The hardest thing about eating in Italy is that you can't try everything. Every day you have a limited number of meals, a limited amount of space in your stomach, and there seems to be no limit to the number of Italian dishes you "absolutely need to try".
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Although long before the unification of Italy, there was a piece of flat bread filled with oil and spices, perhaps none of the dishes were as common as humble pizzas, nor did they represent the country. Convenient, cheap, stuffed, pizza has always been a common snack or meal, especially in Naples, where ketchup was first added. In 1889, when Queen Margarita of Italy walked through the bustling city to visit her kingdom, she asked to try the dish, and she saw that many subjects were eating it. A local entrepreneur offered her the now-legendary combination of ketchup, mozarella and basil to create margarita pizza (or more likely a brand). Whether by coincidence or design, Margarita also displays the colors of the Italian flag.
Today, in Italy there are basically two types of pizza to choose from: a new-Polytan-style pizza, or a Roman-style pizza (although to be honest, many delivery locations exist, which is a happy medium between the two). Neapolitan-style pizza has a thick fluffy crust. It tends to be a little smaller in diameter because the dough hasn't pushed out that far and it's filled more. Roman-style pizza has a thin paper crust, just the slightest crisp (you don't want it to be wet!). It's larger in diameter, but generally lighter and has fewer gluten bombs.
Due to the history of Naples with Queen Margarita, the city claims to be the birthplace of modern pizza, although this is debated all over Italy. Regardless of the situation, the general rule of ordering pizza in Italy is to eat fewer toppings. You should also be suspicious of any pizzeria that loads toppings into their pie – this is often a tactic used to mask the use of bad ingredients. Fewer toppings are a sign of product confidence, as each topping must be exemplary. No matter which pizza you prefer, another rule of thumb is: when you are in Rome, like the Romans, you eat Roman-style pizza. When you're in Naples, you're naturally like the Neapolitans.
The traditional Pisa Margarita of Naples, accompanied by a thick crust photo by Amanda Rugheri
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Eggs are pumped from sea rats. Wait, what? Don't put off because of this rough description of Italian cuisine, because another way to describe Botox is "Sicilian Caviar". In August and September, southern Italians take luo from the small gray fish, salt it, press it, and then let it dry for six months. The result is a large egg, colored like amber and blood orange, that, when sliced, eaten or ground pasta, blooms into delicious, smoky and golden bouquets. Although in the days before refrigeration it was basically a poor man's answer to preserving seafood, it is now considered one of the most sought-after and luxurious foods in Italy, right there were truffles (more about later ones). We recommend grinding it up pasta, or just thinly and drizzle lemon juice and olive oil.
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Lasannia is a wide, flat noodle that is usually baked in the middle layers of an oven. Like most Italian dishes, its origins are controversial, but we can at least say that its stronghold was in the Emilia-Romagna region, where it went from a poor man's food to a rich meal filled with rags or meat sauce.
Traditionally pasta is not made with tomatoes (remember, those came from the New Big World in the 16th century): only rags, bachamel sauce, and cheese, usually mozzarella or pamiguiano regiano or a combination of both. Even today, only a little ketchup or ketchup is used in traditional Laguna cuisine, unlike most Italian-American dishes, which are basically swimming in ketchup. This condenses the taste of the meat, but is sometimes a little discordant to the American taste.
While you can find pasta all over Italy, there's nothing like trying hearty dishes in Emilia Romagna with homemade noodles, fresh rags, and generous regional pride
If you want to replicate delicious dishes at home, you can check out our l Asanya recipes.
A good pasta needs exemplary pasta, Lagoo and Beshammer.
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Bistica Florentine, or Florentine T-Bone Steak, covers all the characteristics of the best dishes in Italy: from the specific cuts of the meat prepared by the specific cattle, in a very specific way, all within the scope of a particular region.
In the case of the huge Bistica Florence, it is a piece of T-bone steak cut thick (at least 5 cm) from the waist of a Chiannina cow raised in Tuscany. Depending on the thickness, cook each side for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked on the outside, which is still very rare inside. There's no point in asking for a medium-made steak here, the meat is too thick to even figure out!
