Breads

When Italians aren't using up their flour to make pasta or pizza, they are whipping up an astonishing array of pani (there are said to be over 350 kinds). Slightly confusingly, many yeast 'breads' are actually what we in English would call cakes, starting with the now world-famous panettone.

Italians also make a whole range of flat breads, usually fried; for these, see Pizzas, Focacce & Flatbreads.

All these may be sold in a bakery (panificio or forno); many of these also sell biscotti and pasticcini. A pastry shop is a pasticceria, and although they specialize in pastries, many also sell bread.