For its size, the Italian region of Emilia has given the world more gastronomic delights than any other in or outside of Italy. Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma, and balsamic vinegar are probably its best-known contributions, though bolognese sauce (called ragù in Italy), egg pasta (known as sfoglia), and filled pasta varieties such as "tortellini" and "ravioli" also all came from here.
     What may be most exciting to the traveler, however, is that Emilia still is home to many other delicacies that have still to be widely discovered outside of Italy. Interesting alternatives to Parma ham include Salama da sugo from the town of Ferrara, which is made from pork meat with spices and red wine; Mortadella, a spicy sausage from the city of Bologna; Culatello, exquisite and costly cured pork;and Coppa, a pork sausage from Piacenza. Accompany them with gnocco fritto, crisp squares of fried dough, and you'll be enjoying Emilia's best antipasti. 
     First courses, which here often mean pasta, promise all the best of Emilian cooking: rich pasta sfoglia made with eggs and durum flour, in the form of tagliatelle or pappardelle served with meat or cream sauces. You can try all kinds of filled pastas, too, such as cappelletti served in a delicate broth from the town of Reggio Emilia, or tortelli di zucca with a pumpkin filling, or ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach, or Parma ham, or mushrooms or other delicious variations. Then there's the famed pasta al forno or baked pastas, which include lasagna. 
     Assuming you still have room, you can sample typical main course dishes such as costolette alla bolognese, breaded veal cutlets stuffed with Parma ham and cheese, or fritto misto, a course of various meats and vegetables fried in batter.
    To round off the meal, and at this stage who cares about the calories, zuppa inglese is a sort of trifle that will serve to convince you that Emilia is a foodie's paradise.