Fashion, shopping, influencers, business and technology: these are the first things that come to our mind when we think about the worldly Milan. But in Milan, as in most Italian cities, also gastronomy plays an important role. The city not only boasts money and business, but also an excellent local cuisine.
Here is a list of five traditional specialties from Milan that you should definitely try.
1. Milanese risotto with “ossobuco”
This is the most famous recipe of Milan and of Lombardy Region. In a few words, it is risotto with saffron and parmesan cheese, accompanied by a juicy veal marrowbone steak called in Milanese dialect “oss buss”. The veal has to be stewed with broth and later flavored using parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. The risotto is prepared using a type of rice named Carnaroli, an Italian variety characterized by long pearly grains.
2. Cassœula
This is a very fatty and simple dish made mostly of pork meat and savoy cabbage. It is prepared using different parts of the pork, such as ribs, rind, and feet. Besides pork and cabbage, the ingredients list includes also onions, celery, carrots, tomato sauce, butter, and black pepper. Due to its high fat content, it is typically eaten during the winter.
3. Costoletta alla milanese
The costoletta alla milanese, (literally “Milanese cutlet”) is a veal cutlet cooked in butter. It is often also called cotoletta, though the official name is costoletta. The main ingredients include veal ribs (including the bones), eggs, butter and breadcrumbs. Due to its shape, the costoletta alla milanese is often also named “elephant ear”. The most traditional version is the bone-in option; however, there is a second version that is easier and faster to prepare. This second version does not include the bone and is, therefore, similar to a scallop.
4. Michetta bread
The so-called michetta is a traditional Milanese bread with a star-like shape. The invention of this bread is attributed to the Austro-Hungarian emperor, who ruled over Lombardy and brought to Milan a small kind of panini called “kaisersemmel”. From the kaisersemmel, the Milanese obtained the famous michetta, eliminating some of the bread inside and thus, creating a lighter panini. The michetta is empty, crunchy and light, and thus perfect to be filled with prosciutto, salami and much more. The perfect panini for your lunch break!
5. Panettone
Panettone is a Christmas soft cake that is now largely consumed in the entire Italian peninsula during the holiday season. The main ingredients include flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, yeast, raisins, and candied citrus fruit. The recipe is very complex; it takes more than 30 hours to prepare a panettone!
