Meats & Poultry

Bistecca alla fiorentina, osso buco and saltimbocca are among the best loved Italian meat dishes, but this can be a complicated subject at times, which we've tried to make a bit easier (perhaps especially for the self catering chef) with an entry on the Italian names for cuts of meats. In a restaurant, you may need to know the words for how well you like it done.

Poultry, or pollame, is generally less prominent on restaurant menus, although rather than chicken you're more likely to see duck or pigeon. In parts of rural Italy, you'll see turkeys on farms, as much as for food as for their reputation in keeping vipers at bay.