We begin our journey in Toscana (Tuscany), a region famous for its simple yet flavoursome cuisines, featuring legumes, vegetables and beef.
While the beef produced in this region is of the highest quality, such as the internationally celebrated Florentine steak, the humble bread is the hero of most meals.
“Ribollita” is a rustic tradition, where bread is added to leftover minestrone or other soups to create a hearty, cheap meal.
"Pici" - a type of handmade coarse spaghetti - is also a favourite at Tuscan tables, and is often topped with a cheesy breadcrumb mixture as a first course.
Toscana is perhaps more renowned for its wine than its food, and the wines produced in the hills of Lucca and Montecarlo have ancient origins which date back to the Estruscans.
Travelling to the east you will arrive in Umbria, a region characterised by rolling hills and forests that house elusive truffles and fragrant porcini mushrooms.
The region is famous for its Castelluccio lentils, which are regularly added to pasta, soup and meat dishes.
Norcia has a longstanding history of producing delicious pork products, including the Prosciutto di Norcia.
Norcia sausages are the core ingredient of a variety of dishes, including "penne alla norcina", where they are combined with truffles and stirred through a creamy sauce.
Heading towards the Adriatic coast you will come across Le Marche, a diverse territory with a uniquely rich cuisine.
Many regional foods are served stuffed, from “olive ascolane” - which are olives filled with meat before being crumbed and fried - through to fish and meat stuffed with vegetables.
A variety of soups make a regular appearance on the tables of Le Marche, while baked lasagne filled with chicken liver, known as “vincisgrassi”, are a local treasure.
The region is famous for its “ciauscolo”, a type of salame which is distinguished by its unique paté-like texture.
A dessert to try while visiting Le Marche is “migliaccio”, made from pig’s blood, citrus peel and sugar.
While this delicacy is perhaps not for the faint-hearted, a taste will ensure you fully experience the peculiar gastronomy of this region.
Further down the coastline lies Abruzzo, whose cuisine is defined by innovation and creativity, while its dishes are as diverse as its scenery.
Overlooking the Adriatic coastline to the east, Abruzzo is bordered on the west by some of the highest peaks in the Appenines, including Gran Sasso and Maiella.
The mountainous region features the perfect terrain for sheep, and lamb meat and sheep’s milk cheeses, such as Caciocavallo and Scamorza, are local favourites.
A simple yet scrumptious signature dish of Abruzzo is “arrosticini”, sticks of goodness made from the meat of castrated sheep, which is cut into pieces and threaded onto a skewer before being grilled over an open fire.
Winters can be bitter in this hilly region, and locals keep toasty in the colder months with wholesome soups, such as "Le Virtù", which is robust with pasta, legumes and vegetables.
A traditional first course meal is "macaroni alla chitarra", a squared spaghetti-like type of pasta which is commonly served with lamb ragù.
Abruzzo boasts many specialties, and the province of L’Aquila is famous for its saffron and truffles, while Sulmona is renowned for its red garlic.
To the west of Abruzzo you will discover Lazio, home to the capital city with a cuisine fundamentally influenced by the myriad cultural exchanges it has experienced over the various phases of its history.
While beef, lamb and pork are the meats of choice, locals still often cook with cheaper cuts of meat, as they did when widespread poverty defined the region.
Lazio’s hills are rich and fertile, dotted with sheep which are used for both meat and delectable dairy products.
A traditional specialty is “supplì”, rice balls filled with meat, cheese and vegetables, very similar to Sicily’s “arancini”.
Simple pastas are enjoyed across the region, and long pasta such as spaghetti and fettuccine are preferred by Lazio’s natives, while smaller types are more commonly used in soups.
Lazio is home to an Australian favourite, spaghetti carbonara, and is also the birthplace of the spicy “arrabbiata” sauce, whose name is as fierce as its flavour.
While Central Italy’s art, monuments and scenery attract tourists from all corners of the globe, visitors to any of its five regions will be pleasantly surprised by the culinary experience that each region has to offer, from traditional pastoral dishes to striking and full-flavoured delicacies.
