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Liguria

Liguria is a region of north-western Italy; its capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennines mountain range. Liguria is bordered by France, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. It rests on the Ligurian Sea, and has a population of 1,557,533. The region is part of the Alps–Mediterranean Euroregion.

Featured Dishes from Liguria

Baci di dama

Baci di dama

Hazlenut sandwich cookies with a chocolate filling

Baxin

Baxin

Anise-flavored cookies, made with flour, sugar, lemon, anise, honey, yeast and milk

Bonet

Bonet

Pudding or custard made with chocolate and amaretti cookies, and topped with rum-flavored caramel sauce and amaretti

Buccellato

Buccellato

Wreath-shaped fig and nut cake, common during Christmas

Canestrelli

Canestrelli

Crumbly butter cookies, made with fennel seed in Monterosso

Castagnaccio

Castagnaccio

Chestnut flour cake with raisins, walnuts, pine nuts, rosemary

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Gobeletti

Shortcrust pastries traditionally filled with apricot jam, but may also be filled with other fruit jams, custard, common on the Feb. 5th, the day of Sant'Agata

Pandolce

Pandolce

The traditional Genoa Christmas sweet bread or cake, made with raisins, candied fruit, pine nuts, anise or fennel

Spongata

Spongata

Cake filled with dried fruit, nuts and honey, common during Christmas

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Torta di castagne

Torta di riso

Torta di riso

Sweet rice tart with lemon peel, vanilla, amaretti biscuits, almonds

Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà

Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà

Hippocras

Hippocras

Sweet spiced wine

Rossese di Dolceacqua

Rossese di Dolceacqua

Anolini

Stuffed pasta, commonly served in broth, Piacenza anolini are filled with meat whereas the Parma version has a cheese, breadcrumb and nutmeg filling, traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve

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Bagnun di acciughe

Anchovy soup with tomatoes, onions, garlic and wine, serve with crusty bread

Bollito misto

Bollito misto

Numerous stewed cuts of beef, veal, cotechino sausage, vegetables, serve with mostarda

Buridda

Buridda

Fish, seafood and vegetable stew

Cacciucco alla livornese

Cacciucco alla livornese

Seafood soup, made with fish, shrimp, eel, cod, lobster, octopus, cuttlefish

Cappon magro

An extravagant seafood, fish and vegetable salad, serve cold, common during Christmas

Cappone ripieno

Cappone ripieno

Stuffed and roasted capon, stuffed with giblets, ground meat, sausage, vegetables, chestnuts, hard boiled eggs

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Carabaccia

Carne pizzaiola

Carne pizzaiola

Beef steak with a tomato pizzaiola sauce, may also be made with veal, chicken, pork

Cervella

Cervella

Brain, for example, fried brain

Cima alla genovese

Cima alla genovese

Calf stomach filled with eggs, vegetables, swiss chard, ham, peas, pine nuts, cheese, herbs and spices, then boiled in broth, allowed to cool and sliced prior to eating

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Cisrà

Tripe and chickpea soup, older recipes used dark chickpeas from the Middle East but modern versions use Italian chickpeas

Coniglio alla ligure

Coniglio alla ligure

Corzetti

Thin coin-shaped pasta with designs stamped on both sides, used in many dishes

Cozze alla marinara

Cozze alla marinara

Steamed mussels with garlic, tomatoes, parsley

Cozze ripiene

Cozze ripiene

Stuffed mussels

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Dory con olive e patate

Fish with olives and potatoes

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Erbazzone

Savory swiss chard or greens pie

Fegato alla veneziana

Fegato alla veneziana

Calf's liver and onions

Gattafin

Gattafin

Fried ravioli filled with swiss chard, onion, egg, parmesan cheese, ricotta

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Gnocchi alla bava

Potato gnocchi topped with a creamy cheese sauce made with Grana Padano, Toma, and/or Fontina cheeses

Gnocchi alla romana

Gnocchi alla romana

Round and flat Roman-style gnocchi made with semolina flour, serve with butter and grated cheese

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Lumache alla ligure

Snails in a sauce made with anchovies, tomatoes, white wine, garlic, rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley

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Mandilli de saea

Large, thin pasta sheets, commonly served with pesto

Melanzane alla parmigiana

Melanzane alla parmigiana

Eggplant casserole with tomato sauce and cheese

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Mesciua

Soup with chickpeas, beans and grains

Minestra di ceci

Minestra di ceci

Chickpea soup with pasta, meat, vegetables

Pansotti

Pansotti

Pasta filled with ricotta, spinach, greens and herbs, traditionally served with salsa di noci, a walnut sauce

