Mangia Con Elena

Growing Up Italian: Humble Beginnings IG: @mangia.con.elena The meaning of "La cucina povera" has evolved and has become synonymous with Italian cooking. It is used in restaurants and food establishments to describe meals that are often decadent and modernized versions of authentic Italian cooking. If you look at the history of how and when la cucina povera actually began you will see that Italian cucina povera  food is basic and simple with minimal ingredients. It was born out of necessity for survival during the Ventennio Fascista (20 years of fascisim) in Italy that spanned from 1922-1943. Italy was in the grips of poverty, rations, chaos and fear. Food was scarce and flour was impossible to get. It was much worse for the peasants and lower class who did not have the means to buy food from the "black market" which was also born out of necessity. If you would like to read a fascinating book about what it was actually like during this time then I would highly recom