Italy’s top attractions for tourists are not limited to just art and architecture. The Roman country is full of lakes, mountains, gastronomic delights, dramatic coastline, and Yes, GOOD FOOD! The Italian Cuisines are simply great!
Italian Cuisine is too vast! It would be difficult for you to try everything as there are an infinite number of meals to Italian foods try in Italy and your stomach has a finite space. The variety of Italian food is truly vast. In this blog post, we have prepared a little bucket list of Italian dishes that you should definitely try on your trip to Italy. You never know which one becomes your favorite!
#1: Pizza
One should not miss trying the iconic Italian dish-Pizza during their trip to Italy as the country claims to be the birthplace of modern pizza, If this is your first trip to Italy, you should absolutely try Margherita pizza- a popular food easily found in local pizzeria, which is a simple but tasty dish. Margherita pizza is usually served with a thin-crust flatbread topped with olive oil, basil, tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
You will find two types of pizza to choose from in Italy- Roman-style pizza, or Neapolitan-style pizza. Neapolitan-style pizza has a thick, fluffy crust, a little smaller in diameter with more filling. On the other hand, the roman-style pizza has a paper-thin crust, a little bit crispy, not soggy, larger in diameter but typically lighter. A lot of Pizza places serve a happy medium between the two!
Both the Pizza types are loved by travelers, whichever you favor,just follow the simple r rule; when in Rome, follow Romans, i.e., eat Roman style pizza and when in Nales, naturally, do as the Neapolitans do.
#2. Pasta
You should definitely not miss out feasting on Pasta- the 2nd iconic traditional Italian dish during your trip to Italy. The country offers different types of Pasta depending on where you travel in Italy. We advise you to try the regional specialties of the cities you are travelling to. When travelling to Rome, do not miss to try pasta alla carbonara, prepared with ingredients such as Pecorino cheese, eggs, guanciale and black pepper. When travelling to The Vatican City, do try Spaghetti alla Carbonara or Spaghetti alla Gricia.
#3. Lasagna
Lasagna is another popular Italian cuisines widely available in every city of the country. It is a wide, flat pasta noodle, baked in layers in the oven. The traditional Lasagna wasn’t made with tomatoes, cheese- mozzarella or Parmigiano Reggiano or a combination of the two were used in Lasagna’s preparations.
Though lasagna is available throughout the country, but you shouldn’t miss trying the hearty dish in Emilia Romagna served with fresh ragù, homemade noodles, and a generous dollop of regional pride.
#4. Bruschetta
This Italian cuisines- Bruschetta has grilled bread topped with lots of veggies, tomato mix and garlic. This classic Italian starter is a bread sliced, topped with evergreen tomato-basil and different toppings and mushroom-garlic.
#5. Risotto
One of the most important ingredients of Italian Cuisines is Rice, often prepared as a creamy luxurious risotto. Though Italian aren’t rice lovers, Italy is the largest rice producer in Europe. The most popular risotto type is the saffron-infused risotto alla milanese. Other classic versions of the dish include risotto al nero di sepia and risi e bisi, both of which hail from Venice.
#6. Focaccia Bread
There are numerous types of bread in Italy. It’s a bit difficult to categorize a specific type of bread as best, the one baked locally that morning is the best one! The food lovers should try a few of the different types that Italy’s robust baking culture has developed over the years.
The bread in Tuscany has a unique taste, made without salt, you won’t find the taste elsewhere. Tuscan bread is generally eaten with a drizzle of olive oil and salt or herbs.
Liguria- the home of the well-known flat bread, focaccia. The classic focaccia is hyper-salty, sprinkled with olive oil and made into a sandwich. It’s generally served open faced, with popular toppings like zucchini, rosemary, cheese, and olives.
Off the coast of Italy, in Sardinia bread appears like a pita, always toasted after baking giving it a wonderful crunch!
While touring to Italy, keep trying new breads whenever you get the opportunity. Whether you are in the country’s biggest cities or smallest towns, Italian bakeries will not disappoint you .
#7. Gelato
A trip to Italy is incomplete without gelato! When in Italy, it’s totally normal to eat gelato once or twice a day, especially in the summer. Though Gelato is termed as ice cream it’s quite different from a normal ice cream. Gelato has low butterfat content than ice cream; just 4 to 8 percent compared to 14 percent for ice cream in the United States.
Gelato melts in your mouth faster, served a bit warmer, and gives a more velvety texture. Good gelato is not meant for long-term storage.
#8. The Minestrone
There are various versions of this Italian dish but this dish unites the country from the far north to the deepest south. This dish was widely served as the Italian dinner until the seventies. The base of this dish is a mixture of vegetables and the word “minestrone” came from a great mix of veggie, served with different ingredients in different regions:
- In Lombardy, you’ll find rice
- In Veneto, the main ingredient is beans
- In Rome, you’ll find artichokes
- In Naples the addition of tomatoes is inevitable;
- In Liguria, you’ll find beans and green beans, together with basil and often the final touch of pesto;
- In Puglia turnip greens appear and pecorino is not missing.
#9. Fritto Misto
Over the period of the last 50 years, “Mixed fried seafood” known as Fritto Mistro has become one of the iconic dishes of Italian food.
The variety “mixed fried seafood” depends on what the sea offers: squid, anchovies, small sardines, sole, red mullet, prawns, and more, the right combination can make the delicious appetizing course on the plate.
#10. Saltimbocca
This dish is very popular among locals and travelers, has thin slices of veal, topped with herb leaves and salty prosciutto. These ingredients are joined together with toothpick, sautéed in a pan until the meat is done. Saltimbocca is prepared using the different varieties of meat, like mutton and chicken which melts away in the mouth.
Want to learn the popular Italian Cuisines- Pizza & Pasta? Apply for Italy Visa and learn how to cook the mother of Italian dishes- Pizza & Pasta by joining the Pizza & Pasta making classes in Italy.