Polenta taragna

Polenta taragna

Buckwheat and cornmeal polenta with butter and Valtellina Casera cheese

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Risotto con anatra selvatica

Risotto with wild duck

Rosticciana

Grilled pork ribs seasoned with rosemary and garlic, the ribs may also be cooked in an oven

Sardenaira

Sardenaira

Focaccia topped with tomato sauce, anchovies, onions, sliced tomatoes, olives

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Seppie con piselli

Stewed cuttlefish with peas

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Stecchi fritti

Meat and/or offal is formed around wooden skewers, coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried

Stoccafisso

Stoccafisso

Dried unsalted cod

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Stoccafisso accomodato

Stockfish stew with tomatoes, potatoes, olives, pine nuts

Stracotto

Stracotto

Stewed beef, made with a tomato sauce and wine

Testaroli

Testaroli

Diamond shaped pasta made with the same batter used to make panigacci flatbread, commonly served with pesto

Tomaxelle

Meat rolls stuffed with meat, cheese, herbs, polenta

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Torta di verdure

Savory pie with vegetables and/or greens

Torta pasqualina

Torta pasqualina

Tortelli zucca

Tortelli zucca

Pumpkin-filled pasta

Trenette al pesto

Trenette al pesto

Trenette pasta topped with pesto

Trofie

Trofie

Variety of pasta shaped like thick, twisted noodles

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Vitelloni Piemontesi della Coscia

Cattle reared in Piedmont and Liguria, Italy

Acciughe sotto sale del Mar Ligure

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Acciughe sotto sale del Mar Ligure

Salted and preserved anchovies harvested from coastal waters in Liguria, Italy

Bagnet verd

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Bagnet verd

A green sauce with parsley, anchovies, breadcrumbs, vinegar, used with gran bollito misto piemontese

Basilico Genovese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Basilico Genovese

Ocimum basilicum basil, grown in Liguria, Italy

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Caviale dei poveri

Eggplant spread made with whitebait, sardines or anchovies, chili peppers, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, herbs and spices, serve with bread

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Checca sauce

A no-cook tomato sauce with mozzarella, olive oil, garlic, serve with pasta

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Condiglione

Salad with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, green beans, bell peppers, boiled eggs, anchovies, tuma, ship's biscuits, potatoes, several variations

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Corzetti

Thin coin-shaped pasta with designs stamped on both sides, used in many dishes

Cozze alla marinara

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Cozze alla marinara

Steamed mussels with garlic, tomatoes, parsley

Farinata

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Farinata

Pancake using chickpea flour

Focaccia con il formaggio

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Focaccia con il formaggio

Baked focaccia flatbread topped with fresh cow's milk cheese, from Genoa, Liguria, Italy

Focaccia genovese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Focaccia genovese

Thin bread baked on a baking sheet, pressed down with fingers before baking

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Frisceu

Fritters, several versions include fish

Fritto misto

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fritto misto

Fried appetizers

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Funghi e patate al forno

Baked mushrooms and potatoes

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mandilli de saea

Large, thin pasta sheets, commonly served with pesto

Panigacci

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Panigacci

Unleavened flatbread or crepes cooked in cast iron or terra cotta baking dishes called testi, serve with pesto, cold cuts, cheese, chocolate, panigacci batter is also used to make testaroli pasta

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Panissa

Panzanella

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Panzanella

Bread and vegetable salad

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pesto di fave

Fava bean pesto

Pesto Genovese

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pesto Genovese

Basil pesto, a paste or sauce made by pounding basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, parmesan cheese, used with pasta, rice dishes, soups

Polenta fritta

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Polenta fritta

Preboggion

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Preboggion

A mix of Ligurian wild herbs that depends on the season, made with borage, nettles, dog-tooth, sow-thistle, dandelion, chervil, chicory, used in pasta dishes

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Riso al salto

Savory rice pancake, made with leftover risotto and may also include saffron, cheese, herbs, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Riviera Ligure

Extra virgin olive oil made from Lavagnina, Pignola, Razzola and Taggiasca olives, from Liguria, Italy

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Salsa di noci

Walnut sauce, made with pounded walnuts and pine nuts, oil, garlic, parsley, used with pasta such as pansotti

Sgabei

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Sgabei

Fried yeasted dough, traditionally made with leftover bread dough

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Side, Snack, Appetizer

Spianata

Focaccia-like yeasted bread, commonly flavored with rosemary, onion, garlic, olives, olive oil, salt and pepper

Trofie

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Trofie

Variety of pasta shaped like thick, twisted noodles