Foods in Italy You Have To Try

Italy’s cuisine is like no other in the world. The food is rich with herbs, oils, fresh seafood and mouth-watering sauces. And while most Italian food is fantastic, there are a few dishes – and accompaniments – you simply can’t leave Italy without trying.

Pizza

When you think of pizza, you probably think of melted cheese covered in pepperoni, mushrooms, and everything but the kitchen sink. But this isn’t Italian pizza. True Italian pizza is quite different. Italy’s classic pizza, pizza napoletana is actually made from a very specific set of ingredients – mozzarella di bufala Campana, which is made from the milk of water buffalo that live only in Campania and Lazo, and San Marzano tomatoes, which grow only on the volcanic plains below Mount Vesuvius. This is pizza at its finest.

Pasta

Pasta is a staple in kitchens and restaurants across the globe, but in Italy, you won’t ever hear of ‘alfredo sauce’ or ‘mac ‘n cheese’. Here, you’ll get perfect al dente noodles with just enough sauce for the pasta to remain the hero of the dish. The sauce holds the secret to an authentic pasta dish though. Typically, a pasta sauce in Italy will have about four ingredients, but they’ll be of the absolute best quality available – blushing tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil and herbs gives you the perfect pasta al pomodoro. It will change your mac ‘n cheese ways forever.

Wine

In Italy, a meal isn’t complete without wine – and we aren’t complaining. Italy is the oldest, and one of the top five wine producers in the world. It’s best known for its bold, full-bodied reds, such as Borolo and Barbaresco, which have to be sampled with roast beef – or anything with truffles in – and Chianti; made from grapes that grow in the heart of Tuscany are perfect to accompany your lunch or antipasto.

Tortellini

A Traditional pasta from northern Italy, Tortellini is very technical dish to prepare, but a treat to eat. The handmade noodles are stuffed with meat, usually a combination of pork and prosciutto, and folded into a ring shape. The most well-known tortellini dish is tortellini in brood – tortellini in broth, when the tasty, delicate noodles are served in a bowl of steaming broth.

Gelato

Gelato is another Italian food that conquered the world. Although people often refer to it as ‘ice cream’ the two dishes are only similar in temperature. Unlike ice cream, gelato doesn’t contain air, which makes the flavour much more intense. It’s also a much healthier option – it’s much lower in fat and is traditionally made with all natural ingredients. Italians will generally enjoy a scoop or two with an after dinner stroll, but there’s no wrong time of the day to enjoy gelato.