30 facts about Italian cuisine - Italian gastronomy is enjoyed all over the globe and there are uncountable local versions of typical Italian dishes. Here are 30 things you should know about Italian cuisine!

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Regions - There are several regions in Italy, and each has its own traditional cuisine; the food you find in Rome is totally different from that traditionally eaten in Florence. For example. spaghetti carbonara is typical to Rome.

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Pizza - Pizzas used to be square and sandwich-like, sort of like calzone.

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Origin - There is a theory that pizza evolved from Turkish bread, which was taken to the Naples during the Crusades.

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Pioneers - Naples was home to the first circular pizza, and the Neapolitan were also the first to add tomato and oregano to the dough.

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Margherita pizza - Rafaelle Esposito created the margherita pizza in a Naples tavern in the 19th century. It was intended to honor Queen Margherita, wife of Umberto I. The round dough was decorated with the colors of the Italian flag: green (basil), white (mozzarella), and red (tomato).

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Social status - Pizza was considered the poor people's food in the south of Italy, as it was made with cheap ingredients. After the margherita pizza was created for the queen, the food gained social status.

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Hawaiian pizza - Hawaiian pizza was created by a Greek man, Sam Panopoulos, at a restaurant in Ontario, Canada. He got the inspiration for the pizza's name from a pineapple can.

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Fried pizza - Some countries have created their own versions of pizza. In Scotland, for instance, some pizzerias sell deep fried pizza!

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Pizza Day - The day King Umberto I and Queen Margherita tried pizza for the first time, 10 July 1889, was declared official Pizza Day.

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Luxurious pizza - The most expensive pizza is made with four types of caviar, fresh lobster, salmon, and wasabi. It can be found at Nino's Bellissima Pizza, in New York.

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Dessert - One of the most popular deserts among Italians is tiramisu. It is from the region of Veneto and one of its layers is coffee-soaked ladyfingers. This delicacy's name originates from the Italian expression "tirami su," which means "pick me up."

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Neapolitan ice cream - Neapolitan ice cream wasn't actually created in Naples, but in the United States. The dessert was inspired by the three-layered ice cream cakes invented by Giuseppe Tortoni, a Neapolitan who owned Café Tortoni in Paris.

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Gelato - Gelato is an artisanal ice cream made without any artificial preservatives or food dyes. This Italian dessert is peculiar in the sense that it cannot not be frozen and only lasts for a few days. Gelato has around 60% less fat than ice cream.

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Gelato University - Gelato is taken so seriously in Italy that there's even a Gelato University in the country! Located near Bologna, it was founded by Carpigiani, the biggest producer of ice cream machines.

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Variety - In Italy, there are over 300 types of pasta and each can be cooked with different sauces.

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Pasta - Studies show that an Italian person eats around 24 kg of pasta each year, which shouldn't come as a surprise considering it is one of the most consumed ingredients in the country.

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Spaghetti bolognese - Italians don't really eat spaghetti bolognese. In fact, this sauce is usually eaten with tagliatelle.

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Tagliatelle carbonara - This type of pasta was created in tribute to the hair of Lucrecia Borgia (1480–1519), the duchess of Ferrara.

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Fettuccine alfredo - Fettuccine alfredo is a dish made with Parmesan cheese and butter. As the cheese melts, it forms a smooth, rich sauce that coats the pasta. The dish was developed in the 1970s by Alfredi di Lelio, in New York.

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Spaghetti and meatballs - You won't find spaghetti with meatballs in Italian restaurants. It is a clear example of how Italian food now varies from country to country.

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Pasta eaters - China and Indonesia are the world's biggest consumers of pasta. There are many kinds of pasta in Asia, from ramen to rice noodles.

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Culinary habits - Italians value the quality and freshness of ingredients and would rather buy meat from the butcher and bread from the bakery than subpar products from one place.

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Variety of cheeses - Different regions produce different cheeses.

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Cheeses - Some of the most popular cheeses among Italians are: gorgonzola, parmesan, pecorino, provolone, and mozzarella.

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Ricotta - Ricotta is very different to mozzarella or gorgonzola. It is made from milk whey left over from the production of cheese, which means it is soft, fresh, and low in fat.

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Caprese salad - The caprese salad is traditionally from the region of Campania. According to researchers, the dish became popular on the island of Capri after being served to Egyptian King Farouk (1920-1965).

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Mozzarella - Real Italian mozzarella is traditionally made with buffalo milk.

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Gorgonzola - Gorgonzola is named after the city near Milan. It is injected with bacteria during the maturation process, giving it a green-blue color and a very intense flavor.

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Polenta - Polenta is also a popular foods among Italians. The Romans used to make the same dish with oats before cornmeal was only brought to Europe after the discovery of the Americas.

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Gastronomic nationalism - Exportation of prosciutto to the US wasn't allowed until 1989. Mortadella and speck weren't brought to the US before 2000, and other meats such as cotechino and zampone are still not exported.

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