What food did Italians eat before tomatoes?

What food did Italians eat before tomatoes?

Before tomatoes, the Italian diet was largely similar to the diet throughout the rest of the Mediterranean. Bread, pasta, olives, and beans were all staples, and Italians also made a variety of different types of polenta.

What was on pizza before tomato sauce?

Pizza evolved into a type of bread and tomato dish, often served with cheese. However, until the late 19th or early 20th century, the dish was sweet, not savory, and earlier versions which were savory more resembled the flat breads now known as schiacciata.

When were tomatoes brought to Spain?

In the early 16th century, Spanish conquistadors returning from expeditions in Mexico and other parts of Mesoamerica were thought to have first introduced the seeds to southern Europe. Some researchers credit Cortez with bringing the seeds to Europe in 1519 for ornamental purposes.

When did Italians first make tomato sauce?

The earliest recipe for tomato sauce was published in 1694, by Neapolitan chef Antonio Latini in his book “Lo Scalco alla Moderna” — “The Modern Steward.”

Did pizza exist before tomatoes?

Pizza as well, or at least its distant cousin also existed before the introduction of the tomato. Flatbreads topped with spreads or cheeses and topped with vegetables or meat date back thousands of years, and satiated many hungry Italians before the invention of the Margherita pizza in the 18th or 19th century.

Why does Italian food have tomatoes?

The word “tomato” comes from the Nahuatl “tomatl,” meaning “fruit.” When the Spanish Empire conquered the region, they brought the tomato back to Europe along with other local fruits, vegetables, and animals. For this reason, Italians were slow to adapt it into their cooking, instead using tomato plants for decoration.

Who brought the tomato to Italy?

the Spanish
Different areas of Italy favor different varieties of tomato. The tomato, it turns out, has always been political. Brought to Europe by the Spanish when they colonized the Americas — it’s an Aztec plant, as we can tell by its original name, “tomatl” — by the mid-1500s, it had made its way to Italy.

What is the origin of the tomato?

From its origins as a wild plant in the Americas to the thousands of varieties grown around the world today, tomatoes have evolved into one of the world’s most popular food crops. Today’s tomatoes began as wild plants in the Andes, growing in parts of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

How did Tomatoes become so popular in Italian cuisine?

In any case, the tomato quickly became a permanent fixture in Italian cuisine, with farmers selectively breeding the plant into the larger, red varietals we know and love today.

What food did the ancient Italians eat?

Bread, pasta, olives, and beans were all staples, and Italians also made a variety of different types of polenta. The diet would have varied depending on region, as well: fish featured heavily near the coast, while inland communities would rely more on pork and wild game.

What are the main ingredients of Italian cuisine?

Olives, pasta (introduced to Europe before 1000AD), different types of polenta (not made with corn, that came from the New World also), beans, onions, anchovies & fish near the shore, and (rarely) pork & wild game inland. Another questions that comes to mind, and one I don’t have an answer for, is why is Italian cuisine so overrun with tomatoes?

Which country was the first to import Tomatoes?

I mean it’s very likely that Spain was the first country to import tomatoes. Spanish cuisine does make use of tomatoes, but is not defined by it like Italian cuisine. Let’s take a quick look at the history of the tomato and see if we can come up with an explanation. The date that the tomato first traveled to Europe is not known.