DIAVOLICCHIO: chili pepper as it is called in Abruzzo.

DOLCEFORTE: Sauce with a base of mustard and sugar or any of two

contrasting spices, e.g. peperoncino and honey.

DROGHE: Combination of spices used to prepare panforte di Siena.

ERBAZZONE: Savory pie from Emilia Romagna filled with young chard or spinach, pancetta, eggs and Parmigiano. A sweet version without pancetta has the greens mixed with ricotta, almonds and sugar.

ERBETTE: Tender chard-like green leaf.

ERBORINATO: A term used for the greenish streaks caused by the natural fermentation of cheese such as gorgonzola.

ESTRAZIONE: The extraction of olive oil from crushed olives.FAGIOLI: Beans.

FALSOMAGRO: Large roll of beef stuffed with chopped meat, whole hard-boiled eggs, prosciutto, cheese and crumbled sausage, cooked in tomato sauce.

FARINACEI: Starchy foods, e.g. pasta, rice, dumplings, etc.

FARINATA: Chickpea flour diluted with water and oil, then baked in the oven with rosemary. Cut into triangles, it is eaten warm as a snack.

FARRO: A type of wheat grown in cold mountain areas’ poor terrain. It has been used in Italy since the Romans; today it is grown in Liguria, Tuscany and Puglia. The kernel is used for soups, either shel­led or unshelled (spelt).

FAVE DEl MORTI: Cookies made of flour, sugar, almonds, pine nuts and egg whites.

FELINO: A type of salame that takes its name from a village just out­side Parma, in Emilia Romagna.

FETTUCCCINE: Ribbon-shaped egg pasta.

FILASCETTA or FITASCETTA: Focaccia covered with onions brow­ned in butter, fresh cheese and sugar.

FINANZIERA: Garnish or condiment of chicken livers and giblets, olives, sweetbreads, mushrooms and truffles.

FINOCCHIELLA: Wild fennel seeds.

FINOCCHIETTO: A perennial plant that grows wild in Sicily and Sardinio.

FINOCCHIO: (fennel). A celery-like vegetable with a delicate anise flavor. It may be eaten raw or cooked in various ways such as braised, fried or boiled.

FOCACCIA: Cake or savory pie.

FOIOLO: The curly part of the upper intestine that falls into the tripe category.

FONDUTA: Fluid and creamy liquefied Fontina melted slowly in milk and cooked in a bain-marie while gently mixing in some egg yolks.

FONTANA (A): A way of placing the flour on a pastry board in the shape of a fountain or a volcano so that eggs can easily be broken into the cavity on top and folded in with the flour without sticking to the board. It is the typical Italian way of making pasta dough.

FONTINA: Rich, mellow, flavorful cheese from Valle d’Aosta. It is delicious eaten either plain or melted.

FORMAGGIO: Cheese. See “Cheese” chapter for various types.

FRANTOIO: Machine to crush olives to extract olive oil. It consists of two large granite heels that turn on a large granite platter. Frantoio can also be the name given to the factory where olive oil is made.

FRAPPE: Another name for chiacchiere.

FRATTAGLIE: The innards or organ meat of all animals.

FRICO: Fried Montasio cheese, a specialty from Friuli

FRISEDDA: Typical bread from Puglia shaped into a circle, baked, and then cut in half and baked again till dry and crispy. It is served plain or soaked in water and seasoned with oil, fresh tomato, oregano and salt. It keeps for a very long time.

FRITTATA: Flat omelet. It may contain vegetables, meat or cheese.

FRITTO (IL): An assortment of fried foods that may include vegeta­bles, meat and fish. (See “Fried Food and Fritters” chapter)

FRUTTA ALLA MARTORANA: Sicilian almond pastry molded into pretty fruit shapes.

FRUTTI DI MARE: Seafood. The term refers to any type of shellfish, as in insalata difrutti di mare (seafood salad).

FUGAZZA: Venetian leavened sweet dough enriched with lots of eggs, liqueur, vanilla, various spices, orange peel and (when availa­ble) iris root.

FUNGHETTO (AL): Vegetables cooked thinly sliced or diced, sautéed and flavored with parsley, garlic and tomato.

FUNGHI: Mushrooms. See “Mushrooms and Truffles” chapter.

FUSILLI: Spaghetti or short pasta twisted into a long spiral. Short twisted pasta can also be called eliche (literally, “propellers”).