Liguria is known for herbs and vegetables (as well as seafood) in its cuisine.
Savory pies are popular, mixing greens and
artichokes along with cheeses, milk curds, and eggs. Onions and olive oil are used. Due to a lack of land suitable for wheat, the Ligurians use chickpeas in and polenta-like . The former is served plain or topped with onions, artichokes, sausage, cheese or young anchovies. Farinata is typically cooked in a wood-fired oven, similar to southern pizzas. Fresh fish is used often in Ligurian cuisine. (salted cod) is a source of protein in coastal regions; it is traditionally prepared in a soup. Hilly districts use
chestnuts as a source of carbohydrates. Ligurian pastas include , typically stamped with traditional designs, from the
Polcevera Valley; , triangle-shaped ravioli filled with vegetables; , pasta ribbons made with a small amount of egg and served with artichoke sauce or pesto sauce; , made from
whole wheat flour cut into long strips and served with pesto; boiled beans and potatoes; and
trofie, a Ligurian
gnocchi made from wheat flour and boiled potatoes, made into a spiral shape and often tossed in pesto. Many Ligurians emigrated to Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influencing the cuisine of the country (which was otherwise dominated by meat and dairy products that the narrow Ligurian hinterland would not have allowed). Pesto, sauce made from basil and other herbs, is uniquely Ligurian, and is often served with Ligurian pastas. == Characteristics ==