This world-renowned cuisine is one of the most delicious (and healthiest) in the entire world and you can find an Italian restaurant almost anywhere. But did you know that Italian food is deeply rooted in history and the evolving culture that makes Italy what it is today?

We’re diving deep into the (brief) history of Italian food, tracing it back thousands of years, and investigating how it has evolved into one of the world’s favorite comfort foods. 

Craving some Italian-inspired meals? Head on down to Cafesano: Italian & Mediterranean Bistro for a delicious meal today! 

A Brief History of Italian Food

It has taken thousands of years for the diet in the Mediterranean country of Italy to evolve into what we see on menus today. Agriculture, society, politics, and science all play a hand in how we get pizza, spaghetti, and tons of different pasta sauces.

Greek and Etruscan Influence

Before the time of the Romans, Greeks were living in southern Italy and Sicily, introducing staple foods like figs, honey, and goat cheese. 

While in central Italy, the Etruscans, who lived in Italy even before the Romans, left traditions of using legumes in soups and making flatbreads. They also were one of the first people to use thyme and rosemary, two very important herbs in Mediterranean food, in cooking. 

The Origins of Italian Cuisine

The beginnings of the sophisticated and delicious Italian cuisine dates back to the Ancient Romans, a civilization that ruled most of Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East. 

The Romans relied heavily on grains such as barley and farro and were craftsmen at baking bread, which would be enjoyed with olive oil and cheese. You would also find grapes, olives, honeyed fruit, spiced wine, and hearty meat served at extravagant feasts during this time period. 

As the Roman Empire spread, trade routes brought spices such as pepper and cinnamon and dried dates to be used in the humble beginnings of Italian cuisine.

The Middle Ages: A Time of Culinary Transformation

Skipping ahead a few hundred years, we see that the Medieval Ages started to transform cuisine to resemble more of what we see in modern Italian food. During this time, we see a rise in culinary innovations to preserve food, such as curing meats, aging cheeses, and drying pasta.

Monasteries also played a large role in shaping Italian cuisine, especially by producing wine and olive oil. It was also during this time, around the 1300s that the first Italian cookbook was written, Liber de Coquina, or the Book of Cooking.  

It’s also during the Middle Ages that we see a rise in prominent regional dishes and cuisine. For example, northern Italy’s food-focused more on dishes that included butter, cream, and cheese, especially in dishes like risotto and polenta. In southern Italy, the dishes focused more on seafood, olive oil, and citrus fruits. 

The Renaissance and Culinary Revolution

As the country entered its period of enlightenment, also known as the Renaissance, when art and education were top priorities, Italian cuisine went through a monumental revolution. 

During this time, explorers reach the New World and bring back new fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, potatoes, and corn. That’s right; before Christopher Columbus sailed the Atlantic, Europe didn’t have tomatoes! 

With these new ingredients, Italian food takes on a new curve, incorporating tomato in pasta and potatoes in legume stews. As chefs incorporated these ingredients, they also refined classic dishes of risotto, pasta, and sauces.

The Italian Food We Know and Love Today

You know that delicious dough with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese you enjoy with friends while watching a football game or gathering around for a movie on a Friday night? Pizza originated in Italy in the 18th century, but the classic pizza, Margherita, wasn’t invented until 1889 in Naples for Queen Margherita!

During the 19th and 20th centuries, pasta became more popular and gelato experienced a sharp rise to fame. And as Italian immigrants settled down in countries like the United States, Australia, Canada, and Argentina, more people were introduced to this delicious cuisine. 

During World War II, when soldiers were stationed in Italy, they were said to have developed such a love for the cuisine. When they returned home, they wanted their wives to learn how to cook their favorite Italian dishes! 

It wasn’t until the 1950s that we began to see Italian restaurants open up worldwide, sharing some of the most iconic and delicious meals on their menus for the world to enjoy. 

Key Principles of Italian Food

Italian food is more than just pasta, pizza, wine, and tiramisu. There are key principles that formed Italian food to be what we love today. 

• Simple, High-Quality Ingredients – Italian food calls for fresh, simple, high-quality ingredients; you’ll taste the difference! 
• Farm to Table – The key to an authentic Italian meal is using super fresh ingredients from local sources for the best flavors. 
• Family Affair – Italian food is meant to be enjoyed and savored in a comfortable setting, preferably with loved ones; this is a major value the Italians hold when it comes to their food.
• Expert-Crafted Products – You can find imported Italian products in most grocery stores, from cheese to cured meats to pasta; pick some up next time you want to try an authentic Italian recipe. 

Italian cuisine isn’t just food; it’s a time to enjoy the little things in life with the people you love most. 

Live La Bella Vita and Enjoy Your Next Italian Meal at Cafesano

Are you ready to satisfy your craving for handcrafted pasta dishes, brick oven pizzas, or delicious sweet desserts? Come on down to Cafesano Italian & Mediterranean Bistro at one of our two locations in Reston or Dulles to get your Italian food fix!

