20 Breads of Italy

20 regioni, 20 pani diversi means 20 regions (in Italy), 20 different breads, which is metaphorical for the differences in each region of Italy. Not only culinary differences, but cultural and social differences as well, which continue to hold strong, even in this globalized world.

People have pointed out to me that the title of my blog is the 20 breads of Italy and beyond, and I never write about bread. For that reason I have created this page dedicated to bread, I’ll add to it gradually while traveling and exploring forni italiani.

Pizza Bianca – Rome, Lazio

 

This type of bread is typical all over Italy, it is only called pizza bianca in Rome and of course the way that it is made and the way that it tastes is different in every region. Bakers will often offer small pieces to children while their parents are buying bread. It is wonderful on its own and can also be filled or farcita and made into a sandwich.

Filone di Renella - Rome, Lazio

 

Renella is one of the best bakeries in Rome, I discovered it walking to work every morning when I worked in Trastevere, you could smell the bread baking two blocks ahead. Unlike most bakeries and small shops, Renella is open 7 days a week and I don’t think that they have turned their ovens off in 100 years. They bake a number of different types of bread, but the filone is the classic loaf, called “pane napoletana” by the people who work at Renella. Not terribly Roman in name, though you will find it on the table of almost every restaurant in one of Rome’s most Roman neighborhoods, Trastevere.

Pane di Lariano - Lazio

  

Pane di Lariano is a whole wheat bread that comes from Lariano, a town south of Rome.

Pane Casareccio - Lazio

  

All of these breads are starting to look the same… but they aren’t. Pane casareccia is not whole wheat like pane lariano, but made with white flour, crusty on the outside and spongy soft on the inside. Casareccio means homemade, I wish that I could make bread like this at home, but I would need a serious oven in my apartment which I don’t think is legal.

Pane Siciliano - Sicily

One of the things that I am often tickled by is finding similarities between regional Italian food and Italian-American food. After years of living in Italy I always wondered why sesame loaves in the States were always called Italian loaves. After my recent visit to Sicily I discovered my answer.

Rosette – Lazio

 

Rosette are hollow rolls that are commonly found in Rome, used for sandwiches.

Ciabatta

Ciabatte are a flat bread, a bit like pizza bianca, though harder and made with less oil, good for sandwiches.

Cornetto

These are similar to French croissants, but sweeter and often filled with a sweet cream or jam, they are a typical Italian breakfast.

Pane di Genzano - Lazio

  

Originally from Genzano, this bread is found all over Rome. It is very similar to the pane casareccia, with a hard crust and soft middle.

Focaccia Ligure - Liguria

   

The focaccia in Liguria is the Northern brother of the pizza bianca, a softer crust and a sweeter flavor than Roman pizza bianca, it resembles bread more than it does pizza.

Taralli – Puglia

Taralli Pugliesi are made with white wine and generally with fennel seeds, boiled and then baked until golden.

Friselle – Puglia, Basilicata & Campania

Friselle are a dried bread, which vary in thickness and size, depending on what region you are in. Generally eaten with fresh tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and thyme. I first had them in Basilicata where they would dampen them with water before dressing them, I’ve also had them in Naples topped with seafood.

Focaccia al Pomodoro – Puglia & Basilicata

Focaccia al pomodoro can be found in Puglia and in Basilicata, thick crusted dough with fresh tomato sauce baked on top with thyme.

Pane Laterza – Puglia

Pane Laterza is from the town of Laterza, which is Northwest of Taranto, close to the Basilicata border. It is a long loaf or filone with a firm crust and soft center.

Pane con le Olive – Puglia

Whole wheat rolls made with olives.

Pane col Seme di Finocchio – Puglia

Bread baked with fennel seeds.

Pizza Rustica with Prosciutto Cotto – Puglia

Like a focaccia, this is made with cheese and ham baked inside of it.

Ciambella – Puglia, Basilicata

Crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. La Ciambella is a very typical style of bread that you can find in bakeries in both Puglia and Basilicata.

Pane Casareccio – Puglia

Pane Casareccio Pugliese is a bit denser than a ciambella, the crust is thinner and it is typically made with white flour.