Despite all the dogmas, florentine steak has some variations. First of all, the meat doesn't always come from Chianina cattle. Many Florentines agreed to add new varieties, but others swore that the huge size and muscle of Chianina made the best of the T-bone. If in doubt, just ask. In addition, Florentines tend to prefer a higher incision, close to a rib cage, which contains rounded corners called Bistica Nera Costa, while in Florence in Tuscany you may get a Bist canel file tray, a lower incision that tends to be smoother and more melted in your mouth. However, this does not necessarily mean that the situation will improve. The Florentines believed that the more commonly used muscles than Stecanaela costola came from, which meant it had more flavor.
Whatever incision you get, this is a dish that is eaten exclusively in Tuscany – whether in Florence or in the countryside. Also destined to share! When ordering, keep in mind that Bistica Alla Florence is priced by weight: for two people, you usually look 1 - 2 kg (or nearly 2 - 4 lbs).
Florentine T-Bone Steak, or Bistica Florentina, is a beloved dish throughout Tuscany.
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Although on Tuscan themes we would be remiss if we had not mentioned this hearty soup, which has become so popular that Campbell has made a (not amazing) version. This vegetable soup is rooted in the region's farmers cooking, thickened with bread rather than meat, because in the extremely poor Italian countryside, this vegetable soup was cheaper and easier to buy for hundreds of years. In Tuscany, this dish is considered a special delicacy of autumn, as the harvested vegetables have the most vivid flavor, and although there is no meat (at least in the traditional version), the soup explodes with a rich salty taste. Often eaten as a first course, rather than pasta on a flotilla in Florence, it is a hearty stew that shows off the power of a huge, often untapped product.
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While we tend to associate pasta with italy as a whole, the truth is that until recently, the staple starch eaten in the northern part of the boots was Pollenta. This corn puree, which is almost identical to the grit eaten in the southern States of the United States (variations boil down to roughness or fineness, the kernel of corn is ground), was originally made up of any starch that was convenient, including acorns and wheat. However, in the 16th century, corn was introduced to Europe, and it became the main component of corn. Although it lacks the diversity of pasta's shapes and textures, polonta is the perfect accompaniment to all kinds of meats, especially stews, and it can be arguably one of your most comfortable foods when temperatures drop in cities such as Milan, Turin and Venice. Look for it as a slurry, or package and fry it into shaky pieces. You should also not miss it in the next dish...
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The world-famous Osobco Alamino is a bone veal handle that is cooked low and slow until the tender broth, white wine and vegetables are melted. Traditionally, it comes with a gremorata (lemon hot, garlic and parsley), but this is optional. Although Milanese like to claim that this fleshy masterpiece has as many versions as it has fina in Lombardy, it is famous for its sumptuous, often rustic dishes, good at smearing ribs and fending off the winter chills. Despite its popularity, Osobco (literally "hollow bone"), it's not always seen on a common restaurant menu because it takes about three hours of cooking time. If you have the opportunity to eat at a restaurant or at home, or even cook your own meals, you should seize the opportunity. It usually comes with Pollon Tower or the next item on our list.
Osobko vs. Risotho Milanese. Photo by Steen @Flickr
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Rounding up the sacred trinity of Italian starch is rice, which is often eaten as a creamy, luxurious Risotho. Ironically, Italians are not big hands on rice, they eat all pasta and pasta, but they are the largest rice producer in Europe. While southern Italy is often referred to as the country's bread basket, northern Italy, especially Lombardy and Piedmont, is its rice bowl. Aptly, the Aberio and Caneroli varieties, grown in the vast rice fields of these regions, become one of Italy's most iconic dishes by mixing and stirring with the fish until they form a velvet half-soup, perfectly conveying any taste cooked with it. The most famous type of Saffron infusion into the Alamilians of Risotho, which was invented, according to legend, by the workers who built the Cathedral of Milan who used saffron-dyed glass windows and thought they would also throw it into their rice. Other classic versions of dishes include Risotho al nero di sepia (with cuttlefish and ink) and Ricci e bisi (with Penchetta and Peas), both from Venice.
Risotho requires a lot of agitation.
