| Italian cuisine is as varied as the
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| | usually consists of a hot dish such as
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| regions of Italy. Although Italy was
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| | pasta, risotto, gnocchi, polenta or soup,
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| officially unified in 1861, the food
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| | with many vegetarian options. There are
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| reflects the cultural variety of the
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| | many types of pasta, each type usually
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| country's regions with culinary
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| | named after its shape with common types
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| influences from Greece, Roman, Gallic,
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| | including spirali (spirals), farfalle
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| Germany, Turkish, Hebrew, Slavic, Arab,
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| | (butterflies; sometimes described as
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| Chinese and other civilizations. In this
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| | 'bow-tie-shaped'). Penne (hollow tubes)
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| sense, there really is no one Italian
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| | and conchiglie (shells). Different shapes
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| cuisine because each area boasts of its
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| | are supposed to be better with the
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| own specialties. Not only is the food of
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| | different types of sauces. Spirals are
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| Italy highly regionalized, but a high
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| | two strips of pasta twirled around each
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| priority is also placed on the use of
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| | other and are used with the heavier
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| fresh available produce.
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| | sauces, such as those containing minced
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| Although traditional Italian dishes vary
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| | meat and vegetables. Rigatoni is
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| by region, they also do not follow
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| | cylinders or tubes, with a wide diameter
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| strictly to a North/South pattern either.
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| | and grooves (or lines) on the outside.
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| The north tends to use more butter,
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| | The grooves are supposed to hold the
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| creams, polenta, mascarpone, grana padano
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| | sauce onto the pasta, meaning that this
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| and Parmigiano cheeses, risotto, lasagna
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| | pasta is good with runnier sauces. Then
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| and fresh egg pasta, while the south is
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| | there is the group of pasta made up of
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| more tomato and olive oil based cooking,
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| | long thin strands, which includes the
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| along with mozzarella, caciocavallo and
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| | most common type of pasta, spaghetti.
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| peconrino cheeses, and dried pasta.
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| | Typically you eat this type of pasta by
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| Coastal and central regions often use
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| | coiling its long thin strands around a
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| tortellini, ravioli and prosciutto in
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| | fork. Other long thin pastas are
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| their cooking. Even pizza varies across
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| | tagliatelle, fettuccine and linguini,
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| the country. In Rome the crusts are thin
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| | which are all varieties of flattened
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| and cracker-like, while Neapolitan and
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| | spaghetti. Extremely thin strands of
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| Sicilian pizzas have a thicker crust.
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| | pasta are called vermicelli (meaning
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| For most Italians, pasta is the first
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| | 'little worms'). Yet another group of
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| course in a meal with the exception of
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| | pasta is made of flat sheets (lasagna) or
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| the far north where risotto or polenta is
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| | tubes (cannelloni), which are either
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| the norm. Vegetables, grains and legumes
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| | layered or stuffed with meat and cheese
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| play a regular part of many Italian diets
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| | fillings. Some pastas have 'pockets' to
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| with meat often not being a regular part
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| | hold the sauce inside them instead of
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| of everyday meals, Olive oil is usually
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| | outside like ravioli or tortellini, which
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| seen in its dark green state (from its
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| | are soft sheets of pasta rolled around
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| first pressing) in the south, where in
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| | meat or cheese. Italians cook pasta of
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| the north a more refined, golden oil is
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| | all kinds, whether fresh or dried, in
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| seen. Basically, Italian cuisine
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| | boiling water until al dente ('to the
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| consists of a combination of vegetables,
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| | teeth', meaning still a tiny bit hard in
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| grains, fruits, fish, cheeses and a some
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| | the centre. It is then served
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| meats, with fowl and game usually
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| | immediately in a bowl with sauce or
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| seasoned or cooked with olive oil (with
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| | cheese.
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| the exception of the far north). La
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| | 3. SECONDO (second course) - this is
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| cucina povera, the food of the poorer
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| | usually the main dish of fish or meat.
