Must-Try Italian Dishes. What to try in Italy

I order pizza Margherita. A few minutes later, the waiter brings steaming tomato-basil perfection in the colors of the Italian flag. I cut off a piece with a crispy crust and stretching strings of cheese, take the first bite and ... Madonna mamma mia! Questa pizza and una BOMBA. Che buona! Incredible. Then everything is in a fog, I woke up already over an empty plate.

Ever since I was a kid, I've had this Disney-inspired image that the most traditional Italian dish is spaghetti with meatballs. Remember this wonderful scene from Lady and the Tramp? Once in Italy, I found out that this is a 100% Disney invention that has nothing to do with Italian cuisine. Thanks Hollywood.

In fact, Italian cuisine is not just food. This is a century-old history of cheese making and winemaking, spicy salami and a variety of olives, crispy panini with prosciutto and herbs, fresh vegetables, fragrant pastries and desserts that melt in your mouth. Eating in Italian is a ritual with a certain sequence of dishes and drinks.

I am amazed by the regionalism developed in the country: each region of Italy has its own traditional dish. Some dishes remain typically regional, while others are distributed throughout the country and the world. So Italian food is not Italian food. These are Lombard, Ligurian, Neapolitan, Roman, Sicilian cuisines and all the rest, from Milan to.

Italians are proud of their cuisine and take great care of it. For the most part, the inhabitants of this country believe that their cuisine is the best in the world. Starting to criticize any dish, you run the risk of spoiling the relationship, or at least upset the Italian. But, frankly, there will be little or no reason for criticism. Italian cuisine is wonderful in every way. Of course, taste preferences are always a matter of individuality, but I think that at least a few dishes from this article have a chance to arouse your admiration or even become your favorite.

What is an Italian meal?

Breakfast

The principle of "eat breakfast yourself, share lunch with a friend, and give dinner to the enemy" is completely contrary to Italian gastronomic culture. Italian breakfast is a typical continental breakfast. This is the lightest meal of the day, consisting of a cup of coffee, a glass of orange juice and pastries. Italian croissants - with chocolate, honey, fruit jams or simple - this is a tender-crunchy miracle. I highly recommend trying cornetto alla crema, a croissant with cream. In the absence of fresh pastries, for example, when having breakfast at home, Italians replace it with all kinds of biscotti - cookies that can be bought in the supermarket.

Breakfast is not customary to eat on the run. Even being in a terrible hurry, Italians find a few minutes to enjoy their morning coffee with pastries at least standing at the bar. By the way, the price varies depending on whether you will take a table or not: breakfast is cheaper. Of course, cafes and restaurants also offer a dense English breakfast- scrambled eggs with tomatoes, toast, eggs Benedict, but this is not authentic. I think: "Arrived in - act like the Romans."

Lunch and dinner

Lunch and dinner are the densest meals, consisting of several changes of dishes. You can skip one or more dishes, but the sequence must not be broken. Italians are convinced that eating in the prescribed order is healthier.

Antipasto is served first. Antipasto is a light cold or hot appetizer. For example, a plateau of cheeses or sausages, pieces of vegetables, bread, olives, sliced ​​\u200b\u200bseafood. Snacks are designed to allow a person to satisfy the first hunger and calmly think about what he wants to taste next.

Cheese

As an antipasto, you should definitely try Italian cheeses.

The most famous is Parmigiano Reggiano. Parmigiano is a hard cheese with a delicate taste and a bright aftertaste, crumbling on the cut. Another amazing hard cheese– Grana Padano. Grana is very similar to Parmesan, both cheeses are made from cow's milk. These are the undoubted favorites of my rating of Italian cheeses.

Among cheeses made from sheep's milk, the piquant Pecorino Romano from the Lazio region is extremely good.

The famous Italian blue cheese comes from the north of the country Gorgonzola. Gorgonzola cheese is spicy, piquant and, I would say, for an amateur.

For me a revelation in the world of Italian cheese snacks became Tomino cheese, baked with honey and berries. It's a whole range the most delicate tastes: crispy crust, warm melted cheese inside, rich creaminess and light notes of honey.

Soft mozzarella cheese certainly also deserves the attention of cheese lovers. For example, as part of the famous caprese salad, which is also served as an antipasto. Caprese is simple and elegant: tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, ideally from buffalo milk (la mozzarella di bufala), drizzled with olive oil.

Bread

Other snacks are toasted slices of bread with garlic, butter, tomatoes and basil, that is, bruschette. There are a lot of variations on the theme of bruschetta: bread can be supplemented with seafood, vegetables, mushrooms and anything for every taste.

