Italian cuisine is full of delicious dishes… such a great variety that it will take you a long time to try them all. However, in this opportunity, we decided to create a top five of the most famous Italian dishes.
We start with pizza and lasagna, but we go beyond that to explore the other flavors and textures that Italian food has to offer you. Get ready for a delicious and exciting trip that will keep your taste buds on the edge of your mouth!
Pizza
Pizza is by far the most representative dish of Italian cuisine in the world. However, it did not employ ingredients such as tomato sauce until 1889, when a local cook served the Italian Queen Margherita this delicious combination of cheese, tomato sauce and basil.
Due to this historic event, Naples affirms to be the birthplace of pizza. Nonetheless, this claim is subject to a lot of controversy.
A proper Italian pizza – be it Roman or Neapolitan style – is conservative when it comes to toppings, because the strength of it resides on the quality of its ingredients, which start with the crust. That is how you stop an authentic pizza: high quality ingredients without unnecessary toppings.
Lasagne
Lasagne evolved from a poor man’s meals into what we know today after they decide to fill it with ragú. Its combination of meat sauce, cheese and flat and wide pasta noodle offers an amazing flavor that has allowed it to become one of the most famous Italian dishes.
The region of Emilia-Romagna claims that they were the creators of the lasagne, but like pizza, it is subject to controversy. Nonetheless, we all can affirm that it is the stronghold of this dish.
To spot a traditional and authentic Italian lasagne, you need to pay attention to the ragú, which should have just a bit of tomato sauce. Because the strength of this dish is exploiting the stark and characteristic concentrated flavor of meat.
Once again, unnecessary fillings or toppings are undesired. It should exploit the flavors of the main ingredients and allow them to develop properly, which is why “less is more”.
Osso buco alla Milanese
Even though many people think that Italian foods are all about pasta, the truth is that you can find many dishes like Osso buco alla Milanese that break the mold.
To prepare it, they use tender shanks of veal, to braise it slowly in white wine. Once it has cooked perfectly, they serve it with plenty of vegetables. As you are going to see, it is also possible to accompany it with polenta.
If you want to try something different besides pasta, then now you have an amazing option. It is ideal for meat lovers around the world who want to taste a bite of Italy!
Bottarga
Bottarga is considered a delicacy because it is prepared by extracting the roe from grey mullets. They salt it, press it and leave it to air dry for approximately six months. After half a year, you can eat Bottarga by slicing it or pouring it over pasta.
It is another dish that evolved from a poor man’s meal into a luxurious dish, and therefore, it has become one of the most famous dishes of Italian cuisine.
It provides plenty of flavor and therefore it is an excellent way to complement pasta. However, you can also eat it as a stand-alone dish by eating it in thin slices with lemon juice and olive oil.
Polenta
Polenta has been the most popular type of pasta in northern Italy for several centuries. It is basically a mush of corn, nonetheless, it is best eaten when accompanied with stewed meats.
Many people love to eat it as a stand-alone dish with some olive oil, but you should accompany it with osso buco for example, or with a bistecca Fiorentina.
There are many ways to combine polenta, and therefore, it has become a very popular dish, since you can adapt it to meet different expectations without losing its Italian essence.
For example, you can serve it hot and accompany it with sliced Bottarga, which would make an amazing and exotic combination of flavors.
Final Words
Now you know what the top 5 Italian dishes are. They have obtained such a popularity thanks to their exquisite flavor.
If you have any question, just let us know and we will get back to you. In the next posts, we will analyze other Italian dishes. Stay tuned!
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