Food is one of the most important aspects of Italian culture, so there’s no denying that the local cuisine has plenty of delicious dishes for you to try. When you think of Italian food, the first thing that comes to mind will probably be pizza and pasta. However, while there’s no denying that these are staples, there’s a whole world of other dishes that deserve the same praise.
To get the authentic and true experience of tasting the local food, here are some traditional Italian dishes you can order at your door. You might be surprised to see how diverse Italian cuisine truly is.
Polent
Polenta is a classic northern Italian dish made with cornmeal, butter, broth, salt, and pepper. It can be boiled to create a soft and creamy porridge or fried to create crisp polenta cakes. Most of the time, polenta is topped with cheese, onions, sausage, and other ingredients. However, it can also be enjoyed as a side dish with other delicious Italian food.
Arancini
These are Italian rice balls made with a savory filling, then coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried or baked until crispy and golden brown. The rice used to make arancini is risotto, often spiced with saffron to give that extra kick in flavor and color.
Arancini is made with many variations. The classic would be arancini con ragu, which consists of rice, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese, but you may also find some made with a bechamel sauce.
Ribollita
Ribollita is a hearty minestrone soup that comes from Tuscany. It’s made with some leftover day-old bread, cannellini beans, vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and onion. Some also include meats like pancetta, salami, and ham. The result is a thick and rich soup that’s perfect for the colder days.
Osso Buco
This traditional Italian dish is cooked with thick-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, stock, and white wine. The name means “bone with a hole,” which comes from the bone marrow holes you’ll find in the veal shanks. These contribute a great deal to the flavor of the osso buco since the richness of the marrow slowly renders and infuses into the sauce.
Another key to nailing the osso buco is the gremolata, a zesty herb sauce made with lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. This is mixed into the dish in the latter part of the braise and topped as a garnish once cooked to give a bright kick.
Insalata Caprese
On a hot, sunny day, insalata caprese is the perfect companion for a fresh and refreshing dish. It’s a simple salad made with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, but the key to achieving the right flavors is the ingredients’ quality. The best insalata caprese is made with fresh mozzarella to create that creamy texture and the best farmer’s market to get the fresh and juicy crunch.
Risotto
Another classic Italian food you can’t miss out on is risotto, a rice dish made with short-grained Arborio rice cooked in a broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. The tricky part to getting the risotto right is in the cooking technique–it needs to be ladled slowly, with the stock added little by little until the rice absorbs it and gets soft.
The standard risotto is topped with some butter and parmesan cheese, but the possibilities are endless. You can add mushrooms, vegetables, lobster, and other ingredients for the perfect meal. Check out your local Italian restaurant, and you’ll undoubtedly find plenty of risotto options on their menu.
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