by Federica Piersimoni

It is a well-known fact that Italians love home-made pasta; indeed, they love pasta full stop, whatever it is. Wherever in the world they come from, tourists visiting Italy know they have to try at least 10 different types of pasta, split according to region. There are a large number of chefs, who are either experts in their field or simply amateurs who entertain their guests by allowing them to taste local dishes, from A to Z. Over time, genuine businesses for foreigners have been set up, tied to the consumption and home production of pasta.

The first one that springs to mind is without a doubt the Cesarine website. The Cesarine, in Bologna, but there are also Zdore across the entire Romagna region, are women who remember and replicate traditional, home-made, wholesome food. Local recipes, local ingredients and everything strictly hand-made. There are so many Cesarine, not just in Bologna, but also dotted about across the whole of Italy, who make their know-how, their handiwork and their food available to all. There are various activities, starting with the classic lunch prepared for a group of guests in the home of the Cesarina on shift, through to the preparation of pasta made at home, together, or even a walk around the market to recommend and indicate the freshest dishes and ingredients.

Home-made pasta has always been one of Italy’s strengths, an all-Italian supremacy. From North to South, there are a host of different types of home-made pasta which can be savoured, and every region has its own specific characteristics and peculiarities.

This type of pasta is generally a poor food, one which our grandmothers and their grandmothers made unassumingly, using what the earth had to offer, i.e. flour, water and eggs.
In Northern Italy and in Piedmont in particular, there are the famous agnolotti, filled with braised beef cooked in red wine, and served in a butter and sage sauce. Just as famous are the classic agnolotti del plin.
In Lombardy and in the Valtellina foodies can try pizzoccheri made with buckwheat flour.
In Mantua try the super famous pumpkin tortelli, which are supplemented with macaroons or mustard depending on the area.
A local delicacy in Veneto are bigoli, while Trentino Alto Adige boasts canaderli and Friuli Venezia Giulia offers blecs. In Liguria the star home-made pasta is the ultra-famous trofie, strictly served with pesto. 

Central Italy is a special place where the best tasting pasta is made (but I’m biased). 
Tagliatelle, lasagne, along with maltagliati, tortellini, cappelletti and passatelli, as you move further down the region. 
In Tuscany, try the fettuccine and pici. 

Lazio is also a world of its own, offering bucatini served in Amatriciana sauce, or carbonara, cacio cheese and pepper or even alla gricia.
In the Marche region, cappelletti are served in meat stock and are a favourite for the festivities. In nearby Umbria, the most well-known pasta dishes are umbricelli and ciriole. 
The Abruzzo region has some surprises in store, with its spaghetti alla chitarra.

In Campania try the paccheri and mafalde, while the most famous pasta in Molise is called cavatelli. Last but not least, Basilicata offers bucce di mandorla. Starring in Puglia and specifically in Bari are the orecchiette pugliesi, as well as the fricelli.

Despite the year-round hot weather, Sicily still boasts some rather challenging dishes such as its aubergine-rich pasta alla norma and no less can be expected from Sardinia with its fregola, malloreddus, and puligioni.