In general, in Italy, amazing bread, which is served with almost any dish. I really liked the crispy taralli from Puglia, a bit like bagels.

Meat

You can not ignore the famous snack from raw beef- carpaccio. I think that with deep rooting in our gastronomic existence of sushi and other delights Japanese cuisine, raw fish and meat no longer scares anyone. And if you are still scared, then do not be afraid. Carpaccio are delicious thin slices of beef topped with arugula and grated parmesan. The dish is poured with oil and lemon juice. In general, carpaccio is more of a cooking method, so you can call it any thinly sliced raw product. Carpaccio of porcini mushrooms is also an incredibly tasty thing.

Speaking of meats, I can't help but mention prosciutto di Parma (pictured left) and bresaola (pictured right). Prosciutto is a cured Parma ham. Prosciutto is cotto and crudo, that is, boiled and raw. I recommend trying both. Bresaola is salted dry-cured beef, a popular snack in northern Italy.

Aperitif

With antipasto, you can drink water, wine and everything that belongs to aperitivo and serves to enhance your appetite. These are, for example, cocktails based on Prosecco (dry sparkling wine), vermouth, Campari or Aperol liqueurs. The famous Aperol Spritz has become the "face" of the aperitif. This is a low-alcohol cocktail with a lot of ice. In any cafe in Italy, bright glasses with an orange Spritz are always visible on the tables.

My favorite Bellini cocktail is Prosecco with peach puree. Rossini is in no way inferior to him - Prosecco with strawberry puree.

Aperitif is a characteristic part of the Italian dolce vita, demonstrating the love of this nation for long friendly meetings over a glass of refreshing drink and snacks.

First course

Antipasto is followed by primo - the first course. In Italy, this is, first of all, pasta, that is, an obligatory part of the gastronomic program. There are a lot of types of pasta, and even more sauces for them. The classic of the genre is the Roman pasta spaghetti alla Carbonara with Italian bacon. By the way, contrary to popular belief, the authentic Spaghetti Carbonara dish does not contain cream.

A little about other types of pasta: tagliatelle - wide noodle-like ribbons that come from Bologna. It is tagliatelle, and not spaghetti, as is commonly believed, that traditionally serve as the basis for pasta alla Bolognese.

Cannelloni are tubes of dough that are filled with filling. For me, the most delicious were the cannelloni stuffed with an amazing Italian combo: spinach and ricotta (soft cheese).

If you see ravioli con funghi porcini in the Primo section of the menu, take it without hesitation. These are ravioli (small Italian dumplings) with porcini mushrooms.

In addition to pasta, gnocchi, Italian dumplings, are served as a first course. Incredibly delicious gnocchi al pesto - gnocchi with basil sauce. By the way, interestingly, the word gnocchi is used in Italian slang to refer to an attractive person. If you hear Che gnocca! (or gnocco for the masculine), don't think you've been called a dumpling. You've been complimented.

Another confirmation that Italian cuisine does not consist entirely of pasta is risotto. Risotto is made from Italian Arborio rice. I definitely advise you to try the beautiful yellow risotto alla milanese - Milanese risotto with saffron. Interestingly, rice in risotto, like pasta, must be al dente, i.e. slightly undercooked and slightly sticky to the teeth.

Second course

The second course or secondo is a hot meat or fish dish. Choosing a secondo is worth depending on the traditions of the region. Obviously, the coastal regions have amazing fish and seafood. In Sicily, they specialize in cooking hot dishes from swordfish, sardines and other types of fish. Horse meat is very popular in (and surroundings), however, I did not dare to try it. In addition, chicory is considered a national vegetable, which seems too bitter to me. In general, the kitchen is not for me. But the Ligurian rabbit, considered traditional in the region (Genoa), is something. Such a Roman dish as lamb with artichokes is very famous.

Note: portions in Italy are quite large, so not everyone can cope with lunch with a change of all dishes. I like to order one first and one second course for two. This way you can try as much as possible without having to change all the clothes in your wardrobe 2 sizes wider. In Italy, it is widely practiced to order a dish da dividere, that is, for two.

Coffee

After a meal, Italians drink coffee with dessert. This is real religion.

Espresso is served in Italy during the day - it is customary to complete the meal with it. Espresso is a small cup of strong black coffee with a creamy foam on the surface. It is erroneously believed that espresso contains more caffeine than other types of coffee. This is not true: there is no more caffeine in a cup of espresso than in a regular serving of coffee prepared by a different method.

There are varieties of espresso - ristretto and lungo. Ristretto uses less water to make, meaning it's essentially one sip of fairly strong coffee. For lungo, on the contrary, additional water is taken - for one more sip.

If you're a coffee lover, but like me, some milk is vital, it's perfectly acceptable to order a caffe macchiato after a meal. This is espresso with milk foam on the surface, the literal translation is coffee “marked” with milk. Macchiato can be caldo or freddo, respectively, hot milk will be used for caldo, and cold milk for freddo.

Latte macchiato, on the contrary, is warm milk “marked” with a small amount of coffee. Drink for the first half of the day. Cappuccino is espresso with a lot of frothy milk. Cappuccino is usually drunk only at breakfast. Italians never drink coffee with their main course and never order coffee with milk in the afternoon.

In Italy, they do not drink americano - espresso diluted with water. My Italian friend says that for him "Americano" is dirty water. His compatriots agree with him.

Wine

Another drink elevated to art in Italy is wine. And if coffee completes the meal, then wine accompanies it throughout the entire time. Italian wines, like dishes, differ significantly from region to region. In wine-growing Italy, it is not necessary to buy wines of the highest price segment in order to experience all the charms of the Italian bouquet. Acceptable price for a bottle of good wine starts from €15–20. The packaged wine that you can find in supermarkets is only used for culinary purposes. It is added, for example, during the preparation of risotto or hot dishes. Not being a sommelier, I can still tell you a little about the Italian wines I know.

Perhaps the Italian wine that is definitely famous all over the world is Chianti and Chianti Classico. These red wines have become the undoubted symbol of Tuscany. Chianti wines are characterized by sunny fruit and berry flavors, notes of spices and a long finish. Obviously, Chianti wines will complement Tuscan cuisine in a stunning way.

Piedmont's most revered wine is Barolo. There are stories that at a certain time the quality of Barolo wine was controlled by King Carlo Alberto himself, which is why Piedmontese wine is sometimes called royal wine. Actually, due to their importance, Barolo wines are not the most democratic in terms of prices. You can buy a bottle of Barolo for a special occasion or try a glass of royal wine at dinner.

Valpolicella wines from the region attract me with their aroma and a certain acidity. In addition, for me, such a factor as the design of the bottle matters (everyone has their weaknesses). So certain Valpolicella wines are distinguished by incredibly beautiful bottles with a stylish black label. This factor may be important if a bottle of wine is purchased as a gift.

Of the white Italian wines, Pino Grigio occupies the first place in terms of prevalence. This grape variety is grown in northern Italy, where most of the white wines are produced. I can’t count myself among his fans, however, I really liked Pino Grigio from the Dolomiti region. Also, when choosing white wine, you can refer to the Veneto region.

Words that will help you when buying wine: secco - dry, dolce - sweet, riserva - more aged, frizzante - sparkling and, finally, rosso and bianco - red and white, respectively.

desserts

Italian desserts are legendary. The most popular Italian dolce is tiramisu. Tiramisu is a very light and airy dessert, coffee and cream splendor, without which not a single confectionery country can do.

The second most popular Italian sweet is panna cotta, literally “boiled cream”. Northern Italian cream pudding topped with fruit sauce. Black dots on panna cotta are vanilla seeds.

In the line of Italian desserts there is something similar in taste to the good old potato cake: salami di cioccolato - chocolate salami. Salami is even denser and richer and very, very chocolatey.

There is no need to talk about Italian gelato, that is, ice cream. It should be eaten every day, with different tastes and the same pleasure. Except mango. Mango ice cream is good enough to be banned.

After antipasto, primo, secondo and dessert, the body will need help to digest this amount of food. Therefore, an Italian meal can end with digestivo - a strong drink served after a meal. This, for example, is the famous Limoncello liqueur, Grappa grape vodka. They say the digestif is just a nice Italian excuse to drink more.

street food

To experience the wonderful tastes of Italian cuisine, it is not at all necessary to go to a restaurant and order three courses of dishes. Street food in Italy is also wonderful and fully reflects the regional gastronomic diversity of the country.

The most popular food you can buy on the street is pizza al trancio, that is, a slice of pizza.

It is clear that pizza has long gone beyond Italy and has confidently won a niche in the gastronomic culture of any country. However, the concept of Italian pizza may differ significantly from what is offered to you NOT in its historical homeland. Very often in Russia, America and other countries, they try to pass off as Italian pizza something similar to a thick pie with chicken, pineapples, peppers and everything else that came to hand to the cook. In especially severe cases, ketchup or mayonnaise is offered for pizza. God forbid. None of this can be found on real Italian pizza. From the word "absolutely". Italian pizza- a very simple dish with a small amount of ingredients per thin dough. I really love the classic pizza Margarita (with mozzarella and basil) and pizza with prosciutto, arugula and parmesan.

