Home Regions Europe Italy Aosta Valley

Aosta Valley

The Aosta Valley is a mountainous autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France, Switzerland, and by Piedmont, Italy, to the south and east. The regional capital is Aosta. With a population of about 128,000 it is the smallest, least populous, and least densely populated region of Italy

Featured Dishes from Aosta Valley

Gnocco fritto

Gnocco fritto

Leavened dough fried in lard, serve with prosciutto, cold cuts, cheese, coffee

Blancmange

Blancmange

A sweet molded milk or cream dessert, often flavored with almonds and thickened with gelatin, cornstarch or Irish moss

Bonet

Bonet

Pudding or custard made with chocolate and amaretti cookies, and topped with rum-flavored caramel sauce and amaretti

Mecoulin

Mecoulin

Sweet raisin bread, the progenitor of Panettone

Montebianco

Montebianco

Chestnut chocolate pasta topped with whipped cream, named after Monte Bianco mountain

Tegole valdostane

Tegole valdostane

Thin, curved, tile-shaped wafer cookies made with almond flour and hazelnut flour

Torcetti

Torcetti

Ring- or ribbon-shaped cookies

Zabaione

Zabaione

Marsala wine-flavored custard

Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle

Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle

Caffè alla Valdostana

Caffè alla Valdostana

Coffee with grappa or génépi (herbal liqueur), sugar, lemon zest, and spices, for example, cinnamon, cloves, juniper berry, traditionally served in a coppa dell’amicizia (friendship cup)

Coffee

Coffee

Génépi

Génépi

Herbal liqueur made with flowers and berries liqueur

Grappa

Grappa

Agnolotti

Agnolotti

Filled pasta using meat, vegetables, cheese, mushrooms

Brasato

Brasato

Braised beef (roast beef), for example, with wine and vegetables, may also use veal, pork

Capriolo alla valdostana

Capriolo alla valdostana

Stewed venison and vegetables in a cream and grappa sauce

Carbonada

Carbonada

Beef stewed with red or white wine, commonly served with polenta

Cotoletta alla valdostana

Cotoletta alla valdostana

Breaded veal chops or cutlets stuffed with Fontina cheese

Crespelle

Crespelle

Crepes, made with savory or sweet fillings or toppings, used in soup, layered like lasagna

Fonduta

Fonduta

Fondue using fontina cheese, though other cheeses and ingredients are also used

Gnocchi alla bava

Gnocchi alla bava

Potato gnocchi topped with a creamy cheese sauce made with Grana Padano, Toma, and/or Fontina cheeses

Gnocchi alla romana

Gnocchi alla romana

Round and flat Roman-style gnocchi made with semolina flour, serve with butter and grated cheese

Minestra di castagne

Minestra di castagne

Chestnut soup, may be made with cream (minestra di castagne e latte), rice (minestra di riso e castagne), dried chestnuts, several variations

Pasta alla Valdostana

Pasta alla Valdostana

Pasta baked with Fontina cheese, prosciutto, mushrooms and a cream sauce

Polenta con funghi

Polenta con funghi

Polenta with mushroom ragu, some recipes grill the polenta

Polenta concia

Polenta concia

Polenta with butter and Fontina cheese

Pollo alla Valdostana

Pollo alla Valdostana

Breaded chicken cutlets with prosciutto and Fontina cheese, served with a white wine sauce

Risotto alla Valdostana

Risotto alla Valdostana

Creamy rice dish with Fontina cheese, butter, wine

Seupa de gri

Seupa de gri

Barley soup with pork, vegetables and potatoes

Socca

Socca

Aosta socca is a layered casserole with beef, sliced potatoes and shredded Savoy cabbage, Note: socca is also the name of chickpea crepes/pancakes

Torta salata

Torta salata

Savory pie with vegetables, meat, cheese

Trota alla Valdostana

Trota alla Valdostana

Trout fillet with vegetables, garlic, lemon juice, raisins

Zuppa valdostana

Zuppa valdostana

Savoy cabbage casserole, made with beef broth, Fontina cheese and sliced bread

Zuppa valpellinese

Zuppa valpellinese

Thick soup made with black bread (rye bread), Savoy cabbage and Fontina cheese

Bagna càuda

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Bagna càuda

Dip or sauce made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil and butter, used as a dip for vegetables

Boudin

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Boudin

Fontina

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fontina

Semi-soft cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk, from Aosta Valley, Italy

Formaggio di sera

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Formaggio di sera

Gnocchi

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Gnocchi

Dough dumpling pasta, served in a variety of ways

Gnocco fritto

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Gnocco fritto

Leavened dough fried in lard, serve with prosciutto, cold cuts, cheese, coffee

Honey

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Honey

Insalata di riso

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Insalata di riso

Cold rice salad, rice mixed with tuna, diced ham or prosciutto, provolone cheese, hard boiled eggs, anchovies, giardiniera, olives, gherkins, onions, artichoke hearts, peas, capers, roasted peppers, basil, olive oil and vinegar, lemon juice

Mecoulin

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mecoulin

Sweet raisin bread, the progenitor of Panettone

Miele di castagno

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Miele di castagno

Mocetta

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mocetta

Salted and aged boneless leg of beef, chamois, goat, historically, other animals have also been used, such as deer, ibex, boar

Polenta

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Polenta

Cornmeal porridge, cornmeal from flint corn is cooked in water or broth, may be firm or have a creamy consistency

Polenta concia

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Polenta concia

Polenta with butter and Fontina cheese

Rye bread

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Rye bread

Teteun

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Teteun

Cured and thinly sliced cow udder, serve with fruit jams

Toma

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Toma

Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Valle d’Aosta Lard d’Arnad

Cured pieces of fatty meat (fat back) cut from pork shoulder from Duroc, Landrace and Italian Large White pigs, the curing is done in wooden containers, from Aosta Valley, Italy

Vallée d'Aoste Fromadzo

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vallée d'Aoste Fromadzo

Semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and goat's milk, from Valle d'Aosta, Italy

Vallée d'Aoste Jambon de Bosses

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vallée d'Aoste Jambon de Bosses

Raw and cured pig legs from Duroc Italiana, Landrace and Large White pigs reared in Aosta Valley, Italy