Italy is a land rich in history and renowned worldwide for its extraordinary culinary tradition. Travellers with hungry taste buds would have a blast visiting the country, considering the different cuisines on every street and corner.
While pizza, risotto, and pasta variations are well-known outside Italy, regional examples of Italy iconic food are known only to a few. Becoming familiar with these stables is vital to eating like a local on your next big adventure.
So, bring your appetite and read on for some of the most iconic Italian dishes.
The first dish to taste in Italy is Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Locals are proud of this iconic Italian food, which can be found on almost every Italian street food cart. The meal contains Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale, fresh eggs, and pepper. Spaghetti alla Carbonara does not contain milk or cream, making it unique from other variations.
Pizza is a universal favourite among Italian dishes in different locations worldwide. Although most people prepare this iconic Italian food as a flatbread pizza with various toppings, the process is different inside the country.
As one of the leading Italian foods of Dolceterra, local pizza follows a strict set of guidelines that control the diameter of the pizza, the width of its raised edges, and specific dough ingredients. For the classic Margherita pizza, you can expect toppings like buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and tomatoes.
Although Italian foods mainly consist of bread over any other form of carbs, the creamy risotto wins the hearts of many. You will find various nutritious variations, including risotto alla Milanese from Milan.
Primarily found in fine-dining restaurants, it is an iconic Italian food preferred by the elites because the ingredients are luxurious and high-end. For instance, risotto alla Milanese is prepared with expensive saffron, while risotto al Nero di Sepia has arborio rice, cuttlefish and squid ink.
Found in the northern part of the country, Polenta is made of corn mush and can be served with salads, meats, and soup. Because of its simplicity in preparation and the flavour it adds to other dishes, polenta consumption has increased by 4.9 per cent worldwide. Well-prepared versions, like polenta fritters or stew with polenta, are nutritious and satisfying.
For those not in the mood for cooked foods, tiramisu is a simple yet delicious dessert to try. It consists of thin ladyfingers soaked in coffee and a mix of eggs, cocoa, sugar, mascarpone cheese, and cocoa.
Finishing this list without mentioning the famous lasagna, a quintessential Italy iconic food, is like committing a crime to the locals of Italy. Nowadays, the dish has several variations, including versions with plenty of meat or plant-based to appeal to different people.
It is prepared with sheets of pasta, a meaty ragu, bechamel sauce, and layered cheese, then baked in an oven. Natives prefer to include some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese sprinkled on top to avoid the tangy flavour.
