Bring Some UNESCO Heritage Into Your Kitchen
When the Italian cuisine was officially declared a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, it was like putting Italian food culture up against incredible world treasures like the Colosseum, although this recognition is different because it is not about a static building or historical place, nor 1 thing in particular. Rather, this Italian Cuisine designation is about recognizing a living, breathing system of rituals, biodiversity, and community that happens every day around the table.
We here at Vero believe that for the Italian foodie and wine lover, this UNESCO status is much more than a headline; it is the ultimate stamp of authenticity. In a world saturated with "Italian-style" products and mass-produced “wannabe” shortcuts, this designation serves as a North Star for authenticity. It is seeing Italian food and wine as part of a complex cultural system where the cuisine, the people, the land, and the traditions are inseparable. You see, the soul of this cuisine isn't just found in a list of ingredients or even the recipes. It is found in the intention behind them.
UNESCO recognized Italian cooking for its rich heritage, which we broke down into 3 key pillars:
Identity and Tradition, recognizing the long history and culture which generations have kept intact over hundreds of years;
Territorio or Expression Place and its biocultural diversity;
The concept of growing, harvesting, preparing and serving all together, a concept which embraces both seasonality and sustainability.
By understanding these three pillars, you aren't just "cooking Italian"; instead, you are participating in a protected global legacy.
It is something that we have been innately curating over the years in the VeroBlog as we have shared authentic Italian recipes, gathered from friends, family, winemakers, and local favorite, “real” Italian trattorias.
In this article, we highlight some of our favorite Italian dishes and share those recipes, in line with the importance of UNESCO’s Italian cuisine and its 3 pillars.
Understanding the Italian Meal and Dishes
First, a quick note on how Italian recipes are structured.
Italian dishes have reason and structure; to eat like an Italian is to embrace a specific rhythm.
Rather than piling everything onto a single plate, an authentic Italian meal is a structured sequence of different courses designed to slow down the pace and enjoy a meal.
This intentional separation allows you to focus on the nuances of each dish and gives you the space to enjoy the wine and the conversation. Think of the concept of mindfulness regarding both food and wine that we discussed in this article.
Not counting the aperitivo, a dolce vita tradition, a traditional Italian meal:
starts with the Antipasto, the starter or appetizer;
followed by the Primo, the "first course," usually a pasta, like with sugo, or rice, or soup;
next comes the Secondo, the "second course," which comprises an entree which is typically a protein, that is often served with a vegetable contorno;
a meal concludes with the Dolce, dessert, ideally paired with a passito, sweet wine;
which signals the transition to caffè, or coffee, sometimes a digestivo, an after dinner liqueur, like an amaro or grappa.
“Vero” UNESCO Italian Recipes to Try
In Italian, Vero means "real" or "true." The recipes we share here on the VeroBlog are a direct reflection of that name; they are not just pulled from the web or an AI bot, but are "true" artifacts of Italian life.
These dishes come directly from the kitchens of our artisan farmers, our founder, the professional culinary experience of Vero Collaborator Jacqueline Mitchell, an American who spent over 10 years in a local Italian restaurant in Northern Italy, and the treasured recipes of friends and family all along the peninsula.
So without further ado, let’s explore some Italian recipes and dishes, and how they help us build the three pillars of Italian cuisine.
Pillar One: Identity and Long Tradition
This pillar represents the familial soul of Italy. Food is often the center of Italian society, where recipes are passed down like treasured antiques that are meant to be honored, not modified. Because Italy was unified as a singular country only 165 years ago, an Italian’s true identity is often tied to their specific town or area rather than the nation as a whole. This fierce local pride is why traditions are handed down and treasured as such an integral part of a specific place.
Antipasto: Bagnet Verd
Bagnet Verd (Parsley Sauce): In Piemonte, this green sauce is a staple of regional identity. While every household has their own secret version, it remains fundamentally tied to the Piedmontese table, being served with multiple dishes as well as an antipasto.
Primo: Brodo & Timballo
Brodo (Broth or Stock): Tradition is often a family heirloom. Our homemade broth recipe comes straight from Sheila’s mother-in-law’s nonna, and is a foundational base and technique for any authentic Italian kitchen.
Timballo (Abruzzese Lasagna): For a more regional look at identity, Vero Friend Gaia’s Timballo is a crepe-based "lasagna" from her grandmother’s kitchen in Abruzzo, representing a specific local history preserved for generations.
Secondo: Caponata e Polpette
Eggplant Caponata: Identity travels with the person. Our Sicilian Eggplant Caponata is Vero Friend Daniela’s grandmother’s recipe, bringing the vibrant flavors of Sicily to life.
Polpette (Meatballs): Our Polpette come from another Vero Friend, a Pugliese friend, living in Bologna.
Dolce: Crostata & Sfrappole (or Chiacchiere… or Bugie… depends on where you are from!)
Crostata (Jam Pie): The Crostata is a classic Northern Italian dessert. Simple (pie crust and jam), every family and Nonna has their way of making it.
Bugie, Sfrappole, Chiacchiere: For a festive touch, we have Sfrappole, traditional during Carnevale. While the name of these fried dough ribbons changes depending on which area you are in (Bugie for Piedmont, Sfrappole in Bologna, and Chiacchiere in Milan), the tradition remains a core part of the Italian Carnevale season, no matter where you are and what they are called!
