The fried gnocco or gnocco fritto, is typical of Emilia Romagna and especially the area of Reggio Emilia and Modena and these little pieces of fried bread are served with Italian salumi such mortadella, prosciutto, salame felino and culatello.

It is a typical appetizer served with a glass of Lambrusco. The more the quality of the salumi and the wine, the more the snack is delicious.

It seems that the Longobards used made it too. Certainly the gnocco fritto, as well as the classic erbazzone dish, are central to Emilia Romagna food heritage.

This seafood recipe was taken from a brochure produced by the Province of Rimini entitled 'Fantasia di Cultura e di Sapori', a guide to the local food products of the territory. The recipe also came with a long introduction to the benefits of Omega 3. The salient facts include a top 5 list of fish most rich with Omega 3 and they are, in no special order, mackerel, herring, fresh tuna, salmon and sardines.

ingredients

300gr egg pasta (so called 'maltagliati' or cut into squares), 500gr cleaned squid, 3 mature tomatoes, 1/2 glass of olive oil, garlic, parsely, salt and pepper.

The Regio Theatre in Parma is considered the birthplace of Italian melodrama and is famous, or perhaps infamous if you are a performer, for its highly enthusiastic and critical public. It was built between 1821 and 1829 by the architect Nicola Bettoli who was commissioned by Duchess Maries-Louise of Austria. The theatre was inaugurated in May 1829 with the lyric opera 'Zaira' by Bellini.

The neoclassical portico with its ionic columns boasts decorations featuring the allegories of Fame and Lyre while the interior has four tiers of private boxes around the stalls. This contrasts strongly with the new Niccolò Paganini Music Hall built by Renzo Piano in the nearby Eridania Park. Converted fron an old sugar factory dating from 1899 the open square plan is the venue for the Concert Season of the Regio Theatre.

On March 8th in Italy, La Festa delle Donne or International Women's Day is celebrated by giving bouquets of bright yellow mimosas to mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters and female friends.  In following with this tradition, mimosa cakes are also baked on this day and can be found in bakeries throughout Italy. The varieties are endless and include several variations of fruit and alcohol ingredients, but one of our favorites is that of Academia Barilla, adapted for you below. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the sponge cake:

• 2 ½ oz all-purpose flour

• 2 ½ oz potato starch

• 5 oz sugar

• 6 eggs

For the Chantilly cream:

• 2 cups milk

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 3 ½ oz sugar

• 1 oz all-purpose flour

• Lemon zest

• ½ stick vanilla

• 7 oz heavy cream

• 1 ¾ oz confectioners sugar

For the syrup:

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup Kirsch (dry cherry liqueur)

• 3 oz sugar

Around Argenta in the province of Ferrara in the River Po Delta are five 'ecomusei' or eco-museums. They are the 'Oasi di Val Campotto', the 'Museo della Bonifica', the 'Museo Civico', the 'Centro Culturale ai Cappuccini' and the 'Museo delle Valli d'Argenta'. The last in the list was awarded the prize for Best European Museum in 1992.

The 'Oasi delle Valli di Argenta' is a protected wildlife area in the Argenta valley. In 1971 it was declared a 'zone umide' of international importance. This meant the micro climate of the area was sufficiently delicate to warrant protection and to encourage the continued breeding of many acquatic birds. In fact, the oasis is one of 6 locations which form the 'Parco Regionale del Delta del Po', an area visited by over 25 million people every year.

Sogliano al Rubicone is a small but greatly loved town in Romagna. Today, it is famous above all for its celebrated 'formaggio di fossa', or 'cheese from the pit' which sounds a lot less appetizing.

The practice of burying cheese dates at least back to the 15th century. A legend credits the people of Sogliano with wanting to protect their possessions from the invading Aragonese troops by placing what they had underground. When peace was restored they found that their cheese had acquired an extraordinary taste.

The original pits were carved out of the tufa rock near the Rivers Rubicone and Marecchia and were used for storing grain. They are typically 3 meters high and two meters in circumference. The fossa cheese fair is held on the last 2 Sundays of November and the first Sunday of December.

Potatoes croquettes, crocchette di patate, is a typical dish from the area of Modena.

The Parco del Delta del Po or River Po Delta Park offers a fantastic unspoilt and protected natural environment in an area stretching from Ferrara inland to Ravenna nearer the coast.

Fortunately for fans of Italian food, the country still boasts local markets where the seasonal agricultural cycles are evident in the produce sold.

There are certain places in Italy which just feel friendly when you first arrive there and Ferrara is one of these. Perhaps the football team keeps winning or the economy is good, or there's always something to look forward to.