Jun 22, 2011
In Italian cooking, sauces are highly personal and, on a broader spectrum, regional. Traditional sauces are not what most Americans think of first when they set out for Italian dining. Here in the US, we tend to associate Italian food with marinara, or some other red tomato sauce, over pasta, or on pizza. What many of us don’t realize is that tomatoes weren’t introduced to Europe until the 1500s — and that furthermore, Italian cuisine seems not to have been graced with tomatoes as an ingredient until closer to 1700. This is based on the earliest reference that can be found, in a cookbook by Antonio Latini, called Lo scalco alla moderna Naples, dated 1692. This makes sense, considering that the tomato was introduced by the Spanish (from the New World) to Europe, and Latini was the chef of the Spanish viceroy in Naples.
Later, Roman chef Francesco Leonardi was the first to publish a cookbook containing recipes for a tomato sauce and pasta together. This book, L’Apicio Moderno, was edited in 1790. There is no evidence of Italian tomato sauces like the putanesca, marinara, and carbonara sauces we readily attribute to traditional Italian cooking having existed prior to that time. & People the world over, outside of Italy, have contributed to the popular legend of tomato sauce being the most commonly used and traditional sauce in that country — but as you now see, history tells quite another tale.
The truly ancient sauces of Italy are more like pesto. They were made primarily of herbs, spices, and olive oil — and not necessarily designed to compliment pasta. Most of them, in fact, were made to be used for dipping bread. They would be served in shallow plates alongside warm bread and main dishes made of roasted vegetables and meats. Some of the traditional sauces also contained nuts and nut oils.
Cream based sauces with butter and cheese are also among Italy’s more traditional fare. These are served over cooked — and sometimes filled — pastas, on vegetables or with bread. One well known dish, pasta Alfredo, features a white sauce made with cheese, cream, butter or olive oil, and pepper. Risotto is a classic and ancient Italian staple of rice cooked and softened to a creamy consistency in broth. It is often served with cheese as well. True Italian food cannot be compared with restaurant Italian. It would be like trying to compare cable vs. satellite.
