Characteristic products

Ligurian cuisine makes generous use of vegetables renowned throughout Italy for their excellent quality: violet asparagus from Albenga and Perinaldo, white beans from Pigna and Conio, violet artichokes from Albenga, zucchinis from Alberello di Sarzana, pumpkins from Rocchetta and Tromba squash from Albenga, similar to long zucchinis. Tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini flowers, green beans and a variety of leafy vegetables such as radicchio (chicory), spinach and broccoli are also popular. Preboggión is a blend of wild herbs used to flavor soups, pasta or savory pastries, including borage, dandelion, chicory, nettle and more. The olive tree is emblematic of Liguria, from which Riviera Ligure DOP extra-virgin olive oil is extracted, not forgetting the tasty little taggiasche olives.

Among the most common pastas are linguine and trenette, a type of flat spaghetti. Trofie are small, zigzag-shaped pastas a few centimetres long, traditionally made with wheat flour and potatoes, but now made with durum wheat. The rarer battolli is a long pasta made from chestnut flour, while corzetti is a round, coin-shaped pasta. Mandilli are a kind of lasagne sheet, but served as pasta rather than au gratin.

Fish and seafood are the soul of Liguria: tuna, sea bream, scorpion fish, mullet, anchovies, sardines and more. Not forgetting shrimps, langoustines, squid, crabs, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, mussels, clams and scallops. Cod(stoccafisso or baccalà) is a staple on Genoa tables. Mosciame is a preparation of salted and dried tuna, popular as an antipasti. As for cured meats, prosciutta castelnovese is a must, not forgetting various salamis such as salame genovese di Sant'Olcese, similar to a salami, or salame con i lardelli, a finer salami with large pieces of bacon. Of course, you'll also find a host of cured meats from other Italian regions: coppa, bresaola, mortadella and more.

Local cheeses include a variety of mature tommes, such as pecorino di malga made from sheep's milk, caprino di malga made from goat's milk, toma di Mendatica dell'Alta Valle Arroscia and caciotta di Brugnato. Formaggetta della Val Graveglia, della Val di Vara and Savonese are small, fresh tommes. Not forgetting prescinsêua, a slightly sour fromage frais, or giuncata, which is pressed in an elongated wicker basket, giving it the shape of a rugby ball. Finally, brös or bruzzo is traditionally made with cheese crusts and grappa, a grape brandy, although today this very strong-tasting product is often made with fromage frais and white wine.

There are a few things to be aware of when entering an Italian restaurant. The coperto is a supplement (between €2 and €4 per person) which includes bread and service, and is added to the bill, the price of which is indicated on the menu. Secondly, although tap water is drinkable, restaurateurs will only offer bottled water, always at a charge, in still or sparkling versions. Finally, seaside establishments often offer"pescato del giorno" (fish from the day's catch), but the price is calculated per 100g and not for the whole fish. The bill may therefore be much higher than expected.

The classics of Ligurian cuisine

An Italian meal begins with antipasti. These may include cold cuts, cheese, mushrooms or vegetables in brine, as well as various seafood products such asacciughe sotto sale (anchovies in salt), brandacujun (cod brandade), friscioeu (cod croquette) orinsalata di polpo (octopus salad). Simple frittelle are small fritters made with green onion(cipolla), zucchini flowers(fiori di zucca) or lettuce(lattuga).

Gattafin are fried turnovers stuffed with herbs, chard, eggs, parmesan and onions. Closely related, focaccette al formaggio contain only cheese. Panissa - as in Provence - is a chickpea paste cut into sticks for frying. Also worth mentioning is farinata - the Ligurian equivalent of socca from Nice - a large pancake made with chickpea flour(this). Note: farinata di zucca is more akin to a fine quiche with pumpkin purée. Focaccia - or fügassa in Genoese - is a brioche bread rich in olive oil, which can be prepared plain or with tomato, cheese, olives, rosemary and so on.

Pissaladière(pissalandrea) is thought to have originated in Liguria. While it generally consists of a bread dough base with caramelized onions, anchovies and olives, it can also contain tomato, taking the name sardenaira. Torta pasqualina is an Easter pie topped with ricotta, spinach and hard-boiled eggs. While pizza is not the Ligurian specialty per se, pizza bianca con patate e fagiolini - a tomato-less pizza with potatoes, green beans, mozzarella and pesto - does come from this region.

When talking about pasta in Liguria, it's impossible not to mention pesto alla genovese, made with basil, pine nuts, parmesan, pecorino, garlic, salt and olive oil. Pesto alla genovese goes well with a wide range of dishes, but is perfect with al dente pasta to fully appreciate its richness.U toccu is a ragout of shredded meat with tomatoes, onions and herbs. Salsa di noci is a walnut cream that's very popular with pasta.

