduced for pirlo the use of Aperol (much less alcoholic and complex) instead of Campari. Pirlo is served in a glass with a high stem and a typical balloon shape.