Italian cuisine is very diverse and the hallmarks differ between regions. For example, in Calabria, chili is used very often, so many dishes tend to be spicy. In Sicily, however, this is not the case. Food in Sicily tends to be much less spicy, despite the region being located very close to Calabria.
However, there are a few traits of Italian food which I think are shared between all regions. These are:
- Fresh ingredients
Authentic Italian products usually make use of fresh, wholesome ingredients. These ingredients also tend to be those which are easily accessible and cheap in Italy, such as cheeses, eggs, olives, beans, tomatoes, and more. You can buy these ingredients online from retailers all across the world.
- Rustic
Italian food tends to be pretty rustic. It’s simple food, prepared simply, making the best use of the ingredients at hand
- Traditional
Italian food tends to be very traditional. As it’s perfect for home cooking, many families evolve secret recipes and have their own specific way of doing things, hence why many different regions across the world, in and out of Italy, have their own unique idea of what a pizza should be.