The cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia identifies with the two territories of the region, the subalpine Carnic area and the Adriatic coast.

Appetizers from the Regional Cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

For appetizers, famous cured meats include San Daniele DOP ham and Sauris IGP ham, which can be paired with a Friulian Ribolla Gialla, even when sparkling. Other typical fish appetizers include Triestine Spider Crab and Smoked Trout, which can be accompanied by a well-structured white wine, such as a Collio Bianco DOC.

First Courses of the Regional Cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

For first courses, soups like Minestra Carsolina (with eggs and flour), Jota Triestina (bean, potato, and sauerkraut soup), can be paired, for example, with a tannin-rich red, like a Carso Terrano DOC, among many others. The Adriatic coast is famous for its fish stews, like “Boreto alla gradesana,” typical of Grado, and Triestine Brodeto, which can be paired with a coastal Pinot Bianco, for example, from Friuli Latisana or Friuli Isonzo DOC. Among the mountain first courses, we remember Cjalsons from Timau (pasta filled with potatoes, raisins, and herbs, dressed with smoked ricotta and melted butter), which can be accompanied by a Sauvignon blanc from Colli Orientali del Friuli, Gnocchi affogati, dressed with minced meat and liver, and Risotto with Slopìt (sprouts of a spring herb from Carnia similar to spinach).

Main Courses of the Regional Cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

For meat main courses, there are Oven-baked Veal Shank, Testina alla Carnaiola (veal head, boiled, sliced, and served with sauce), Goulash, Pork in Raspberry Sauce, Toc de Purcit (pork stew with liver, flavored with cinnamon and cloves). For these intense and structured meat dishes, Friuli offers a wide choice of red wines to support the structure, such as an austere Pignolo from Rosazzo DOC or a Refosco from Colli Orientali. Frico is a characteristic dish of fried Montasio cheese with potatoes and onions, to try with a Schioppettino di Prepotto. For game, we have Bohemian-style Hare (stewed with herbs) and Venison in Salmì. An interesting wine to pair with these game dishes can be a Friuli Isonzo Cabernet Franc DOC. Among the fish dishes, Baby Cuttlefish with Spider Crab (stuffed with spider crab pulp) and Mantis Shrimps in Sauce. The wide range of white wines offered by Friuli-Venezia Giulia provides countless pairing possibilities with Fish dishes, particularly with Malvasia Istriana, for example from the Carso DOC. Among the side dishes, Brovada DOP, made from special turnips, soured in grape marc and cut into strips, often accompanied by Cotechino (Musèt) and Patate in tecia.

Desserts of the Regional Cuisine of Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Among the desserts, the most famous is Gubana (a cake filled with raisins, pine nuts, walnuts, and candied lemon and orange peels), Presnitz (made of puff pastry rolled with a filling of walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, figs, prunes, apricots, raisins, grated chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and rum), Strucolo (a strudel, sweet with apples or savory with spinach) and Pinza (a winter dessert made from stale bread, milk, sugar, eggs, dried fruit, raisins, apples, and fennel seeds). Typical are the biscuits known as Esse di Raveo, for their particular curved, “S” shape. Desserts find in Friulian dessert wines vast possibilities of wines for pairing, such as Ramandolo DOCG, made from dried Verduzzo grapes, or the very famous Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG.