Why Do Italians Love Bread

So I know personally how much I like to dip bread in my gravy/sauce. I don’t remember the last time I ate dinner on Sunday without it. Soe here is some of the history behind bread in Italy.

A meal that is eaten by Italian people always includes some type of bread. There is proof that Italians have been making bread for many thousands of years due to the plethora of ancient ovens and tools. Indeed, bread making was taken to an advanced level by the ancient Italians. They engaged in the enhancement of the milling technique in the processing of wheat. The Italians are considered to be the first people to derive flour from wheat, which could then be used for the sake of baking white bread. In fact, during the time of the first century AD, there was even the opening of a baking school in the city of Rome.

When it comes to bread, Italians maintain standards that are high. They have to make sure that the yeast will take several hours to rise, as they believe that this makes a better and more complete rise of the yeast. During this process of the longer rising of the yeast, a thin crust appears over the yeast. The size of the loaves of bread is highly valued by the Italians. This is due to the fact that they want to ensure that each member of the family is nourished well.

Also, bread that has an interior that is both moist and soft is the preference of most Italians. This is due to the fact that bread that is moist and soft inside provides a better experience when it comes to the desire to use the bread to soak up olive oil, tomatoes, vinegar or other delightful toppings.

Thus, Italians in America have brought their bread with them. That is why throughout the history of Italians in America, there have been many different kinds of Italian bread that have been enjoyed by Italians in America.

Cecina is a type of Italian bread that can trace its origins back to the coast of Tuscany. This is a flatbread that resembles pizza. It is constructed from a batter that is made up of chickpea flour, water, and olive oil. It is common to use rosemary, black pepper as well as sea salt to provide seasoning for this pancake bread that is thin and crisp. If you have heard of farinata bread and cecina bread, they are basically the same bread just with different names. It depends on the personal preference of the Italians concerning which name they use to refer to this particular type of Italian bread.

Ciabatta is a wonderful Italian bread that is made from yeast and wheat flour. This bread was first made in the region of Liguria. The shape of ciabatta bread is long, flat, and broad. This is a white bread that has a bit of a collapsing effect in the center. This bread is highly prized due to the crisp crust and the interior that is porous, light, and soft. Each region may have its own variety of ciabatta bread within the nation of Italy. That is why Italians in America may also have some variations when it comes to ciabatta bread.

Panettone bread is regarded as hailing from the region of Milan in the nation of Italy. This is one of the two primary forms of sweet Italian breads that are made with yeast. This bread is usually always severed during the celebration of Christmas. The dough to make this bread is characteristically acidic. The dough must be cured prior to being formed into a cupola that expands from a base that is cylindrical in shape. For flavoring for this particular festive Christmas bread, there is the addition of candied citron, candied orange, raisins along with some lemon zest. There are some regional variations for serving this sweet festive Christmas bread. Some people may serve it with chocolate. Or some may serve it with crema di mascarpone. The same is true in America–this bread is part of Italian Christmas celebrations and is often enjoyed with chocolate or crema di mascarpone, depending on which region of Italy the people are from.

Penia bread is an Italian bread that is served for the celebration of Easter. It is made mostly in rural regions of Italy. The common ingredients for this bread include butter, sugar, and the addition of eggs. Moreover, there is the addition of lemon and anise seeds that are regarded as providing the unique flavor of this particular festive Italian Easter bread. Therefore, Italians in America who have a historical rural ancestry love this bread.

Just as Mexico has tortillas, so Italy also has bread that is very similar to tortillas, which is known as piadina. To make this flatbread, the usual ingredients are considered to be salt, lard, water, and flour. This bread is often stuffed with jam, salami, cheese, or vegetables. This bread came from the region of Romagna in Italy. There can be variations in the thickness of this bread due to distinct regional preferences. This can be true in this Italian bread among Italians in America, depending on which region they are from in Italy, which will certainly influence how thick they make piadina.

Taralli is a unique form of Italian bread. This bread can be made to be savory or sweet and it is formed in the shape of a ring. It is quite a popular snack in the region of southern Italy. This Italian bread is quite versatile due to the fact that it can be glazed with sugar to make it sweet. Or it can be flavored by adding fennel, salt, garlic, onions, pepper, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds. These rings have a special texture as a result of first being boiled prior to being baked. Many Italians in America who have a history that goes back to the south of Italy tend to relish this bread.

Pandoro was once a delectable bread that was only permitted to be enjoyed by the royalty elite of Italy. However, it is possible for people in Italy as well as Italians in America now to enjoy this royal Italian bread due to the fact that back in the year of 1894, Domenico Melegatti, who was a citizen of the region of Verona in the nation of Italy, achieved success in obtaining a patent that would allow for the production of pandoro for regular people. This is one of the two primary sweetbreads that are served during the Christmas celebration. This sweet bread is made with yeast and is shaped like a star that has eight points. Often vanilla icing is spread over this bread to look like snow in honor of the festive season.