Pillar Two: Territorio or Expression of Place & Biocultural Diversity
As we mentioned in this previous article, the Italian word territorio goes far beyond its literal translation of “territory”. It is more than just a dot or delineated area on a simple map, but rather also all of the culture, climate, landscape, and people that are in that physical space. Italian cuisine is a mosaic of biocultural diversity, where a dish changes the moment you cross into the next valley or sometimes even the next town. This pillar recognizes that a recipe is an edible map of its specific soil, climate, people, and history.
Antipasto: Frico
Frico (Potato and Cheese Hashbrown): Hailing from the mountains of Friuli, Frico is a testament to the local traditions. It can be served and made lots of different ways, depending on the potatoes, cheese, and hand. But the hearty dish is one that seems made for the rugged territorio of the Northeast and its crisp white wines.
Primo: Riso Mantovano & Risotto al Barolo
Riso alla Mantovana (Mantuan Rice): In Mantova, where a lot of rice is grown, their prized rice is paired with local garlic-rich sausage (pigs are also plentiful in the area) to create a hearty, regional staple made from local ingredients typical to the area.
Risotto al Barolo (Barolo Rice): Meanwhile, in Piemonte, we use the "King of Wines" to create a risotto, literally infusing the local terroir into every grain of rice. Top it off with a local Bra cheese for a creamy, tangy, dish.
Secondo: Arrosto alle Nocciole
Arrosto alle Nocciole (Roast with Hazelnuts): This roast celebrates not one, but two of Piemonte’s amazing products: Hazelnuts and Fassona beef.
Dolce: Zabaglione
Zabajone (Custard with Wine): Even a simple whipped custard is a map of the place. By using a bold Nebbiolo or a sweet, floral Moscato, the dessert changes entirely to reflect the specific vineyards surrounding the kitchen.
Pillar Three: Farm to Table, Sustainability, and Seasonality
The final pillar is rooted in respect for the Earth and the land. Long before farm-to-table was a modern trend, it was a necessity of Italian life. This pillar celebrates the "anti-waste" philosophy of Italian cuisine, about using every part of an ingredient and cooking what the current season provides. It is about the circular relationship between the farmer, the cook, and the land. And it is also a look into the less metropolitan and more rural aspect of Italian life, where life was sometimes difficult. This waste not want not mentality has its roots in "poor man’s food", or making do with what you have, so make the most of it. Not to mention, making sure that you are acting in harmony with the local environment, ensuring the land remains healthy for the next generation.
Antipasto: Pinzimonio
Pinzimonio (Crudité): The ultimate celebration of seasonality. Pinzimonio is nothing more than the freshest, raw seasonal vegetables dipped in high-quality extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. It is a dish that honors the farmer’s current harvest and the purity of the land.
Primo: Acqua Cotta & Pasatelli
Acqua Cotta (Tuscan Soup): Acqua Cotta literally means “cooked water", and is the hallmark of sustainability. Born in the Maremma region, it was a way for shepherds to create a hearty meal using only water, stale bread, and whatever vegetables or canned tomatoes they had on hand.
Pasatelli (Pasta Noodles): Passatelli is made in various styles across Italy, but uses leftover breadcrumbs, cheese, and eggs to create a unique pasta that ensures nothing in the pantry goes to waste.
Secondo: Panzanella & Goulash
Panzanella (Tuscan Salad): Panzanella is the summer answer to sustainability, using day-old bread to soak up the juices of sun-ripened tomatoes and garden vegetables. All with a drizzle of delicious extra virgin olive oil on top for extra flavor.
Goulash (Stewed Meat): Our Goulash recipe from the Friuli region represents wintertime hearty meals. It is a slow-cooked, warming dish designed for the colder months using hearty, local ingredients.
Dolce: Brutti ma Buoni
Brutti ma Buoni (Hazelnut Cookies): The name translates to "Ugly but Good." These cookies are the perfect waste not want not finish; they were traditionally made to use up leftover egg whites and nuts, proving that in an authentic Italian kitchen, even the scraps can become a delicacy. These cookies are never made by themselves… but always as a left-over from another dish.
Time to Get Cooking
While so many UNESCO heritage sites are far away, there is cultural heritage that you can recreated in your own home. In fact, Italian Cuisine is a world heritage that you can experience right at your own dinner table. By choosing authentic recipes and the artisan ingredients that support them, you are doing more than just cooking, but you are helping to preserve the biodiversity and traditions that UNESCO has deemed essential to humanity. We invite you to explore these flavors, slow down the pace of your next meal, and taste the difference that "Vero" authenticity makes. Be sure to sign up for the Vero newsletter so to be the first to try new recipes that we publish.
For those of you that know our curation style, you know that we love to support small producers and bring you unique fun wines and specialty foods. And you can enjoy these curations by trying a selection of different wines, foods, and olive oils from our portfolio. We sell to both businesses and consumers across the US:
We are enlarging our network of distributors around the country. Reach out to us if you are interested in distributing our products.
We sell to wine stores and restaurants in certain states - contact us if you would like more info.
We do corporate gifts and sommelier guided wine tastings. Email us and we’ll tailor unique and sustainable corporate gift ideas.
If our farm crafted wines, specialty foods, and olive oils are not in your local shop or restaurant buy wine online here and we’ll ship it to you, and we ship to most states.
We also have an award winning wine club for true wine explorers seeking to continually discover unique, sustainable and authentic small production wines they never had.
