Fall in Italy is all about embracing the harvest and tucking into cozy, hearty dishes that make the most of the season's ingredients. Let the crisp chill in the air blow you gently back into your kitchen to give our favorite fall recipes a try.
From truffle hunting and mushroom foraging to the local sagre, or harvest festivals, that celebrate local food traditions and dishes, Italian autumn brings about some of the best, fullest flavors that the earth has to offer. Spruce up your weekly cooking repertoire with these traditional fall recipes that will make your kitchen smell like a fall stroll through the rolling hills of Toscana or a walk in the Piemonte woods.
1. PAPPARDELLE AI FUNGHI
Toscana might be known best for its nominal bistecca, but nothing screams autunno quite as much as these handcrafted pasta ribbons cooked in a wild mushroom ragù. Pappardelle comes from the Italian verb pappare, meaning "to eat," and their typically thick width makes this long pasta a perfect match to chunky, earthy sauces like this earthy ragù.
2. RISOTTO AI FUNGHI E TARTUFI
This rich recipe of mushroom and truffle risotto calls for a mixture of wild and porcini mushrooms and fresh white truffles, which are only in season from September to January. The woodsy flavors of mushrooms pair perfectly with the al dente bite of rice to create the ultimate fall dish. Check your local Eataly or shop fresh white truffles online while they last!
3. RIBOLLITA
Leave it to the Tuscans to find the ultimate stew that warms you up, and makes use of leftovers. A classic example of cucina povera, this "re-boiled" soup calls for day-old bread and a wide array of seasonal produce (think: swiss chard, leeks, carrots, or whatever you have lying around from your market haul). As the flavors blend, this soup only gets tastier over a couple of days, making it the perfect weekday dinner(s)!
4. ANYTHING WITH SQUASH
That's right – we love using the entire zucca! If there is one thing Italians care about in the kitchen, it's that we don't let any part of our precious raw ingredients go to waste. Where some see decorative gourd season, we see a delicious, diverse variety of vegetables that can be used from stem to seed. Our guide walks you through all the ways to use one of fall's best ingredients, from salads to ravioli and beyond.
5. PARMIGIANO REGGIANO BROTH
With a cheese so precious, how could you just throw away the rind? Instead, make your Parmigiano Reggiano DOP last longer with our simple broth recipe. The addition of the rind to a basic vegetable broth adds a depth of flavor you'd never expect. Use this rich recipe for stuffed pasta in brodo – like the agnolotti del plin pictured here – or deepen your next soup with this base!
Looking to get a taste of these iconic Italian autumn flavors? Shop your local Eataly, order local delivery, or stock your pantry when you shop online to make these recipes!
Buon appetito!