Pizza, pasta, and gelato: these three holy grail food items are often what spring to mind when thinking of Italian cuisine. And while they are undeniably delicious, visitors can sometimes overlook the endless list of other cuisines on offer, like these delicious Friulian dishes.
In fact, what most people recognize as “Italian food“ generally refers to the vibrant cuisine of Naples: the birthplace of pizza, home to slow-cooked ragù and juicy tomatoes. We have Rome to thank for its much-loved carbonara, and Bologna is home to the rich tagliatelle al ragù. But what about Italy’s other, perhaps more underrated regions?
Friuli-Venezia Giulia, one of Italy’s twenty regions, is located in the country’s north-easternmost corner. Friuli borders Austria and Slovenia, just a stone’s throw from Croatia. This blend of cultures is palpable in the region’s architecture, people, and — of course — its cuisine. Friulian dishes are celebrated for hearty, seasonal flavors using local meats, foraged herbs, and liquors. From cheesy frico to stuffed cjarsons, here are 9 foods you need to try on your next visit to Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Frico e polenta
A homely dish best enjoyed during the winter months, frico is synonymous with Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Originating from the mountains of Carnia, its simplicity and humble origins perfectly reflect the nature of Friuli and its residents. Often served with polenta — either sliced and grilled or mashed — frico is a cheese, onion, and potato dish prepared in a frying pan. While everyone’s recipe will differ slightly (some slice the potatoes whilst others opt to grate them) it’s a regionally recognized fact that everyone’s nonna makes the best frico in the country.
Tagliolini al San Daniele con semi di papavero
San Daniele prosciutto is one of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s most celebrated foods and hails from its eponymous hilltop town. This delicate pasta dish showcases the characteristically salty flavor of the ham, coating the tagliolini (similar to tagliatelle) with a creamy sauce before adding cured San Daniele and garnishing with a dusting of poppy seeds. This dish is best enjoyed with a crisp glass of Friulano — local white wine — at the outdoor table of a charming osteria.
Cjarsons
Making these ravioli-style pasta parcels, much like pronouncing their name, requires a certain level of skill and experience. Originating from Carnia, a mountain town, cjarsons are a type of filled pasta stuffed with a sweet or savory filling. In fact, it’s not unusual to find this dish listed as a ‘primo’ and dessert on some menus. There are two main recipes for cjarsons: ‘Alle Erbe’ and ‘Dolci’.
Cjarsons alle Erbe are filled with freshly picked, seasonal herbs such as thyme, chives, or parsley. Ricotta, cinnamon, and raisins are used in this dish as well. It is this balance between sweet and savory which give the cjarsons their signature flavor. Cjarsons Dolci is generally similar to the original recipe. However, it’s made without herbs, and occasionally a pinch of cocoa powder or candied orange is added.
Blecs al ragù di cervo
Blecs is a flat pasta shape typical of Friulian cooking – think somewhere between lasagne sheets and very wide tagliatelle. Although they can be used in a variety of recipes, one of the most well-loved dishes is blecs al ragù di cervo. With half the region dominated by rugged mountains, it’s no surprise that Friulian cuisine often incorporates game and other meat into its recipes. For instance, the venison ragù in this recipe is often cooked with red wine, juniper, garlic, and local herbs, giving it a warm, hearty flavor.
Gnocchi di zucca con ricotta affumicata
A staple in the autumn months, this gnocchi dish is an earthy twist on a classic Italian favorite. Although this recipe is not exclusive to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, you’ll find it sitting proudly on most menus in the region come October/November. Instead of using just potato to make the gnocchi, pumpkin is added, lending the dish a sweeter flavor and terracotta coloring. Gnocchi di zucca in this region is usually served with sage, butter, as well as grated smoked ricotta.
Brovada e muset
Most commonly eaten around Christmas time, brovada e muset is a recipe for those with strong stomachs and is certainly not to everyone’s taste. Brovada e muset consists of two parts. The ‘brovada’ is a pickled white turnip while the ‘muset’ is a sausage made using pork offal. The unique nature of this recipe means you’ll have to hunt down the region’s most traditional osterie to sample its tangy flavors.
Gubana
A tradition born in Cividale del Friuli, a pretty town that sits along Italy’s Slovenian border, gubana is a dessert that most Friulians associate with holidays like Christmas and Easter. Similar to panettone, Gubana consists of a dense sponge filled with spices, nuts, and dried fruit. The whole thing is soaked in local liquor grappa before being baked and sprinkled with sugar.
Those who know Cividale, with its winding alleyways and medieval stone buildings, will be unsurprised to discover just how old this recipe is. It actually dates back to the early 1400s!
Tiramisù
The origins of tiramisù are often debated. Many claim it to be from Treviso, a town in the Veneto region, but evidence also exists for a tiremesù in the province of Gorizia, near the mouth of the Soča river. Either way, there’s a reason that this dessert has found international stardom: it’s delicious.
The word tiramisù literally means “pick-me-up”. This is thanks to the generous doses of coffee (and occasionally alcohol) which can be found in most tiramisù recipes. A traditional tiramisù is made with ladyfingers soaked in coffee and then layered with mascarpone cream. The dessert is sprinkled with cocoa powder and often served either in a glass or as a slice.
Read more: 10 secrets of Italian coffee culture
Frittelle
Frittelle are bite-size sweet treats that appear at fairs and street vendors throughout the northeast of Italy around Carnevale. This Catholic festival, which spans February and March, features parades with bright costumes and petals of confetti. Similar to donuts, frittelle are often flavored with raisins or orange peel, or filled with cream or Nutella.
Top Traditional Eateries in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Osteria Alla Ghiacciaia – Via Zanon, Udine
- Osteria Al Vecchio Stallo – Via Viola, Udine
- La Vecchia Latteria – Frazione Studena Bassa, Pontebba
- Osteria Marcurele – Via Roma, Venzone
- Trattoria de Toni – Piazza Duca D’Aosta, Grado
- Ristorante Hotel Aplis – Ovaro
