5 Traditional Foods
You Have To Try in Livigno

Tzigoiner is a traditional meat dish originating from Valtellina. The dish consists of thinly sliced beef that's wrapped around a wooden skewer and grilled to perfection. The beef is typically marinated in wine, oil, and spices. The meat is usually seasoned with salt and pepper before it's placed over a hot grill. Tzigoiner is often accompanied by french fries and dollops of mustard and grated horseradish on the side. If properly prepared, the beef should be very succulent and it should slide right off the skewer. Additional ingredients such as pancetta can also be wrapped around the skewer.Expand

Salmì di cervo is a traditional dish originating from the Valtellina valley. Although there are variations, the dish is usually made with a combination of venison, red wine, pancetta, carrots, onions, garlic, celery, butter, olive oil, and herbs and spices such as nutmeg, cloves, bay leaves, sage, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries, peppercorns, salt, and pepper. Some recipes also use flour, tomatoes, pig blood, and mushrooms for extra flavor. The meat is cut into pieces and marinated in wine with the spices and herbs, carrots, onions, and garlic. The pancetta is sautéed in butter and olive oil, and the meat is browned in the same pan. Nutmeg, cloves, and salt are added to the dish, while the drained vegetables from the marinade are cooked into a sauce that's blended and reduced. The dish is served hot and it's typically accompanied by polenta on the side.Expand

This traditional pasta dish combines buckwheat pizzoccheri pasta with potatoes and cabbage, which is seasonally replaced by swiss chard or green beans. All of the ingredients are cooked together and are typically layered with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and Valtellina Casera cheese and garlicky melted butter. Before serving, pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese is shortly baked, allowing the cheese to melt and all of the ingredients to combine. Not much is known about the origin of this Italian classic, but it is presumed that it was invented following the introduction of pizzoccheri pasta in the 16th century. As the name suggests, the dish originated in the Valtellina valley, from where it spread to other parts of Italy.Expand

The carbonara we know today is prepared by simply tossing spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork jowl), egg yolks, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Despite its simplicity, this dish remains one of Rome's favorites, equally popular throughout the country. Even though carbonara is considered a typical Roman dish today, its origins are quite vague and often disputed. The name is said to have been derived from the carbonari, woodcutters and charcoal-makers who lived in the Appenine mountains northeast of Rome, and who supposedly cooked their pasta over a hardwood charcoal fire and tossed it with eggs and cheese. Another popular theory claims that carbonara was invented after the liberation of Rome in 1944, when food shortages were so severe that Allied troops distributed bacon and powdered eggs, which the local population would then mix with water to make pasta sauce. Expand

Manfrigole are a variety of pancakes made with a combination of buckwheat and white wheat flour, filled with Bresaola and Casera cheeses. The dish is traditionally prepared in the mountains of Valtellina. Milk-soaked bread can be added to the filling in order to make it more compact. Once filled, manfrigole are topped with cubes of Casera and baked until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. This nutritious dish is perfect for colder days and it is best enjoyed straight from the oven, drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese.Expand