A popular street food from Sicily is arancini. Arancini are deep-fried rice, meat or cheese bombs. Arancini is sold in open stalls across the country. One or more of these balls in terms of calories may well replace a full meal.

Focaccia - very delicious flatbread from Liguria. The classic freshly baked olive oil focaccia is a masterpiece in itself. Cheese is added to it - then it is focaccia di recco or ham - focaccia con prosciutto.

In the north of the country, the sandwich-like piadina is popular. Piadina is a thin Italian bread (almost pita) filled with meat, cheese or vegetables.

In the south of the country and in coastal areas, deep-fried pieces of fish and seafood are sold on the streets - grigliata di pesce mista. For convenience, the seafood mix is ​​wrapped in a paper envelope and topped with a slice of lemon. Very simple and incredibly delicious.

In all Mediterranean countries, olives are popularly loved. Italy is no exception. On the street, you can try deep-fried olives stuffed with meat – olive all’ascolana. Italians even say that you haven't tasted Italy until you've tried deep-fried olives.

Italian street food is not complete without desserts. Stunning street sweets come from Sicily - cannoli. Cannoli is delicious cream from ricotta in a shell of crispy dough. Cakes may contain candied fruit, pieces of fruit, drops of chocolate. In general, fantastic.

Another dessert that I can confidently recommend is crema fritta, that is, fried cream. Like other types of street food, this dessert is deep-fried. This is a very sweet cream with a crispy crust, which owes its appearance to the region. An obligatory attribute of walking around Venice is a paper envelope with frit cream.

In my opinion, street food can tell a lot about the gastro-culture of the country. If you leave out the simple dishes that people eat on the streets, you will get less impression of Italian cuisine. In Italy, street food festivals are constantly held. This is the surest way to try a wide variety of regional dishes without having to travel all over the country.

Italian cuisine has its own melody, its own choreography, and if you get into its rhythm, there is no turning back. And to be completely honest, amazing Italian food is a very good reason why I want to go to Italy again and again. Even if the tastiest homemade tiramisu in Italy, made by my friend's sister, will someday destroy my wardrobe :).

Dishes of Italian cuisine have long and justifiably earned worldwide recognition. However, Italian cuisine is not only pizza and pasta, as is commonly believed. When people think of the most delicious and popular dishes invented by Italians, lasagna, tortellini or spaghetti most often come to mind. In fact, the concept of Italian cuisine includes a huge number of amazing dishes with amazing and unforgettable taste. Let's see which ones are the most famous and see if you've tried all of them or if you still have something to strive for.

Parma ham, also known as (prosciutto). Prosciutto is usually served at the table as an appetizer or as part of a cold cut before lunch or dinner. Italians like to put this product on slices of bread or grissini (grissini - bread sticks). In summer, the inhabitants of sunny Italy do not deny themselves the pleasure of enjoying prosciutto with watermelon on skewers, as well as this type of ham with honey, which together makes an amazing combination of sweet and salty.

Soup Minestrone (Minestrone)

Great amount different soups based on legumes, vegetables, potatoes, pasta or rice. Among the ingredients that are invariably present in all sorts of onions, legumes, carrots, tomatoes and celery. This dish is served at the table as a first or as an alternative to risotto or pasta.

Small pasta dumplings with a variety of fillings. Considering big choice species (ravioli), no one is surprised by the fact that this Italian dish is very popular all over the world.

Chicken "Parmesan"

Chicken Parmigiana is a truly classic Italian dish that has gained particular fame in the United States of America. And no wonder: an amazing chicken will not leave anyone indifferent.

Gelato

(Gelato) - the original and perhaps the sweetest product of Italian cuisine is very popular among tourists who come to Italy. And by right: the taste of real Italian gelato cannot be compared with any ice cream.

Parmesan cheese

Did you know that in Italy (and throughout Europe) (Parmigiano) is protected by copyright. It is forbidden to produce outside of Parma (Parma). The product receives a quality certificate only after 12 months, subjected to a thorough check by specialists. It is worth noting that this type of cheese served to create a unique profession of cheese listeners.

Risotto

Many people think of pasta when they think of Italian cuisine, but besides pasta rice also reigns in this country. (Risotto), like pasta, is one of the most popular and beloved Italian dishes.

lasagna

(Lasagna) is a classic Italian dish made with parmesan, ham, mozzarella, ricotta and beef.

Spaghetti

Wherever you go, you will find spaghetti everywhere. Despite the existence of numerous types of pasta, perhaps it is the most preferred. It is relatively inexpensive, easy to prepare, and comes in many varieties.