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It is possible to go to Italy and eat nothing but pasta. We know because we've done it. However, if there's a bucket list of pasta that everyone should try at least once, our vote goes to Kara (we know it's controversial – please feel free to leave your desert island spaghetti review). This dish may seem simple – pasta, eggs, Picolino cheese, marinated guacar and black pepper – but it will take a lifetime to master, and a good version will change your life. There are many imitations, i.e. those that use cream thickened sauces or bacon instead of glycerin, but because the difference in taste is huge, substitutes are not accepted. This is a Roman specialty, but even in the capital there are still plenty of restaurants that can and do get it wrong. The best way to make sure you get the model version is to get advice from a local. You're not looking for a good restaurant, but a restaurant that specializes in Big Kara.
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Ah, truffles, this spicy, elusive fungus is one of the most expensive and mouth-watering foods in the world, and Italy is one of the few countries where the fungus can be found in large numbers! This tuber grows only in the wild and is discovered by hunting in the forests and mountains of Umbria and Piedmont, where dogs or pigs are trained to smell it underground.
In Italy, truffles come in two forms, one is a rare, aromatic white truffle, and the other is a slightly less aromatic and more common black truffle. The aroma is mundane, though certainly not for everyone – less enthusiastic consumers sometimes compare the smell/taste of gasoline. Still, their popularity abounds and Italian tatoofi is one of our favorite autumn foods in Italy all the time!
Want to try it on your next trip? First, start with your location. Truffles grow naturally throughout Umbria, Tuscany and Piedmont, so you're more likely to find fresh truffles in the local dishes of these regions, but only if you go in the autumn. At any other time of the year, the truffles you get will be imported or frozen and they won't be anywhere close to good. If you enter the truffle country in autumn head to the Sagra Festival, such as the famous International White Truffle Festival Alba in Piedmont held every October and November.
If you're trying truffles for the first time, we recommend starting with fresh pasta covered by a thin truffle shave, but there are plenty of other options to choose from! Truffles are usually sprinkled on pasta, Lisotho and omelets, or in sauces used in steaks or other meat dishes.
Truffle shaving adds a whole new flavor to simple dishes.
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There are hundreds of breads in Italy and the best bread is the bread baked locally that morning, no matter where you happen to stay. But you shouldn't leave without trying at least a few of the various types of Italian strong baking culture that has been developing for years.
For example, you may notice that Bread in Tuscany tastes different from other places. That's because it's made without salt. The tradition originated in a struggle between Tuscany and the coastal areas that controlled the salt trade, and costlessly cut off the supply of once-valuable goods from agricultural areas. Today, Tuscan bread is best eaten with a drop of olive oil, vanilla or salt.
Liguria is the home of the world famous flat bread, Foucasia. Recall the thick pizza dough, the classic focaccia is ultra-salty, drizzling with olive oil and essentially irresistible on its own, or made into sandwiches. It is often an open noodle with toppings such as rosemary, zucchini, cheese and olives.
On the Italian coast, in Sardinia, the classic bread looks nothing like bread, but more like a pita. Panecaraso, named after the word "Carazare", means toast. Unsurprisingly, this bread paper thin bread, it is always baked after baking, giving it wonderful crispness!
We can't tell you which style of bread you like the most, but we can tell you that you shouldn't turn down the opportunity to taste the new type of bread. From the big cities to the smallest towns, you'll never be far from an Italian bakery, so stop for some bread whenever you get the chance.
"Panesa", pictured above, is a thin Sardinian bread, locally known as "Musical Bread".
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Our Sicilian friends will say something harsh with us because they combine their beloved Alancino with their cousins in Rome and vice versa, but the truth is that when in Italy, you should try at least one kind of ball of fresh fried rice. These starch bombs appear in bars, restaurants and market stalls across Italy, but if you're going to order one, it helps to understand the difference. Sicilian Arancinos are usually larger, either conical or circular in shape. In fact, its name means "little orange". It is usually filled with rago and some kind of cheese, optional vegetables such as peas, mushrooms, or eggplant. You'll also find specialties like Cala Arancini, although purists tend to dismiss these novel inventions. Supplé is a Roman specialty and is often found in pizzerias and pasta. They are rectangular and traditionally contain only rice, ketchup and a large mozarella in the middle. Their nickname — "Telephone" — comes from the idea that when you break them down into half-thin molten cheese chords, the two ends should be connected. Although fried rice balls are common in Italy (and the United States), they are often fried in advance and placed under a hot lamp. If you want a cut above the rest, make sure it's fried when you order it – the difference is day and night.