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| Italian people of the southern coastal
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| | Veal, pork and chicken are traditionally
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| area, has shaped a diet popular for
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| | the most common and are often pan-fried
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| centuries but now there is a resurgence
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| | or casseroled. Beef is used as steaks
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| of this "poor people's food", the
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| | (bistecca), while lamb (agnello) is
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| Mediterranean diet, which is now being
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| | roasted on special occasions, such as
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| touted as the model around which we
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| | Easter and Christmas. Fish and other
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| should restructure our eating habits.
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| | seafood are often used as main courses.
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| Breakfast is considered a minor meal in
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| | 4. CONTORNO (side dish) - this may be a
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| Italy, often consisting of nothing more
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| | salad or cooked vegetable. Salad is
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| than a bread roll and milky coffee (café
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| | traditionally served with the main
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| latte). Traditional lunches tend to be
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| | course. Common vegetables are beans
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| larger, have several courses and are
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| | (greens and pulses), potatoes (often
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| eaten slowly. Italian children don't go
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| | sautéed), and carrots as well as salads.
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| to school in the afternoon, and because
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| | 5. FORMAGIIO AND FRUTTA (cheese and
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| of the heat, many small businesses close
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| | fruit) - this is the first dessert course
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| from midday until about 4pm which makes
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| | and the fruit and cheese are usually
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| lunch the social meal of the day. The
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| | served together. Grapes, peaches,
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| traditional menu structure in Italy
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| | apricots and citrus fruits are a major
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| consists of basically eight courses, but
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| | product of Italy's agricultural industry
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| the long traditional Italian menu is
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| | and are common. 6. DOLCE (dessert) - the
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| typically kept for special occasions such
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| | cakes and cookies course Italians produce
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| as weddings, with everyday fare including
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| | many sweet desserts and 'sweet treats',
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| only the first and second courses, with
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| | including Amaretti, almond-flavoured
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| the side dish being served with the
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| | meringues, which Australians call
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| second course. As an exception to this
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| | macaroons, Panforte, a sweet semi-hard
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| order, a unique course, Piatto unico, can
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| | 'strong bread' based on nuts and
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| replace the first or second course with,
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| | containing dried fruit (a classic
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| for example, pizza. The traditional menu
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| | Christmas treat from Siena), and.
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| consists of: 1. ANTIPASTO - which are
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| | Pannettone, a very rich bread-cake
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| hot or cold appetizers, literally it
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| | (another Christmas treat). 7. CAFFÉ
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| means "before the pasta"; consists of a
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| | (coffee) - which is usually espresso
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| varied combination of colorful foods.
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| | coffee 8. DIGESTIVE (liqueurs) - which
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| The most popular ingredients are melon or
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| | may be grappa, amaro, or Limon cello.
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| tomatoes served with prosciutto cut into
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| | The wine industry has been important to
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| very thin slices. Lettuce, such as the
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| | Italy for centuries and the most common
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| slightly bitter endives or rocket, or
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| | drink associated with Italy is wine.
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| other green leaves, such as the
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| | Until recently, and even now in the
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| aniseed-tasting fennel, are typically
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| | countryside, most Italians would make
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| used as a garnish, placed around the
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| | their own red or white house wine after
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| edges of the serving dish. Salami,
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| | the grape harvest. This would be drunk at
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| mortadella, coppa and zampone,
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| | every lunch and dinner. Even children are
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| manufactured meat products, are common in
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| | given wine to drink, but it is usually
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| antipasti. The artistry of the food is as
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| | watered down with mineral water. Before
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| important to Italians as the taste. For
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| | dinner many Italians drink an amaro
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| example the reddish colour of salami
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| | (bitter) to stimulate the digestive
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| provides a good contrast to the green
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| | system, while after dinner they may drink
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| lettuce. Fish and other seafood may also
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| | sweet wines, such as marsala (from
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| be used in the antipasti course and, of
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| | Sicily). Children are also sometimes
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| course, olives and artichokes are also
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| | given Marsala, beaten with a raw egg and
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| common servings, as are mushrooms (fungi)
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| | sugar into zabaglione, to strengthen
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| seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon
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| | them.
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| juice. 2. PRIMO (first course) - which
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