Pizza

What other dish of Italian cuisine should be in the first place, if not pizza (pizza)? One surprising fact about this dish: real Italian does not contain a large number cheese and tomato paste. Pizza has become such an integral part of the life of Italians that they often eat it as a snack before a meal.

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Those who have had a chance to try the dishes of national Italian cuisine in her homeland: in Rome, Naples, Bologna and other cities will confirm that this is a very special story.

The characteristic features of Italian cuisine are explained by the local climate and those products that have become widespread in a particular region. Each region of Italy boasts special recipes. This makes getting to know Italian food doubly exciting. Meet 10 national dishes of Italy that tourists should definitely try.

Minestrone

Contrary to popular belief, Italian cuisine goes far beyond pizza and spaghetti. Soups are very popular in Italy: burrida (with seafood), ginestrata (with egg yolks and white wine), minestra di nights (with walnuts and nut puree) and others. But first of all, you should try the minestrone - a traditional vegetable soup, which has become the embodiment of the features of national Italian cuisine.

Initially in Italy, minestrone was made from the leftovers of second courses or cheap vegetables. And although today there is no such approach to food in the national cuisine, as in many other Italian recipes, it assumes the ability to "mix everything that is" so that it turns out divinely tasty.

The main components of minestrone are meat broth and fresh vegetables, which, depending on the season, can be as much as you like. Therefore, the consistency of the dish varies from liquid to incredibly thick. In some national recipes of Italian cuisine, minestrone is supplemented with rice, pasta, pesto sauce. Before eating the soup, grated parmesan and fresh chopped greens are added to the plates.

Carpaccio (Carpaccio)

The list of what you need to try in Italy from food is impossible to imagine without carpaccio - thinly sliced ​​\u200b\u200bmeat or fish slices seasoned with sauce with the addition of mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice.

Although the recipe for this dish in Italy appeared relatively recently, today it is included in the menu of all restaurants. national cuisine. For its preparation, most often raw beef tenderloin previously placed in the freezer. In Italy, you can also try variations of the dish, in which beef is replaced by venison, tuna, salmon, sea bass, octopus or smoked duck.

According to the traditions of Italian cuisine, before serving, carpaccio is sprinkled with thin cheese chips and garnished with fresh herbs. It is interesting to try carpaccio with. For example, sommeliers recommend rich red wines with venison, and rosé wine from the south of Italy with tuna.

Tortellini (Tortellini)

The list of national dishes of Italy continues with tortellini - a type of pasta, which in its appearance is close to such familiar food as dumplings.

In Italy, tortellini is made from unsalted dough and served as an independent dish (with fragrant mushroom, cream sauce or bolognese sauce) or added to broths, soups and salads. The most common fillings for tortellini are meat, ham or cheese. The result is a very satisfying and tasty meal.

Do not miss the opportunity to try other varieties of this traditional Italian dish. For example, torteletti (they are much smaller in size) and tortelli (these, on the contrary, are larger). To give the original color to the dough, spinach or tomatoes are sometimes added to it: in the first case, the tortellini will be green, and in the second, red.

Gnocchi

Gnocchi is a fairly simple Italian food, which, nevertheless, is considered one of the most worthy examples of national local cuisine. This dish is a kind of dumplings, for the preparation of which the cooks take flour, eggs, semolina or corn grits and potatoes.

Small dough-shaped pieces are shaped into ovals and then dipped in boiling salted water and boiled with seasonings. Served as a side dish, but it is better to try gnocchi as a separate dish, with a thick aromatic sauce. Especially popular are gnocchi with fish and seafood (shrimp, salmon, crab, sea bass, vongole) - this is a real masterpiece of taste!

There are also many original variations of this national Italian dish. For example, in other cities of Italy, you can try gnocchi with lemon ricotta or gorgonzola, pumpkin gnocchi with bacon and savoy cabbage in cream, and even gnocchi with chestnuts - such traditional Italian cuisine will definitely not leave you indifferent.

Risotto

If you want to try the best Italian dishes, do not ignore risotto, a food that has become one of the culinary symbols of the country. The basis for its preparation is round-grain rice of special varieties, which is first fried and then stewed. When the dish is almost ready, seafood is added to it, chopped meat, vegetables or mushrooms - depending on what the chef wants to end up with.

Many restaurants and cafes in Italy offer menus with various, sometimes very unexpected, types of risotto: eggplant, shrimp, bacon and apple, berries and onions, white truffles, cheese and green asparagus, and even cuttlefish ink. In a word, this is the national dish that you must definitely try while traveling in Italy.

Pizza

It is impossible to imagine traditional Italian dishes without pizza. This food is simply adored here, and therefore, literally at every step, you can see a sign of one or another pizzeria. There are Italian eateries in which the menu consists entirely of different types of pizza. And in some establishments you can even see with your own eyes the process of its preparation in the kitchen.

