Italian cuisine

Italian cuisine belongs to the Mediterranean cuisine, which offers light and simple dishes. Italy’s specialties are flour dishes such as pizza, pasta, ravioli and risotto. Traditional Italian recipes rely on such staple ingredients as tomatoes, olive oil and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Meat is eaten infrequently and more so in the north. Italians like to eat and celebrate meals, especially eaten in the evening in good company. An Italian breakfast is simply coffee and a croissant, lunch is a snack during a break from work, while dinner is hearty and multi-course.