Food writer Anna del Conte continues her gastronomic tour of Italy.
Anna was born and grew up in Milan in the region of Lombardy, in the north of Italy. Lombardy is very diverse - a fact reflected in the food.
Much polenta is eaten in the hillier areas and the Valle Padana is a great producer of rice.
The people here use a lot of butter, milk and cream - a far cry from the diet of tomatoes, olive oil and pulses of the South.
The richness of Lombardy is reflected in today's dish of Faraona al Mascarpone (Guinea Fowl with Mascarpone Stuffing). Read the recipe. Gastronomy of Italy by Anna del Conte (Pavilion Books, ISBN: 1862051666, £29.95).