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For coffee drinkers, there's nothing better than having a cup of coffee in Italy.
Remember, Italian coffee is not like your local Starbucks coffee. Although some of the dozens of options may sound similar (latte... Anything done – Puccino, etc. – they are rarely what you are led to believe they are. For example, if you order a "latte" in Italy, you only need to drink a glass of milk.
Read our complete guide to how to drink coffee like an Italian, when, where, where and how to drink coffee in Italy. From ordinary "coffee" to cappuccino, coffee Macchiato, coffee is everywhere in Italy, but varies greatly from region to region. For example, in Trieste, you can order a cup of coffee with a creamy espresso on top, while in Naples the coffee is full-bodied, creamy and fast. Avoid taking a sip of water (we mean drinking) coffee after you've finished it to show off your cooking abilities. Drinking espresso after a meal is a very Italian way to solve the stomach, and coffee, i.e. a glass of espresso with wine, is even more so.
Of all the coffee-mania cities in Italy, Trieste has the best coffee and café culture. With a long history as a duty-free port, it brought some of the first coffee beans to the city during the first coffee boom in medieval Europe. Today, the headquarters of Illy, the Italian coffee king, is also there, and the city also imports many other brands.
Italian coffee is as much a work of art as drinks.
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A trip to Italy would not be complete without ice cream! If you want to eat one scoop (or two scoops) a day, don't worry, it's normal to eat gelato regularly in Italy, especially in the summer.
Although ice cream translates to "ice cream", it is not exactly the same. According to the law, the butter fat for ice cream is much less than for ice cream: the butter fat rate for ice cream in the United States is about 4% to 8%, while the butter law for ice cream is 14%. The low fat content means the ice cream is a little warmer and tends to melt faster in your mouth, it also enhances the taste and gives it a more velvety texture.
Secondly, the density of ice cream is much higher. Regular ice cream adds air and water to increase volume and weight. Unfortunately, these additions also make it less delicious. The practice is illegal in Italy, leaving the gelato (at least, traditional artisan gelato) super sweet and super delicious. Finally, good ice cream is not made for long-term storage.
So, how do you know if this is a good thing? When looking for fresh handmade ice cream, there are a few things to be aware of. Before buying, look at the color (is it natural or neon-lit?). Also, look at how it's stored. Handmade ice cream is stirred slowly, often, although now always stored in overlying round containers. Those stacked wave-top ice creams may look beautiful, but they're also whipped, adding more air to the product.
Looking for something good? Find the best gelato in Rome, Florence and Milan here.
While the swirls above are prettier, the flat-topped ice cream means no added air.
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If you want to branch from ice cream in the world of Italian confectionery, your first stop should be the deceptively simple Tiramisu, which is probably the most beloved dessert in the country. This non-roasted sausage features a soft, sweet mascarpone cheese and coffee-steeped alternating layer for ladies diners. Despite its elemental feel (coffee, cream cheese, old biscuits), Tiramisu is the youngest dish on the list, and most estimates of its creations place it in the 1960s. It may be simple, but not all Tiramisu is equal. A good Tiramisu offers only the highest quality coffee and mascarpen. Cream and egg whites are sometimes added to mascarpone to give it a lighter texture, and a variety of cookies and cakes can replace traditional lady's fingers. Unless your Italian is particularly strong, it's hard to ask for these things in restaurants, so usually the only option is to simply order one and see if it's your liking.
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The term "digestion" or "digestion" refers to a beverage, but rather a type of beverage that is enjoyed after a large meal with the aim of stabilizing the stomach and helping you feel less full. Drinking them dates back to the Middle Ages, when people across Europe believed in the medicinal properties of alcohol mixed with sugar and herbs. While doctors still don't understand the medical benefits of drinking congener after a meal, the truth is that you can't say you enjoyed a real Italian meal unless you hit it with a hard stitch. Popular digestions include Limoncello, Grappa, Amaro, Sinar, Amareto, and if you feel brave, Sambuca has enough alcohol to make the horse dizzy. If you get off the track in Italy, you'll also find all types of nice post-dinner tips made from local fruits and herbs. Don't be shy, they are always worth a sip.
Limoncello originated on the Amalfi Coast, but it has become popular in digestion throughout Italy.