Join us for happy hour and enjoy fine imported Italian wines or for lunch and dinner to enjoy a perfectly al dente pasta dish with friends and family. 
Check out our menu to see what you’ll order next at Cafesano!

The post A Brief History of Italian Food appeared first on Cafesano.

The next time you’re craving pizza, prioritize brick oven pizza over homemade or oven-cooked pizza. It tastes better, is more authentic, and could also be healthier. 

At Cafesano Italian and Mediterranean Bistro, we pride ourselves in using the hundreds-old tradition of cooking brick oven pizza and using fresh, flavorful ingredients. 

The minute you bite into a brick oven pizza, you’ll notice a world of difference from that homemade or frozen pizza you popped in the oven last weekend. 

The Science Behind Brick Ovens

Our ancestors used brick ovens for thousands of years. However, when modern pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, in the 17th century, brick oven pizza became a favorite worldwide. 

Brick oven pizza is often called Neapolitan pizza because of how it is cooked, the bubbly crust, charred edges, and thin, doughy crust. 

These brick ovens are often large in size and have a dome covering them with a chimney to lead the smoke out of the building. Some are even decorated on the outside with tiles or mosaics. 

But what is the difference between a brick oven and your normal convection oven at home?

A brick oven is enclosed by bricks or stone that can maintain a very high temperature for hours with just a flame. These brick ovens get much hotter than a normal oven, reaching up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. 

However, when cooking brick oven pizza, this temperature usually ranges between 600 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit. This is often why you will see pizza makers using a long wooden tray to insert and take out pizzas from a burning brick oven.

The pizza cooks from above and below thanks to the natural air circulation throughout the oven and is contained by the brick sides.

Brick oven pizza is a way to taste a bit of history and experience what our forebears may have eaten hundreds of years ago before the electric or gas oven was available.

What’s Different About Brick Oven Pizza?

Now that we know what a brick oven is, why does brick oven pizza taste better?

From how the pizza cooks in the brick oven, there are certain features and flavors that conventional ovens can’t deliver. 

Cooks Faster

Thanks to the high temperatures that a brick oven can handle, an entire pizza can cook in about two minutes. Any longer and you may end up with a burnt pizza!

This is excellent for restaurants that make hundreds of pizzas a day for customers. It’s also especially beneficial to hungry customers who don’t want to wait very long for their pizzas to arrive. 

Better Texture

The texture of a brick oven pizza is the perfect combination of crispy and soft. The outside of the crust is often charred and black while the inside is moist and doughy. It’s the best of both worlds! 

The pizza itself often has a thinner crust that does not get too hard and crispy, allowing you to truly enjoy the texture and flavor of the pizza dough. 

Crispy Toppings

Since the oven is set to such a high temperature and the pizza cooks faster, the toppings can become crispy and even more delicious. 

Toppings such as vegetables also retain more of their nutrients due to the quick cooking time. So, in theory, brick oven pizza has more health benefits than a conventional oven pizza! 

Delicious Crust

The most unique thing about a brick oven pizza is the crust. We keep raving about its crispiness, charred bubbles, and doughy interior. You’ll understand once you’ve had a taste of it yourself! 

The high temperatures cause the dough to cook quickly, allowing the exterior to get a nice crunch while keeping the inside soft and chewy. It also prevents the rest of the pizza from getting soggy in the oven. 

Rich Flavor

The taste that you get when eating a brick oven pizza is unique and cannot be replicated by a conventional oven. It has a rich smoky flavor that comes directly from the flames of the brick oven. 

Pizza lovers, especially those with a taste for barbecue, absolutely cherish this unique flavor in their pizza along with the toppings they’ve chosen to complement it.

Every Night is Pizza Night at Cafesano

After reading about all of the deliciousness in an eight—or 12-inch brick oven pizza, it’s no wonder you’re craving one! 

Cafesano is Dulles, Virginia’s go-to restaurant for those craving a Mediterranean-inspired meal and authentic brick oven pizza. 

We use fresh Mediterranean ingredients to make some of our most popular pizzas, such as Margherita, Carne Amante, Formaggio, Greek, and more! Check out our full menu to see which pizza will satisfy your craving now. 

If our pizzas aren’t catching your eye – or your tastebuds – you can create your own brick oven pizza to be made just to your liking! 

Don’t feel up to sitting in a restaurant and enjoying your meal? Not a problem! 

Cafesano also offers the healthiest takeout in the area. Simply call or order online and come pick up your freshly made brick oven pizza. 

Did you enjoy learning about brick oven pizza? Read What Spices Are Used in Mediterranean Food?, next!

The post Why Does Brick Oven Pizza Taste Better? appeared first on Cafesano.