Ready to try more authentic Italian bread at home? It is the perfect place to start. Take your pick from these traditional Italian bread recipes, or you might end up trying all of them!
Ah, Italian bread, just like pasta (and cheese!), hard to live without them. 🙂
If you’ve always been overwhelmed by making homemade bread, don’t be. Keep reading, and you will see that it’s not that difficult.
You can even start with flatbread with no yeast, if you’re wary about using it at first.
CHECK OUT THE REST OF MY ITALIAN CUISINE SERIES!
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Central Italy
TUSCANY
Pan di Ramerino (Tuscan Rosemary and Raisin Buns)
These raisin buns are traditional Easter bread, but nowadays, you see them the whole year-round in the region.
If you’re wondering about the name, ‘ramerino‘ in their local dialect refers to ‘rosmarino‘ or rosemary in Italian.
The dough is flavored with olive oil and fresh rosemary leaves, but it is definitely a sweet bread. The raisins added to the dough, plus the syrup glaze that gives it shine and the last layer of sweetness to it.
I’ve seen some use it for making sandwiches, but I prefer to enjoy it on its own.
The polarizing bread from Tuscany — you either love it, or you hate it.
If you are a salt fan, you will undoubtedly hate it because there is not an ounce of it in this authentic Tuscan bread.
But if you want to give it a try to see if you will change your mind, then make sure you serve it with the rest of the region’s cuisine as well. You’ll see for yourself that it is indeed a match made in heaven.
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
A no-yeast flatbread that goes so well with mortadella, prosciutto, or any other Italian cured meat.
It is also considered an Italian street food because it’s quite ubiquitous when you go to the east side of the region, towards the Adriatic Sea. You will always find a kiosk (or a food truck) that sells piadina, with your preferred filling in it.
You can always choose to have meat, cheese, or vegetable in it — or even Nutella!
It is a generic recipe for making focaccia at home and it’s quite different from focaccia Genovese or focaccia Barese.
Topped with fresh basil, but you can substitute other herbs that you like — or even use a mix of them (dried and fresh).
They are excellent as appetizers or for making sandwiches; not too salty, not too greasy.
South Italy
PUGLIA
Similar in taste to breadsticks from the north, but these classic Italian crackers have wine added to the dough.
There is also a sweeter version from the same region but considered more of an Italian cookie and its called Intorchiate (Italian Almond Cookie Twists).
Taralli comes in various flavors: with fennel, with black pepper, with olives, and the latest I’ve seen, turmeric.
Make sure you try them all!
Here’s focaccia that’s got mashed potatoes in it — that’s what makes this traditional Pugliese bread unique.
It has a noticeably different texture; it’s soft but slightly chewy because of the semolina added to the dough.
Traditionally topped with tomatoes, you can also add olives in there if you prefer.
SICILY
Pane Siciliano (Semolina Bread with Sesame Seeds)
My personal favorite. I know, same with biscotti Regina, it’s all about the sesame seeds. 🙂
Seriously, this traditional Italian bread takes the nuttiness flavor to a different level. The semolina flour itself already has that ‘nutty’ bite, but then you top it with the sesame seeds — just divine.
I will not even tell you to pair it with anything (although you sure can, if that’s what you like). I don’t even bother because it’s THAT good!
Don’t worry; there is not so much butter in this Sicilian version.
You will never miss this when you step into a bar (coffee shop), a gelateria (ice cream shop), or a bakery.
You can enjoy it on its own or do what the locals do — have them with a glass of almond granita, or make a sandwich using your favorite gelato as filling. Yum!
So how about it? Which one is your favorite Italian bread? Let me know in the comment section! 🙂
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