Cuisine of Mantua facts for kids

Mantuan cuisine is the traditional food from the Italian area of Mantua. Some of these yummy dishes have been around since the time of the Gonzaga family, who were powerful rulers long ago!

This type of cooking is deeply connected to the land and old farming traditions. It's super rich and varied, meaning there are lots of different kinds of food. You might even find slightly different versions of the same dish depending on where you are in Mantua!

Because of where Mantua is located, its food traditions are a bit like its neighbors. It's similar to the Emilian cuisine, which uses a lot of salami and pasta. It also shares things with Lombard cuisine, which uses more rice.

Agnolini are small, tasty pasta rings often served in broth.

Capunsei are a type of dumpling from Mantua.

What are Mantua's Appetizers?

Appetizers are small dishes you eat before the main meal. In Mantua, the traditional appetizers are usually cold cuts. These are different types of sliced meats.

• Salame mantovano: This is a type of salami from Mantua. Sometimes it has fresh garlic added to it for extra flavor.
• Coppa: Also known as Capocollo, this is a cured meat made from the neck and shoulder of a pig.
• Pancetta: This is Italian bacon, usually cured but not smoked.

Other popular cold cuts you might find include:

• Gras pìstà: This is pork lardo (a type of cured fat) that's chopped finely with a knife and mixed with garlic.
• Ciccioli or gréppole: These are crispy pieces of cooked and dried pork and fat.
• Culatello: This special cured meat comes from Parma, but some towns in Mantua also make it.

These cold cuts are often served with other delicious items:

• Gnocco fritto: These are squares or diamond shapes of bread dough that are fried in hot lard. They originally came from other parts of Italy but are now popular in Mantua. People sometimes call them "torta fritta" (fried cake).
• Chisœla: A typical savory focaccia, which is a flatbread.
• Tirot: This is a focaccia with onions, originally from a town called Felonica.
• Chisœlina: A crispy and salty scone.
• Luccio in salsa: This dish features pike fish served in a special sauce.

Salame mantovano is a popular cold cut.

Coppa, a delicious cured meat.

What are Mantua's First Courses?

First courses in Italy often include pasta or rice dishes.

Soups with Broth

Many first courses in Mantua are soups served in a warm broth.

• Agnolini: These are small rings of egg pasta. They are filled with a mix of beef, salami, chicken, breadcrumbs, Grana Padano cheese, and nutmeg. There's also a version with stewed beef inside.
• Tagliatelline, quadretti, and maltagliati: These are all types of egg pasta cut into different shapes. Tagliatelline are thin strips, quadretti are small squares, and maltagliati means "badly cut" because they are irregular shapes.
• Pasta trita: This is egg pasta that's dried and grated into very tiny pieces.
• Panàda: A simple soup made from stale bread, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
• Bevr'in vin: A traditional Mantuan soup.
• Passatelli: Pasta made from breadcrumbs, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, usually served in broth.
• Mericonda: Another traditional soup.

Dry First Courses

These are pasta or rice dishes that are not served in a lot of broth.

• Tortelli di zucca: These are famous tortelli (stuffed pasta) filled with pumpkin. They are a must-try in Mantua!
• Tortelli amari: These "bitter tortelli" are a specialty from Castel Goffredo.
• Tagliatelle: Long, flat ribbons of egg pasta.
• Gnocchi di zucca: Soft dumplings made from pumpkin.
• Capunsei: A type of dumpling, typical of the Alto Mantovano area.
• Risotto alla pilota: A creamy risotto dish seasoned with "salamella," a type of fresh sausage.
• Risotto col puntèl: This risotto is topped with salamella, ribs, or a pork chop.
• Risotto with frogs: A unique risotto made with cleaned frogs, oil, and onion.
• Risotto con i saltaréi: This risotto is topped with fried crayfish.

Risotto alla pilota is a popular rice dish.

Tortelli di zucca are a famous Mantuan dish.

What are Mantua's Second Courses?

Second courses are usually the main meat or fish dishes.

• Stracotto or brasato: This is a slow-cooked stew made from beef. It's often served with polenta, a dish made from boiled cornmeal.
• Stracotto d'asino: A stew made from donkey meat, also served with polenta.
• Bollito misto: This means "mixed boiled meats." It's a dish with beef, chicken, and pork, all boiled together. It's usually served with mostarda, a sweet and spicy fruit relish.
• Frittata con le rane: An omelet made with frogs.
• Cotechino and pisto: Cotechino is a large pork sausage, often served with polenta and lentils.
• Luccio in salsa: This is boiled freshwater pike fish served with a special sauce. The sauce is made from capers, parsley, salted anchovies, garlic, and onion.
• Black bullhead: A type of fish common near the Po river. It can be fried or stewed.
• Roasted helmeted guineafowl: A delicious roasted bird.

Side Dishes

These are dishes served alongside the main course.

• Peperonata: A colorful dish made with stewed peppers, tomatoes, and onions.
• Polenta: A staple side dish made from cornmeal.
• Pollo alla Stefani: A chicken dish prepared in a specific Mantuan style.

Cotechino is often served with polenta and lentils.

Stracotto (stew) is often served with polenta.

What are Mantua's Desserts?

Mantua is famous for its delicious sweets and cakes!

• Torta sbrisolona: This is a very crumbly almond cake. You usually break it into pieces rather than slicing it.
• Torta Elvezia: A rich cake with layers of almond meringue and cream.
• Torta di tagliatelle: A unique cake that actually has thin strands of tagliatelle pasta baked into it!
• Torta mantovana: A classic Mantuan cake.
• Torta margherita: A simple, light sponge cake.
• Torta delle rose: This "rose cake" is made of rolls of sweet dough arranged to look like a bouquet of roses.
• Anello di Monaco: A ring-shaped sweet bread, often with a rich filling.
• Bussolano or bussolà: A simple, ring-shaped sweet bread.
• Chisöl: A sweet version of focaccia.
• Turtei sguasarot: A type of sweet dumpling.
• Zabaione: A light, frothy dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine.
• Sugolo: A sweet pudding made from grape must (freshly crushed grape juice).
• Fiapòn: Another traditional sweet treat.
• Torta greca: A "Greek cake" with a unique flavor.
• Papasìn: A traditional Mantuan dessert.
• Caldi dolci: "Warm sweets."
• Bignolata: A dessert made with cream puffs.
• Torta sabbiosa or Torta del 3: A "sandy cake" known for its crumbly texture.

Torta di tagliatelle is a unique cake with pasta.

What Wines are from Mantua?

Mantua also produces several types of wine.

• Colli Morenici Mantovani del Garda bianco (white wine)
• Garda Colli Mantovani Cabernet (red wine)
• Garda Colli Mantovani Merlot (red wine)
• Garda Colli Mantovani Pinot Grigio (white wine)
• Garda Colli Mantovani Tocai Italico (white wine)
• Garda Colli Mantovani bianco (white wine)
• Lambrusco Mantovano (sparkling red wine)

What Liquors are from Mantua?

• Nocino: This is a dark, rich liqueur made from green walnuts. It's also popular in the Emilia region. It needs to age for a few years before it's ready to drink.

Related articles

• Cuisine of Alto Mantovano [it]
• Cuisine of Castel Goffredo [it]
• Cuisine of the Gonzaga family [it]