When one mentions Italian cooking to most foreigners they almost automatically① think of pizza and spaghetti. This is a sad oversimplification② ， because Italian cooking is as diversified③ as it is delicious.
The centuries during which Italy was a collection of separate kingdoms， duchies， and republics has given the modern Italians a cuisine④ with as many subtle⑤ variations as their language. Pizza， for example， is a south Italian regional dish that was once served because it combined all the virtues a thrifty cook looks for—it was inexpensive， simple to make， nourishing⑥ ， and tasty⑦.
The popularity of pizza as a meal or a snack⑧ in America is probably greater than in Italy where it is safe to guess that many people have never even tasted one of their best-known exports.
① automaticallyadv. 自动地，机械地
② oversimplificationn. 过度单纯化(的事物)
③ diversifiedadj. 多变化的，各种的
④ cuisinen. 厨房烹调法，烹饪，烹调
⑤ subtleadj. 精巧的，精湛的；微妙的，难以捉摸的
⑥ nourishingadj. 有营养的，滋养多的
⑦ tastyadj. 美味的，可口的
⑧ snackn. 小吃，快餐，一份 v. 吃快餐(小吃)
美味的馅饼和细面条
如果有人对外国人提起意大利烹饪，大部分人总是想到意大利馅饼和意大利细面条。这是一种可悲的过分简单的想法，因为意大利饭菜不仅美味可口，而且丰富多彩。
几个世纪以来，意大利经历了独立的王国、公爵领地以及共和国等许多时期，这使得当代意大利人的食谱犹如他们的语言一样绚丽多姿。例如，比萨(Pizza)是意大利南部的一种地方食品，它集中了勤俭厨师所追求的一切优点——价格不贵，制作方便，营养丰富，而且美味可口。
在美国，比萨被当成主食或零食。而且美国人比意大利人更喜欢比萨。你可以这么认为意大利人甚至从未尝过他们那早已流传在外国的比萨。