NECCI: Sweet crêpes made with chestnut flour and served with fresh cheese such as pecorino or ricotta.

NEPITELLA: Cat mint. Belonging to the same family as mint, it grows wild and is commonly used in salads to flavor white meats or roasts. The aroma is similar to mint with scents of sage. It should not be confused with wild mint.

NERVETTI: Antipasto made of boiled calf’s foot, de-boned and sliced into thin strips. It is seasoned with oil and raw onion and eaten cold. NOCE: The “eye” or “nut” of the round, large, single-muscle cut taken from the leg of beef or veal. The choicest veal scaloppine are taken from this cut.

NOCE: The “eye” or “nut” of the round, large, single-muscle cut, taken from the leg of beef or veal. The choicest veal scaloppine are taken from this cut. Noce literally translated is walnut.

NOCETTA or NOCCIOLA: Portion-sized, de-boned saddle or rack of veal, lamb, or beef.

NOCINO: Alcoholic beverage made from green walnuts and aged for about a year.

NODINO: Loin chop, wither veal or pork, cut from the saddle. It is served with or without the chop (bone).

OFFELLE: Oval cookies made of sweet short pastry.

OLIVE ALL’ASCOLANA: Large pitted olives stuffed with cooked chopped meat, mixed with mortadella, prosciutto, Parmigiano, eggs, and then breaded and fried.

ORCI: Terracotta jars glazed inside for storing olive oil.

ORECCHIETTE: Fresh pasta made of only flour and water and sha­ped into a curl.

OSSOBUCO: Veal shank cut across into thick slices, braised and usually served with risotto alla milanese.

OVOLI: One of the rarer varieties of mushrooms. Ovoili (still closed) are completely oval, pure white often speckled with brilliant orange.