What I love about northern Italian cuisine

I am always being asked which is my favourite region of Italy in terms of its food and wines, and it is always a difficult question to answer. I love the vibrancy of the typical specialities of the south, with big, bold flavours and a liberal use of extra virgin olive oil and plenty of garlic and chilli. But I also love the generally softer, creamier style of cooking of the north, where tomato is not a main feature. When thinking about Italian food – which actually divides into 20 different cuisines, each with its own jealously defended traditions, products and recipes – there is a definite north-south divide, with central Italian cuisine conveniently bridging the gap between the two. 

One of the ways to identify any style of cooking, anywhere in the world, is by the cooking fats and basic carbohydrates that are habitually used. So, if the south is all about olive oil and durum wheat pasta, then the north is about butter, pork fat, rice and polenta. When considering what it is I love about northern Italian cuisine, I would have to say that I really enjoy the buttery, velvety flavours of their dishes. In particular, I love the seduction of a wonderful risotto, the eggy, intensely yellow richness of freshly made pasta, the luxury of the white truffle, the range of fantastic cheeses and richness of other dairy products, the quality beef and veal, the luscious square peppers, the amazing cured meats, and the variety of delectable desserts, such as the chocolate and amaretto pudding known as bunet. And not forgetting those very special hazelnut chocolates (made from the DOP hazelnuts of the Langhe) called giandujotti.  Put all this together with the superb wines of the north and frankly, what is there not to like?  

What is so captivating for anybody who enjoys good food and considers themselves a gourmet is that Italy’s regions offer such a diversity of flavour combinations and traditional dishes – even from one province to another. In general, the north is not where that most ubiquitous of all Italian dishes, pasta al pomodoro (pasta with tomato sauce), has its origins, although of course you will find it here. But if you really want to get to know a place, you have to immerse yourself in the cuisine, and when it comes to the north of Italy, it is best reflected in a dish of polenta with butter and cheese, or a plate of fine, delicate tajarin (narrow ribbons of fresh pasta), a bowl of ravioli stuffed with meat and vegetables, a fine piece of beef, or some of the best chocolate you will ever taste. 

Arguably, northern Italian cuisine is more sophisticated and elegant that that of the south – particularly in Piedmont, where there is a strong French influence in certain techniques and ingredient combinations that have long been assimilated into the local repertoire. But there are also delicious dishes that are rustic and have their roots in the important agricultural tradition of the region, rather than in the drawing rooms of the castles and palaces of the aristocracy. 

Take the intensely garlicky, anchovy-laden pleasure of bagna caudai, for example. This is a ‘warm bath’ of olive oil, cream, garlic and anchovies that is kept heated over a candle flame and is surrounded by heaps of both raw and cooked vegetables, which are dipped with fingers into the sauce before consuming. It was originally a feast to celebrate the end of the Nebbiolo grapes used to make Barolo, which is essentially the end of the vendemmia (grape harvest), and traditionally some one-year-old Barolo from the previous year’s harvest should be served with it. 

At the end of this feasting, when there is no bagna left in which to dip, a fresh egg is ceremoniously broken into the bowl and scrambled together with the dregs of the sauce over the candle flame, after which bread is passed around with which to scoop out every last scrap. It is a gloriously messy, convivial feast enjoyed by all those who participated in the growing, tending and picking of those precious grapes, and is as Piedmontese as can be. The sauce itself has become so symbolic of this region that it has wended its way into many a restaurant dish in a much more refined manner as a drizzle or dressing. 

At the other end of the spectrum when it comes to the food of Piedmont, you’ll find the refined elegance of hand-made tajarin served with delicately flavoured local butter and topped with shaved white truffles – probably one of Italy’s most stylish pasta dishes – not to mention the delicate expertise and flights of imagination that you will find in the local patisseries.

So, I do love the cuisine of northern Italy, deeply and unconditionally, and I respect how it differs from the south and central regions. I especially appreciate the differences because they tell me so much about the history, geography, and climate that went into creating these dishes. Just don’t ask me to name a favourite.

Buon appetito, or as they say in Piedmont: Bon aptit!

You can taste the traditional flavours of northern Italy yourself, with the expert guidance of Valentina Harris, by booking our Piedmont with Valentina Harris group tour.

Read Valentina's other blogs:

Piedmont: Italy's culinary treasure trove | Why Barolo is Italy's King of Wines | Italy's art of truffle hunting | Italy's sweet secrets

Book the Piedmont with Valentina Harris group tour with Cox & Kings by 30 June 2025 and you will be eligible to attend an exclusive culinary experience hosted by Valentina Harris, taking place on 15 July 2025 at the esteemed Divertimenti Cookery School in Knightsbridge, London. Find out more >