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    Home » Cuisines

    Authentic Italian Bread Recipes

    Published: May 24, 2021 · Modified: Oct 21, 2022 by Neriz · This post contains some affiliate links.

    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! 

    An image showing a collage of traditional Italian breads that you can make at home.

    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!

    • 20+ Easy Italian Desserts & Pastries Recipes
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    • Traditional Italian Recipes: Regional Italian Dishes
    Jump to:
    • Central Italy
    • South Italy

    Central Italy

    TUSCANY

    Pan di Ramerino (Tuscan Rosemary and Raisin Buns)

    Three pieces of Italian Easter buns served with a glass of wine, and some fresh rosemary in the background.
    Read Recipe Here

    Pan di ramerino are raisin buns that are traditionally considered as 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 these rosemary and raisin buns for making sandwiches, but I prefer to enjoy it on its own.

    Pane Toscano (Tuscan Bread)

    Slices of Tuscan bread served with some salami and olives.
    Read Recipe Here

    Pane Toscano, the polarizing bread from Tuscany — you either love it, or you hate it.

    If you are a fan of salt, 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

    Piadina (Italian Flatbread)

    A sandwich made of Italian flatbread, mortadella and some rucola, served with a glass of white wine, ready to be savoured.
    Read Recipe Here

    A no-yeast Italian flatbread that goes so well with mortadella, prosciutto, or any other Italian cured meat.

    Piadina 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 Romagnola, with your preferred filling in it.

    You can always choose to have meat, cheese, or vegetable in it — or even Nutella!

    Basil Focaccia

    An overhead shot of Basil Focaccia, with some slices taken, with fresh basil and parmigiano on the side.
    Read Recipe Here

    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).

    Basil focaccia is excellent as antipasto or for making sandwiches; not too salty, not too greasy. Just delicious.

    South Italy

    PUGLIA

    Taralli (Italian Crackers)

    An overhead shot of a bunch of freshly baked taralli, served with a shot of espresso, with scaterred fennel seeds on the background.
    Read Recipe Here

    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 — perfect as antipasti or snacks!

    Focaccia Barese

    An overhead shot of freshly baked focaccia Barese, with fresh tomatoes on the side.
    Read Recipe Here

    Here’s focaccia that’s got mashed potatoes in it — that’s what makes this traditional Pugliese bread unique.

    Focaccia Barese 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)

    A loaf of semolina bread on a cooling rack, with a couple of slices ready for serving.
    Read Recipe Here

    My personal favorite.  

    I know, same with biscotti Regina, it’s all about the sesame seeds. 🙂

    Semolina bread is a traditional Italian bread recipe that 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 — pane Siciliano is just divine.

    I will not even tell you to pair this semolina bread with anything (although you sure can, if that’s what you like).  I don’t bother because it’s THAT good!

    Sicilian Brioche

    Italian briocke on a cooling rack, dusted with powdered sugar.
    Read Recipe Here

    Don’t worry; there is not so much butter in this Sicilian brioche.

    You will never miss this when you step into a bar (coffee shop), a gelateria (ice cream shop), or a bakery.

    You can enjoy brioche col tuppo 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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    • Classic Italian Appetizers (Antipasti)
    • Authentic Italian Cookie Recipes

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