According to tradition, pizza dough is left to “ripen” for almost a day (about 18 hours). For the filling, only the freshest products are selected. Pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven, due to which the taste and aroma of all the ingredients are preserved, and the dish itself turns out to be divine - you can try and see for yourself!

Lasagne

Lasagna is one of the most popular and famous Italian dishes that all tourists strive to try. It is a multi-layered casserole, in which sheets of dough alternate with stuffing of minced meat, mushrooms or vegetables and are generously flavored with a fragrant thick sauce. The obligatory ingredient of the dish is: ricotta, parmesan, gorgonzola or mozzarella.

Lasagna is something worth trying in Italy: no other cuisine in the world cooks it so inventively and fantastically delicious. In addition to the classic version with meat, in many establishments you can also order vegetarian lasagna - it tastes like a meat “analogue”.

Trippa

Those who want to taste the best and most popular Italian cuisine will have to take a chance and order a meal with a very specific name. What? Of course, trippy!

Trippa is made from offal, beef tripe - in other words, from the front of the cow's stomach, which is pre-soaked, washed and cut into pieces. Then it is boiled, fried and stewed with wine, vegetable or meat sauce, seasoned with salt and pepper. Served with grated cheese, sometimes adding mint.

Initially, in Italy, this food was a dish of the poor. This state of affairs persisted almost until the middle of the 20th century. Today, trippa is considered a delicacy and is on the menu of many restaurants of national Italian cuisine.

Trippa is said to be one of those traditional Italian dishes, which are not very suitable for the "unaccustomed" stomach of a tourist. However, due to long-term heat treatment, the food turns out to be quite tender, light and unusually tasty.

Gelato

Gelato is a national Italian delicacy made from milk, cream and sugar. Nuts are added to it. fresh fruits and berries, fruit sauce, coffee, cocoa and chocolate, candied fruit, honey, caramel, liquor. All over the world, such food is considered a kind of ice cream, but differs from it in a lower content of milk fats and production technology.

For real gelato, only natural ingredients are taken. Emulsifiers and stabilizers may be present in the dessert, but in a minimal amount. In general, gelato is prepared in special pastry shops - gelateria, where each dessert is created by the master manually and served immediately after preparation.

The best gelaterias in Italy offer to try their exclusive versions of this national delicacy. For example, San Crispino in Rome uses Rhum Clement whiskey and chocolate, Clement rum and cocoa for its desserts. And this example is just one of the many subtleties that make gelato the pinnacle of the national Italian art of creating delicious desserts.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu hardly needs an introduction. To prepare this traditional Italian dessert, you need very few ingredients: savoiardi biscuits, mascarpone cheese, freshly brewed coffee, chicken eggs and sugar, as well as cocoa or chocolate chips for sprinkling.

Over the long years of the existence of the recipe, various variations of it have appeared in the piggy bank of the national Italian cuisine. You can try tiramisu with strawberries and other berries, liquor or cognac. The most delicate, exquisite taste of this dessert remains unchanged, which will captivate you once and for all.

What else to eat in Italy

Italy will take you on a real gastronomic adventure. Cooking in this country is even more than art, it is a way of life, a national outlook.

How can you try everything? Below you will find a small hint of what else you can eat in Italy:

• Prosciutto (Parma ham);
• Artichokes (boiled, fried, grilled);
• Panini (closed hot sandwich stuffed);
• Ravioli (dumplings with various fillings);
• Pasta (with meat, seafood, vegetables);
• Caprese (fresh tomato and mozzarella salad);
• Panna cotta (cream, sugar and vanilla dessert);
• Frittata (baked omelet with vegetables and cheese).

With her pizzas, pastas and house wine. Traditional dishes in Rome are usually simple to prepare, but based on very high quality ingredients. fresh produce. These are mainly local vegetables (fragrant tomatoes, artichokes, peas and beans), meat (lamb and goat meat) and cheeses (ricotta and pecorino romano). Among vegetables, broccoli, artichokes, chicory are popular. Fish are primarily cod and anchovies.

Pasta is one of the main dishes that can be found in almost any restaurant (unless it's Asian cuisine). Pasta is made in different shapes and most often a certain form of pasta is combined with a certain sauce. Rome even has it.

The traditional dishes of Rome are, first of all, all possible pizzas, pasta (spaghetti - bolognese, tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms in a creamy sauce, spaghetti vongole with shells and cherry tomatoes, carbonara - with creamy sauce and bacon), risotto, steaks, bruschetta (bread topped with chopped tomatoes. Risotto and pasta are considered first courses, as is minestrone soup. As an appetizer, you can take carpaccio (thinly sliced ​​raw meat or fish), Parma ham or prosciutto with melon, tartare, caprese salad (tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, best of all - buffalo mozzarella, mozarella-buffala). As a main dish, you can take lamb. Meat in Italy is cooked with spices and herbs, fragrant and juicy. ancient dish Coda alla vaccinara (stewed oxtail) is still one of the most popular dishes in the city and is part of most restaurant menus in Rome. Dessert will most likely be a tender panna cotta, tiramisu, profiteroli and Gelato - ice cream, which is considered by many to be the most delicious in the world. And, of course, coffee: Italians know how to make coffee like no other!

What to try in Rome:

Snacks in Rome (Antipasti)

Bruschetta

Bruschetta is a popular "antipasto" appetizer before main courses to "increase appetite" in Central Italy (pictured below). In the Roman dialect, this word means bread that has been burned a little / Bruschetta is prepared simply: lightly toasted bread is usually lightly rubbed with garlic and covered with chopped tomatoes with onions and herbs, sometimes olives are added.

caprese

Caprese salad is a classic of Italian cuisine. Prepare a salad, cut into circles mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. All this is flavored with salt, pepper, spices, sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and garnished with fresh basil leaves. Sometimes there are options with pesto sauce.

The most delicious version of caprese salad is with buffalo mozzarella (mozarella buffala). It is much softer than regular mozzarella and just melts in your mouth. It costs more than regular mozzarella, but is considered healthier.

A variant of Caprese salad can also be found in the form of mini skewers made with cherry tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls.

Suppli

Suppli - fried rice croquettes stuffed beef stew and mozzarella.

Panini

Panini are bitter sandwiches that are made from bread cut in half (most often in Italy this bread will be ciabbata), which is started different meat/ vegetables and lightly grilled. Literally from Italian, panini translates as "a small bun." This is an option for an inexpensive snack in Italy, if restaurants are not affordable. Such paninis cost about 3 - 6 euros, depending on the filling.

Such panini can be found in many cities of Italy.

Pizza in Rome

Pizza in Rome, unlike the Neapolitan version, is very, very thin and crispy. My favorite refined option- with Parma ham and arugula. Such a pizza usually costs from 6 euros to 10, depending on the toppings and the price category of the restaurant.

In Rome you can meet unusual option pizza - Pizza Bianca ("White pizza"). It's essentially an empty pizza, just drizzled with olive oil and salt. It can be quite thin, and quite plump, more like Italian bread. focaccia. Pizza Bianca can be found in any bakery and takeaway pizzeria in Rome.

The best pizza in Rome:

• Ivo a Trastevere (Trastevere)
• Nuovo Mondo (Testaccio)
• Ai Marmi
• Pizzarium (Prati)

Traditional pasta in Rome

Pasta and risotto in Italy go as first courses (Primi), that is, they are eaten before the main course. The most common type of pasta is spaghetti. Although with creamy sauces and mushrooms, flat, wide tagliatelle are more often prepared.

Bolognese- This is a sauce based on minced meat stewed in tomato paste. There are many recipes for bolognese sauce, with the addition of various vegetables, a little wine and even cream. Classic Italian cuisine.

Vongole- spaghetti vongole is cooked with shells and cherry tomatoes, with finely chopped parsley. And all this beauty is sprinkled with grated parmesan on top. This is one of the most dietary pasta options.

Fettuccine Alfredo- a dish of long pasta with butter and parmesan cheese. This version of the pasta was invented by the chef of the restaurant "Alfredo alla Scrofa"

Bucatini with Amatriciana sauce(Bucatini all'Amatriciana) - pasta dish with tomato sauce, guanciale and grated pecorino romano. Bucatini is a variant of pasta in the form of thicker spaghetti. The sauce was named after the northern town of Amatrice. The basis of the sauce is guanchale (pork cheek) and dense plum tomatoes. Very hearty and high calorie meal!

Carbonara(Spaghetti alla Carbonara) is a very hearty cream and egg sauce flavored with small cubes of bacon. Served with grated pecorino romano cheese.

Rigatoni con la payata(Rigatoni con la Pajata) - pasta dish with veal intestine sauce and pecorino cheese.

Cacho e pepe(Cacio e pepe) - literally translated from Italian as "cheese and pepper." This is a pasta with sheep's cheese and lots of coarse black pepper. There is a lot of pepper - about 2 teaspoons per 200 g of pasta. So be careful - the pasta is very spicy!

Risotto

Risotto is a special round rice cooked in a special way in a small amount of water. Such a thick, slightly sticky mass, thanks to the cheese added to the risotto. Risotto, like pasta, is considered the first course, although at times it can be taken as the main dish.

There are many varieties of risotto, typical for a particular region of Italy. For example, in Milan they make saffron risotto, which gives it a characteristic yellow color.

In Rome, there is no such direct characteristic one recipe for risotto. Maybe an option with artichokes - the king of Roman cuisine. They can make risotto with chicken and mushrooms, or with ham and mushrooms. Most often it will be risotto with champignons. And in winter, you can find seasonal truffle risottos - the most expensive and sophisticated option.

Tortellini and Ravioli

Tortellini and Ravioli are a type of Italian dumplings, only there is less filling in relation to the dough, and the dough itself is similar to pasta (like stuffed pasta, it turns out). The fillings in tortellini are different and vary depending on the region of the country. Most classic version- it's with spinach and ricotta cheese, with a creamy sauce, sprinkled with grated parmesan. There are tortellini with porcini mushrooms or with prosciutto (Italian ham).

The difference between tortellini and ravioli is in shape. Tortellini are more like dumplings in shape, and ravioli are usually not folded, but just flat squares with filling.

The sauce for ravioli and tortellini is different. It can be a tomato-vegetable version, and creamy, or even just sprinkled with olive oil and sprinkled with cheese.

Main dishes in Rome (Secondi)

Meat dishes

Near Testacio, the Roman area of ​​​​markets and slaughterhouses, you can still find and purchase products traditional for Roman cuisine. This area is often called the "belly" or "slaughterhouse" of Rome, where butchers lived and live, or vaccinari. Popular foods in the kitchen include pig's feet, brains, genitals of various animals, which are always carefully cooked and richly complemented with various snacks, spices and herbs.

Saltimbocca alla Romana (Saltimbocca alla Romana)- a typical Roman dish with ham (prosciutto) and sage. Saltimbocca literally means jump into your mouth. This is the most delicate veal escalope, on top of which a piece of bacon and a sage leaf are placed. Served with white wine sauce.

Scaloppine alla romana (Scaloppine alla romana)- veal fried with fresh artichoke shoots

Coda alla vaccinara (Coda alla vaccinara)- stewed veal tail with tomato sauce, celery, cloves and dark chocolate. A traditional dish of Roman slaughterers. It was prepared from the remnants of butchering the carcass, which they got for free. The tails are stewed in tomato sauce for 4 hours. For depth of taste, cocoa and pine nuts are now added to the sauce.

Trippa- tripe cooked with tomato sauce and wild mint, and flavored with pecorino cheese, has been known since ancient Rome.

lamb

Lamb is one of the most popular types of meat, in which the Italians, of course, are great at cooking. Fresh excellent meat is cooked with aromatic herbs, acquiring an incomparable aroma.

Coratella d'Abbacchio con i carciofi (coratella d'abbacchio con i carciofi)- lamb offal with artichokes

Abbacchio alla cacciatora- fragrant lamb chops fried in oil and vinegar on a grill, seasoned with garlic, anchovies and rosemary.

Fish dishes (Pesce)

Filetti di baccalà fritti- deep-fried cod fillet - juicy and crispy.

Vegetarian dishes of Rome

The artichoke is by far the most popular vegetable in Italy.

Carciofi alla romana (Carciofi alla romana)- whole artichokes stuffed with garlic and parsley and cooked in olive oil. One of the most popular dishes in Rome.

Karchofi alla giudia (Artichokes in Hebrew - Carciofi alla giudia)- deep-fried artichokes, always in olive oil, and seasoned with chili peppers (pictured below). This is a traditional dish of the Jewish community of Rome. They have been preparing for the Yom Kippur holiday (next October 11-12, 2016) for more than one century. Fried in olive oil, ready-made artichokes look like golden chrysanthemums. It is best to try karchofi in restaurants on the territory of the former Roman ghetto.

Fiori di Zucca- zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella cheese and anchovies, fried in batter.

Gnocchi alla romana (Gnocchi alla romana)- dumplings from potato dough baked with bechamel sauce and cheese. By tradition, Thursday is the day of gnocchi in Rome, this delicacy once a week is always on the menu of most restaurants.

Desserts in Rome (Dolci)

Crostata di ricotta- Ricotta crostata - ricotta cheesecake in dough, seasoned with lemon (or orange) and Marsala wine (pictured below).

Gelato- Desirable - ice cream

Tiramisu- a popular dessert made from mascarpone cheese.

Profiteroli- small balls, like round eclairs, stuffed with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

panna cotta- the most delicate dessert with strawberry jam.