You can distinguish southern cuisine because of its wide variety of seafood, fresh tasty vegetables, rich olive oil, and, of course, basil and oregano. All this makes it one of the most healthful, most envied diets in the world. The best Italian olives come from the Puglia Region, and are often marinated in garlic oil or covered with crushed chili.

Some typical dishes:

• Maccheroni con le Sarde â?? Typical Sicilian pasta dish with sardines, pine nuts, raisins and bread crumbs.
• Frutti di Mare â?? Sauteed mussels and cockles. Char-grilled lobster, prawns or scampi and squid generally dressed with olive oil and some lemon juice.
• Pizza Napoletana â?? Soft crust pizza with tomato, garlic, anchovies and oregano. This is only one of many ways of topping pizza.
• Pesce Spada â?? A favorite in Sicily, swordfish steak is generally grilled, accompanied by eggplants cooked in a sweet and sour tomato sauce (Caponata).
• Cassata Siciliana â?? Ricotta cheese and candied fruit covered by marzipan.
• Torrone â?? A sweet nougat with nuts and almonds, often served during the Christmas season.
• Cannoli alla Siciliana â?? Tube-shaped biscuits stuffed with ricotta cheese, chocolate chips and candied fruit.
• Cheese â?? Battipaglia, near Naples, is home to the world famous Mozzarella di Bufala, made with buffalo milk and often served with sliced tomatoes and basil leaves  â?? the classic Caprese Salad. Scamorza, generally served grilled with Parma Ham, which is typical of Basilicata. Provolone, either mild or piquant, and ricotta cheese, used both for pasta dishes and for desserts.

Wines: Since the bronze age, wine has been produced in the south of Italy. The biggest regional producer of wine in Italy is Puglia, and some of the best Italian wines come from Sicily. Marsala wine â?? it takes its name from its city â?? has been in production since the 18th century, when it became famous thanks to Admiral Nelson, who ordered huge quantities of it after the Battle of the Nile.

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