Stuffed pasta is common, as are pansoti, ravioli filled with a ricotta-spinach-roquette mixture, served with walnut cream. Zembi d'arzillo is a rare specialty of fish ravioli in a light tomato sauce. Finally, lasagne alla ligure is filled with potatoes, green beans and pesto, then gratinated with béchamel and mozzarella.

Soups are another popular favourite. The unmissable minestrone alla genovese is a rice and vegetable soup (kale, zucchini, green beans, potato, etc.) flavored with pesto. Mesciua is a soup from La Spezia made with durum wheat, chickpeas and white beans. Finally, burrida is a cod, tomato and potato-based soup, often garnished with shrimp, mussels, clams and more. There is a variant - buridda di seppie con piselli - where the cod is replaced by cuttlefish and peas.

In Italy, secondo is a "main" dish based on meat or fish. Examples include coniglio alla sanremese (rabbit braised in a sauce with olives, walnuts, aromatic herbs and red wine), cinghiale alla cacciatora (wild boar stew with red wine and tomato), capra e fagioli (goat stew with white beans) and fricassea di pollo alla ligure (chicken braised in a creamy sauce with white wine, pine nuts and peas). Vitello all'uccelletto is a veal fricassee with garlic, onion and white wine. Stecchi alla genovese are skewers of chicken, veal, beef and sausage, coated in béchamel sauce and then breaded. Trippa alla genovese are tripe with tomato, potato and onion.

Cima alla genovese is a recipe for veal breast, stuffed with a mixture of minced meat and small vegetables, then poached in stock and served cold in slices. Polpettone di melanzane is a kind of "bread" made from eggplant pulp and egg, stuffed with salami and mozzarella, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. Zucchine ripiene alla ligure are zucchini stuffed with minced meat and roasted for a long time in the oven. There are also variations with other vegetables.

On the seaside, you'll find the emblematic cappon magro. This Genoese dish is a hearty salad of hard-boiled eggs, shrimp, tuna and pre-cooked vegetables (carrots, peas, beet, green beans, artichokes) on a bed of crackers(galletta del marinaio), seasoned with salsa verde (olive oil, parsley, garlic, capers, etc.). Others include acciughe ripiene (fresh anchovies stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, egg, parsley and parmesan, breaded and fried), baccalà al verde (cod in a white wine, garlic and parsley sauce) and bagnun (fresh anchovy soup with tomato). Seppie in zimino are cuttlefish in a tomato sauce with chard. Finally, cozze ripiene alla spezzina are mussels stuffed with a mixture of mortadella, parmesan and breadcrumbs, served with a tomato and basil sauce.

Desserts, coffee and spirits

Pandolce is a leavened cake, filled with raisins, pine nuts and candied citron, flavored with green anise and served at Christmas. Unsurprisingly, sponge cake - pan di Spagna - comes from Liguria. This airy cake, well known in France, is the basis for torta sacripantina, a multi-layer cake topped with mascarpone and cocoa cream and soaked in Marsala wine. Spongata is a shortbread pie filled with a rich blend of almonds, dried and candied fruit and honey. In the hills, we find castagnaccio, a cake made with chestnuts and dried fruit.

Gobeletti are tarts filled with quince jam, and ravioli dolci are turnovers stuffed with sweet ricotta. Cookies include amaretti (with bitter almond), baxin (with aniseed and lemon) and canestrelli (with vanilla and lemon). Biscotti del lagaccio, flavored with fennel seeds, are very crunchy and can be dipped in a glass of liqueur or a cup of coffee. The Italians are masters in the art of preparing espresso, cappuccino and ristretto to perfection, and even in the most modest bar you'll find a delicious coffee.

Liguria boasts first-rate wine production, with some twenty D.O.C. wines. Local white wines are very popular, such as the dry Vermentino, ideal with pasta and seafood. Pigato goes perfectly with fish. On the Genoa side, Coronata white has been cultivated since the 16th century. Among the reds is rossese from Dolceacqua.

Sciacchetrà is produced exclusively by Cinque Terre winemakers. This deliciously sweet liqueur is made from grapes grown on the steep terraces facing the sea, such as albarola, vermentino and bosco. The grapes are then vinified after ageing and refining. Another emblematic liqueur, limoncino is the Ligurian name for limoncello, produced from the Gulf of Genoa to Sicily. Cinque Terre limoncino is very famous. Among the most common beers are Peroni, Nastro Azzurro, Moretti and Cortigiana.