Legumes & Cereals

Legumes and grains are widely used in Italian cuisine, and they can be used to prepare numerous traditional dishes. There's one grain that is the foundation of Italian cuisine, and it's a must-have in any complete meal. We're talking about wheat, used primarily to make flour, which is then used to make pasta. Wheat is the food that best embodies the true essence of Made in Italy.

But aside from wheat, we also highlight the widespread use of rice. This grain is used to make risotto, which comes in many different varieties; each region has its own recipes and its own risotto. There's risotto with saffron (called "alla milanese"), the classic one with porcini mushrooms, with radicchio (called "il trevigiano"), or even the traditional Apulian dish "rice, potatoes, and mussels."

We also recommend the Amalfi Coast's signature dish, the dish that best reflects the flavors and aromas of this splendid area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). We're talking about "lemon risotto."

Staying in Southern Italy, you should know that there are many recipes that feature legumes as their main ingredient, especially cooked with pasta or as a soup. One of the most famous dishes abroad is "Pasta e fagioli."

Legumes and cereals: the history

Cereals, especially wheat, are among those foods known since ancient times, having arrived in Italy even before the ancient Romans. For ancient peoples, wheat was considered the gold of our time, a precious commodity.

We cannot say with certainty where it came from, but we know that the ancient Romans produced it right here in our lands, and often imported it from Egypt or Greece.

Legumes are a different story entirely; most of them were introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus. In fact, legumes such as beans (such as borlotti beans) were already used by the Mayans and Aztecs. They are thought to have originated in Central and South America (Mexico and Peru).

Italian legumes and cereals

Legumes are certainly not among Italy's major agricultural products, although numerous brands produce legumes in the country. Among the major brands producing jarred or preserved legumes are:

• Valfrutta;
• Cirio;
• Jolly Colombani;
• Blacksmiths;
• Valgri.
• Bonduelle
• Conad;
• Coop;
• Deco.