chiodi di garafano

Literally 'carnation nails', although they actually come from the clove tree native to the North Moluccas islands of Indonesia. In Christian tradition they were said to resemble the nails of the Cross and were extremely expensive and fashionable during the time of Dante, who in the Inferno wrote that they were reserved for the wealthy Sienese.

Also chiovi di garofanu in Sicily; throughout Italy, an essential ingredient in salami.

chiodato: a dish 'studded with' another ingredient