The Foods of Bologna
Crescentine
We Americans think of a certain flabby, processed food when they hear the word, “Bologna”. But in Italy that same word, pronounced bo-low-nya not be-low-nee, refers to the beautiful capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. With towering medieval architecture, piazzas, archaeological museum, and the location of one of the oldest universities in history, Bologna is rich in culture and history. Walking the streets of Bologna, I’ve also found why the city is considered the culinary capital of Italy.
If you turn enough tight-knit corners you will find the alley market about a 10 minutes walk away from Piazza Malpighi. This fresh-food market is tucked away in a small alleyway where utensils can be heard clanging, along with people murmuring, cash registers singing, glasses tinkling, and many footsteps on cobblestone clambering together to make one big atmosphere of culinary wonder.
Bologna favorites like rice pudding cake, Tortellini in brodo, Mortadella meat racks, and bolognesi farcite sandwiches were all being sold, along with local wine and fresh farmers market vegetables. While my peers got a few good eats here, I decided on a simpler food, Crescentine.
Crescentine is just how I described it, simple. A fluffy, fried bread square with an airy center. It’s traditionally served with cured meats like prosciutto, salami, and cheese. It was labeled as “Crestino di Crescentine traditionale” on the menu of Pasta Bella and served with a light butter side. The cost of the bread itself was seven euros for the amount in the photo. I slipped the butter in my raised bread and indulged in the simplicity of the dish. It was warm and soft to the tongue and went wonderfully with the thinly sliced meats. Notice, however, the price surges a whopping 18 euro if you decide to add gourmet meats with the Crescentine. But that is up to the eater. Back to the bread, it’s not quite sweet as a beignet, yet not salty & crumbly like a cracker. It’s right between the two, just right.
So, if you ever make it to Bologna, try to uncover its secrets. Hidden but reliable street markets are bound to be a hot spot for great finger foods. But there’s always the simple familiarities like Crescentine that can bring buzzing tastebuds back down to Earth.
Conversations Between Market Stalls
Fresh fruits and vegetables fill the stalls of this flea market in Bologna. Open-air markets, or mercati aperti, are a way that tourists can experience the rhythm of daily life in many Italian cities, such as Bologna.
Vendors sell fresh pasta, cheeses, cured meat, baked goods, produce, and other locally sourced products, creating a direct connection between producers and consumers.
Walking through the market, it was easy to engage with vendors and have conversations about traditional recipes and specific pastries I was searching for. I could understand through these conversations how interactions such as these could create opportunities for cultural sharing, and they offer a more personal connection to the city and its local traditions when traveling.
The markets normally consist of family-run businesses with agricultural traditions that have existed for generations; many of the items sold there are seasonal. Because products are generally grown or produced locally, they travel shorter distances to reach customers. A man dressed in full business attire step into one of the shops, greeting everyone as he entered. Judging by the smiles and familiar greetings from the staff, he appeared to be a regular.
Story and photos by Nathalia Blair
We stopped at Caffe’ Della Republica where I got a Salata Crudo and a brown cappuccino. The brown cappuccino is a traditional drink in Italy that contains brown sugar and a hint of chocolate, which is where it gets its name. The Salata Crudo here had ham on a small croissant and it was very good and well priced. Both items only cost me 6,20 euros, resulting in a very economically friendly light yet tasty lunch compared to more expensive ones in the city.
Review and photo by Madison DeLine
Mortadella squaquerone
I tried mortadella squacquerone, a street food common in the Emilia-Romagna region. The dish consists of mortadella salami meat, squaquerone cheese and flatbread.
I dined at Bar Ferri, a small bar tucked away on Via Pescherie Vecchie, a short street bustling with trattorias, bars and fresh produce markets. The dish cost 8€ ($9.31) and is warmed up prior to eating.
What stood out about the dish was the creaminess and flavor of the cheese. According to Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna, the squacquerone cheese is curdled cow’s milk with a “soft, liquid consistency.”
The softness of the cheese spread, combined with the mortadella meat and bread, makes for a quick and enjoyable snack while walking around the streets of Bologna, where there is plenty of food to feast your eyes and yourself on.
Review by Lucas Amoroso-Whittles
Tortellini Bolognesi
For under 20 Euros, you can find places in Bologna, Italy, where you can enjoy the city’s artisanal classic pasta, tortellini Bolognesi.
Tortellini Bolognesi is egg pasta that is shaped into a ring, stuffed with a rich meat and cheese, and served in cream sauce or a meat broth.
The dish originated from the impoverished citizens making it out of leftover scrap meat that royalty did not eat, and then put into the pasta.
When done correctly, all four delicious flavors of the pasta, tender meat, soft cheese, and succulent broth or sauce should come through clearly.
At Adesso Pasta Car Ristorante in Bolonga, there is a wonderful tortellini Bolognesi for just 17 Euros.
Adesso Pasta Car Ristorante is a racing theme pasta restaurant located just around the corner from Piazza Maggiore in Bologna and has plenty of bolognaise pasta options to choose from. The tortellini comes in at the most expensive option but is well worth the Euros to taste a great representation of Bologna history.
Pictured, is the tortellini Bolognesi offered at Adesso Pasta, served with cream sauce. The pasta had a delightfully soft texture with a quality meaty flavor. The sauce added a nice velvety texture and buttery taste.
Review and photos by Noah Gavin
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