Caper buds. Capers are a distinctive ingredient in Italian cuisine, especially in Sicilian, Aeolian and southern Italian cooking. They are commonly used in salads, pasta salads, meat dishes, and pasta sauces. Examples of uses in Italian cuisine are chicken piccata and "spaghetti alla puttanesca". Capers are known for being one of the ingredients of tartar sauce. They are often served with cold smoked salmon or cured salmon dishes (especially lox and cream cheese). Capers and caper berries are sometimes substituted for olives to garnish a martini. Capers are categorized and sold by their size, defined as follows, with the smallest sizes
Neapolitan sauce Neapolitan sauce Neapolitan sauce, also called Napoli sauce or Napoletana sauce is the collective name given (outside Italy) to various basic tomato-based sauces derived from Italian cuisine, often served over or alongside pasta. In Naples, Neapolitan sauce is simply referred to as la salsa, which literally translates to the sauce. Basil, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, peppercorns, cloves, olives, and mushrooms may be included depending on taste preferences. Some variants include carrots and celery. The basic sauce is vegetarian, although meat such as minced beef or sausage can be added. Many Italians (including Neapolitans) do not know what Neapolitan sauce is,