Italy is famous for its delicious pasta dishes; however, there are many other wonderful dishes that everyone who visits Italy should try. Let’s take a look at the top dishes to enjoy while visiting Italy.
Prosciutto
Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham that is an Italian favorite. The ham is thinly sliced and served uncooked. The most delicious and most expensive prosciutto is made in northern and central Italy. Prosciutto is a savory, yet light-flavored cured meat. The delicious delicacy is often served wrapped around cheese or melons or served alongside pasta.
Ribollitalight-flavoured
Ribollita is a hearty soup from Italy that is extremely popular. In fact, everyone loves it so much that Campbells has begun offering its own version. Ribollita is a Tuscan peasant vegetable soup thickened with bread rather than meat. Italians used bread because it was more readily available and cheaper than meat in the poor Italian countryside. This delicious soup remains a popular dish, especially in the autumn, during harvest time when vegetables are at peak color and flavor. The soup simply explodes with flavor, even without any type of meat. In Florence, Ribollita is often served as the first course rather than pasta. Ribollita is a hearty soup that showcases the power and flavor that great produce offers.
Arancini
Arancini are stuffed rice balls that are coated in crunchy bread crumbs and then fried until they are crispy and golden brown. The shape and fillings in this dish can vary and may be filled with a number of things, including peas, mozzarella, ragu, or tomato sauce.
This rich dish varies from region to region, much like pizza and pasta dishes in Italy. For example, arancini con burro is made with a creamy bechamel sauce, while arancini con ragu is made using rice, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. Other examples of arancini include arancini con melanzane and arancini con funghi.
Polenta
Many people only think of pasta when they think of Italian food; however, the most common starch in Northern Italy is actually polenta. Polenta is a corn mush similar to grits. Grits are a staple in many southern states in America. Polenta can vary in texture based on the fineness or the coarseness of the milling of the corn kernels. Polenta was originally made using a variety of starches, including buckwheat and acorns. When corn was introduced in Europe during the 16th century, it became the dominant ingredient used in polenta. Although polenta lacks the diverse shapes and textures of pasta, polenta is a wonderful accompaniment for meat, especially meat that is stewed. As the temperatures begin to cool down in Venice, Turin, and Milan, Italians start enjoying this fantastic comfort food. Polenta can be served as a mush, or it can be packed and fried into delicious wobbly fritters.
Marsala
This dish is delicious and simple. The sauce is made up of perfectly cooked mushrooms and Marsala wine and poured over the thinly cut chicken. If you’re interested then why not try and make this simple chicken Marsala recipe your new weeknight favorite.
Ossobuco
Ossobuco a la Milanese served on top of a mound of risotto a la Milanese is a classic dish enjoyed in the beautiful city of Milan. Ossobucco a la Milanese is made using a bone-in veal shank. The veal is cooked slowly at a low temperature in a broth consisting of vegetables, white wine, and meat stock until it is melt off the bone tender. Ossocbucco a la Milanese is typically served alongside a gremolata (parsley, garlic, and lemon zest); however, this is optional. Milan claims this delicious dish; however, there are versions around the world. This rustic dish is designed to stave off a winter chill. Ossobuco translates to the hollow bone. Ossobucco is not commonly found on restaurant menus due to the cooking time needed to create a delicious Ossobucco a la Milanese. If you have an opportunity to try this dish in a restaurant or decide to cook at home, it is simply amazing. Ossocucco a la Milanese is often served with either polenta or torrone.
Torrone
Torrone is a creamy, yet sticky confection made from citrus zest, toasted nuts, honey, and egg whites. You can find this delicious candy in candy stores and cafes across Italy. The original recipe is absolutely delicious; however, there are other torrone varieties, including the chocolate dipped torrone, for a truly decadent treat.
Carbonara
Many people travel across Italy and never try anything other than the many pasta dishes served in Italy. If you only try one pasta, we recommend carbonara. There will be many people who disagree with us but trust us, and it is simply amazing. This simple looking dish is actually challenging to master. In fact, the top chefs spend years mastering this dish. Made from spaghetti noodles, pecorino cheese, eggs, black pepper, and cured guanciale, a high-quality carbonara will change your life. Many chefs take shortcuts like using cream to thicken the sauce or opting to use bacon rather than guanciale. When these substitutions are used, the taste difference is enormous. This speciality hails from Rome; however, many restaurants and chefs continue to get this dish wrong. To ensure that you get a high-quality carbonara, ask a local where the best place to get carbonara is. You want a chef who understands the intricacies of this fantastic dish and serves an amazing carbonara.
Italian food is designed to nourish the body and the soul. Each of the dishes in this article is designed to showcase the many wonderful flavors available throughout Italy. If you get a chance to visit this beautiful country, make sure to try out these Italian specialities.
