The Italian menu is typically structured in much the same way all over Italy with an

antipasto, primo, secondo and dessert-, but each region of Italy has its own regional food
specialties.
Common Italian foods and dishes include all types of pasta, risotto and pizza, some soups
(minestrone and zuppe) and delicious meat and fish dishes.
Pasta
Pasta can be subdivided according to their composition (only wheat flour and water or
wheat flour. Water and eggs), their shelf-life (fresh or dry pasta), their production method
and their shape or cut. Many shapes are available, but Italians usually group the different
shapes into short and long pasta, and plain or stuffed pasta.
10 most famous pasta dishes of Italy

Rigatoni (Spaghetti) alla carbonara

Spaghetti alla Norma
Trenette al Pesto
Bucatini all Amatriciana
Spaghetti con le vongole
Linguine allo Scoglio
Fettucine allAlfredo
Farfalle al salmone
Spaghetti aglio e oglio
Penne alla Bolognese

Pizza
Italian pizza is a an over-baked, flat bread covered with ingredients. Italians also
distinguish between red Pizza rossa (with tomato sauce) and white pizza pizza bianca
(also called focaccia, which has no tomato sauce, but can be topped with other
ingredients). Other topping are added according to region, culture or personal preference.
There are, broadly speaking two types of pizza: napolitan. Style pizza ( alla napoletana)
and roman-style pizza (alla romana). The style refers to the type of bread or crust, not to
the kind of topping or variant of.
Neapolitan-style pizza is ticker, with a more bread-like crust, and is the typical pizza found
in Naples. Raman-style pizza is much finer, with a crispy crust and is found mainly in
Rome and the Lazio region.
Italian cuisine does not include a large variety of spices, but the spices and herbs used are
almost always used fresh adding a delicate flavor to the dishes.

Risotto
Risotto is a rice dish typically served as a primo and which can be flavored in a hundred
different ways. The rice is cooked in broth to creamy consistency. The broth may be meatbased or fish-based depending on what kind of ingredients the risotto will be flavored with.
Nearly all risotto recipes include parmesan cheese (except those with seafood), butter
(never cream), and onion.
The most famous risotto are:

Risotto ai funghi
Risotto al tartufo bianco (or with black truffle)
Risotto ai frutti di mare (sea-food)
Risotto alla Milanese (with saffron)

Minestrone (vegetable and beans soup)

It is a variety of thick soups made with vegetables, beans and pasta, rice or potatoes.
Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes. It is
served as a primo as an alternative to a pasta or risotto plate.
Zuppa di Pesce (Italian Fish Soup)
It is a fish stew prepared with fresh and local ingredients
Meat and fish dishes (and other secondi)
Typical Italian main dishes, depending on the region, include: bistecca alla Fiorentina,
brasato, costolette dgnello arrosto or fritte, scaloppina alla Milanese, bollito, ossobuco,
parmigiana di melanzane and saltimbocca alla Romana.
Ossobuco
Shin of veal with marrow bone in a tomato and wine sauce.
Scaloppine di Vitello
Breaded veal scallops sauted in olive oil. This dish can have hundreds of interpretations,
with lemon, capers, marsala, etc. The most famous one being "alla Milanese".
Zuppa di cozze
Unlike the name suggests not really soup, but a classic way of cooking and serving
mussels, in while with a tasty sauce of white wine, garlic and Italian parsley. Similarly, you
also have Zuppa di Vongole (clams meats), vegetali (vegetables) and formaggi (cheeses).
Other typical antipasti misti include salumi (cold meat), vegetali (vegetables) and formaggi
(cheeses).

Depending on their type, Italian cheeses can be served as antipasto, added as topping on
primo or used for the preparation of secondi, contorni or desserts. Famous Italian cheeses
include Parmigiano, Pecorino and, of course, mozzarella di bufala.
Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano)
In Italy the name parmesan is a protected designation of origin for the hard, granular
cheese from Parma. The generic name for this type of cheese from other parts of Italy is
grana.

Famous Italian desserts include: Tiramisu, cassata siciliana and pasteira

napoletana. There is also the famous Italian gelato and the delicious pasterelle
(sfogliatelle, maritozzi, aragoste) and pasticini (pastries).

Napolitan Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

1.
o 1 1/2 cups warm water, about 70F
o 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
o 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing as needed
o 4 1/2 cups all-purpose or "00" flour, plus more as needed
o 1 teaspoon kosher salt
o 1 pound fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced
o 1 (15-ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
o 10 to 12 fresh basil leaves, torn
o 1 teaspoon dried Sicilian oregano, crumbled
o Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation

1.

1. 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment (or in a
small bowl with a spoon), combine the warm water, yeast, and oil.
With the mixer on low, stir the mixture to dissolve the yeast. Add the
flour and salt, and continue to stir on low just until the ingredients are
combined, then increase the mixer speed to medium and knead the
dough until it's smooth and elastic, 5 to 6 minutes. (Alternatively, turn
the flour and salt onto a work surface and create a well in the center.
Pour the liquid mixture into the middle of the well and use your
fingertips to drag the flour into the wet ingredients, then mix them
until a soft, ragged dough forms. Gather the dough into a ball and
knead until soft but elastic, about 10 minutes. Dust the dough, your
hands, and the work surface with additional flour as needed to keep
the dough from sticking, but use as little flour as possible.)
2. 2. Gather the dough into a ball and transfer it to a clean bowl that's
large enough to hold the dough after it doubles in volume. Dust the
surface of the dough with flour, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let
the dough rise at room temperature until it doubles in volume, about 1
hour.
3. 3. While the dough is rising, drain the sliced mozzarella on several
paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
4. 4. Position an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven, placing a
pizza stone on the rack if available. If a pizza stone is unavailable,
brush a pizza pan lightly with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 450F.
5. 5. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Gently press it into a
rough square then pull the four corners in toward the center and flip
the dough over so the upper surface is smooth. Drape the ball of
dough with the plastic you used during the first rise, and let it rest
until it's relaxed, about 30 minutes.
6. 6. Uncover the dough then spread and stretch it into a circle about
the same dimensions as your stone or prepared pan. Carefully lift
and transfer the dough to a pizza peel (if using a stone) or the pan
and stretch it out into an even layer. Spread the crushed tomatoes
over the pizza in an even layer and top with the mozzarella slices.
7. 7. If using a pizza stone, use the peel to slide the pizza onto the oven
rack positioned in the lower third of the oven; if using a pizza pan,
simply place the pan directly on the rack. Bake the pizza until the
edges are golden and the cheese is bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with the torn basil and oregano, and season with salt and
pepper if desired. Cut into wedges and serve.