Glossary

S

saba A grape syrup commonly produced in Emilia-Romagna by boiling and reducing white grape must. It is used to make thirst-quenching drinks as well as sweet toppings for desserts.

sagne (pl.) short broad strips of pasta made from chickpea or spelt flour; knickname for lasagna

sagne chine The Calabrese version of lasagne, sagne chine are stuffed with a combination of ground pork, fresh peas, diced mozzarella, mushrooms, artichokes, and sliced hard-boiled eggs.

saltimbocca A classic Roman dish that consists of slices of veal topped with prosciutto and a leaf of sage and held together by a toothpick. The meat is sautéed in butter until golden then deglazed with white wine. Saltimbocca literally means "jump in your mouth."

salto, al' sautéed, lightly-fried

salumeria A shop dedicated only to the retail of cold cuts and cured meats.

salviata sage custard

sambuca Anise-flavored liqueur customarily served "con le mosche," a term that, though literally meaning "with flies," actually refers to the three coffee beans floating inside the cup

sanguinaccio blood pudding, balck pudding, blood sausage; sweet pudding made from pig's blood and chocolate

santo, olio extra-virgin oil in which hot pepper has been left to dissolve and be absorbed; used as a condiment or dressing for meat, fish, vegetables, and salads

savoiardi Long, think, ladyfinger cookies with an airy, delicate bite. Savoiardi measure about three inches long, 3/4-inch wide and 1/2-inch tall, ballooning outward slightly at both ends. A thin layer of sugar is sprinkled on top before baking. They are also known as biscotti al cucchiaio.

scaccia pasta pie baked with tomato and broccoli

scachi tiny "crackers" for soup

scafa peas, artichokes, fava beans, and potatoes stewed lightly in white wine

scamorza One of the most beloved plastic curd cheeses, scamorza is an ivory-colored cheese, made with sheep's or cow's milk, cinched with a string, giving it a characteristic pear shape. Scamorza can be either fresh or smoked and can be consumed within one or two days of production.

scarcedda sweet Pugliese bread decorated with whole eggs and prepared during Easter

scarpetta, fare la The practice of wiping one's plate with a piece of bread in order to soak up any remaining sauce. (Note: Though the practice is not considered polite at the finest of tables, its omission in certain situations can run the risk of offending the cook, especially if she is somebody's mother.)

scremato (adj.) literally "uncreamed"; skimmed

segato (adj.) finely shopped and mixed with cheese

semifreddo literally "half cold"; a term used to allude to ice-cream-based desserts; type of soft ice cream made from meringue and whipped cream

semini literally "little seeds"; small pasta for soup resembling literal meaning

seppia This cephalopod (called cuttlefish in Italian) is a close cousin to the squid, or calamare. Seppia and squid can be used almost interchangeably in cooking. Cuttlefish meat is generally more tender than squid and is often cooked with its ink, nero di seppia, an edible brown-black liquid very similar to squid ink. (the color sepia, a dark reddish-brown, takes its name from the cuttlefish ink that used was once use to make the pigment.)

sfoglia (1) rolled sheet pasta; (2) millefeuille, phyllo (filo) pastry

sgonfiotti pastry puffs, fritters

soffritto Soffritto is a combination of vegetables -carrots, onions, celery, and garlic-that are chopped and slowly cooked in butter, olive oil, or lard until they wilt and become aromatic. Soffritto is the starting point in building layers of flavor in most Italian dishes and is often added to meat, fish, pasta, or rice.

sopresine small pasta for soup

soppressata In northern Italy the term Soppressata refers to a cured meat made with parts of the pig's head. In central and southern Italy it is a cured meat that goes by the name of coppa in the rest of Italy, a lean and fatty pork meat combined and pressed together to yield a sliceable salami.

sospiri di monaca literally "nun's sighs"; cookies made from chocolate-covered almond or hazelnut paste (Sicily and Sardinia)

Spagna, fagioli di literally, "beans from Spain" or "Spanish beans"; large, white beans

speck A smoky cured meat of Trentino-Alto Adige obtained from smoking the boneless haunch of a pig then curing it for a long time until it takes on a rosy hue and a delicate flavor. Speck is chopped and folded into the batter for dumplings or is sliced and layered over pizzas or salads.

spongata Described in some cookbooks as a sweet bun and found in many regions, spongata dates from Ancient Rome, where it was born as an unleavened pastry dough filled with honey. In classic versions from Parma and Busseto, the pastry is a rich cookie dough and the filling has been embellished to include almonds, toasted hazelnuts, walnuts, raisins, orange and citron peel, pine nuts, white wine, brandy, cinnamon, pepper, mace, and coriander.

s.q. (secondo quantitá) literally, "according to quantity"; term appearing on menus in lieu of price for variable-quantity items, such as those ordered from the buffet

squarciarella, alla in a mushroom sauce

stelline small star-shaped pasta for soup

stiacciata flat bread, similar to focaccia

stinco shank of veal or pork, often roasted, though also braised

stivaletti literally, "little boots"; small, curving pasta tubes

stracciatella an ice cream, similar to chocolate chip, in which the chocolate is said to resemble the eggs in the soup, stracciatella all romana

stracciatella all romana egg-drop broth, where the eggs supposedly resemble "stracci," meaning "rags"

strangolapreti, or strozzapreti A thin, slightly curled pasta, usually handmade with water, eggs, and flour. In southern Italy the same name applies to gnocchi. Literally translated, the word strangolapreti means "priest stranglers" due to the pasta's historically heavy texture, too tough for the palate of priests, or to the fact that they are so good, even priests eat too many at a time!

strangozzi short, hollow, eggless fettucine

strapazzate, uova scrambled eggs

strascenate shell pasta

stricchetti pasta in the form of two bow-ties

strigolo, pl. strigoli wild, spinach-like greens used in salads or for boiling

stringhetti egg pasta similar to tagliolini

stronghe long maccheroni

struffoli small balls of fried pasta held together with honey and decorated with candied fruit

suppa quatta A Sardinian soup made by layering rustic bread with sliced Pecorino. Meat broth is then added and the dish is baked until the broth is nearly all absorbed by the bread.

supplí Rice croquette made and sold in pizzerias; found all over Italy, but most popularly found in Rome. The word, which is Roman, comes from the French for surprise, and owes its name to the glob of mozzarella hidden inside. The snack's full name, supplí al telefono, is derived from the strings of mozzarella that form as the cheese melts and that are said to resemble telephone cords.

surecilli literally, "little mice"; small gnocchi

** Glossary created with the help of "Dictionary of Italian Cuisine", written by Maureen B. Fant and Howard M. Isaacs. (The Ecco Press: New Jersey, 1998).