Some of our favorite Italian dishes are pasta and pizza. These dishes have influenced many other cultures who recreate the concept of a pizza and add their own touch. Although these are beloved dishes around the world, Italian food is much more than that. Italian food became popular around two centuries ago. The fall of the Roman Empire allowed cities to become more individualized and began to build their own traditions and culture. Each area had their own way of making food such as how they prepare their grapes to make wine or even the process of pasteurizing cheese. Additionally, they had different types of carbs such as the different shapes and sizes of their pasta and the different herbs used in bread.
Due to the advantages of trade during the Roman Empire, an abundance of different types of ingredients and spices entered the region and the people began to experiment with the different types of new materials they can use and incorporate in their meals. Similar to other nations who are surrounded by coastal waters, fish and other types of seafood are popular as the main choice of protein. Fish is quite inexpensive compared to beef, so fish and seafood are widely used in many different dishes of Italian cuisine.
