Italian food is loved by almost everybody, so much that it’s considered the most popular cuisine in the world. Loved for its simplicity, fresh ingredients, and bold flavors, Italian cuisine brings visitors from around the world, as does the country’s rich history, stunning architecture, and beautiful landscapes. One thing you should know about Italian food culture: tradition is sacred. Dishes are an important part of the Italian regions’ varying cultural identities, reflecting the local ingredients, history, and climate. Here are some of our top iconic Italian dishes that you simply must try if you want a taste of la dolce vita.
Cacio e pepe
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Cacio e Pepe is a beloved pasta dish that originated in the heart of Rome. Translating to “cheese and pepper,” this classic Italian recipe is a masterclass in Italian simplicity. It features only three core ingredients: spaghetti or tonnarelli pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. If you use another Italian pasta, make sure it’s rough-surfaced pasta to make the sauce adhere well. Add a drizzle of olive oil and salt for extra taste.
This dish is as ancient as it gets. Its origins can be traced back to the Roman shepherds of the Lazio region, who used readily available ingredients like cheese, pepper, and pasta to create a satisfying meal while traveling long distances with their flocks. The pepper stimulated their heat receptors, the pecorino could be preserved for a long time, and the pasta provided plenty of carbs to keep them going. Cacio (Pecorino in Roman dialect) is a sheep’s cheese that was found to have been consumed around the Mediterranean since 3,000 years before Christ!
Today, Cacio e Pepe remains a staple of Roman cuisine, a comfort dish cherished for its simplicity. It exemplifies the essence of Italian cooking—taking humble ingredients and transforming them into something amazing.
Try cacio e pepe at Ristorante di Rienzo in Rome on Easy Pace Italy
Pizza Napoletana
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Would you believe that the world’s favorite dish, Pizza Napoletana, or Neapolitan pizza, was once hated by the rest of Italy? To see why, we have to trace this typical Italian dish back to its roots: to the vibrant streets of 19th century Naples.
In 1861, the kingdoms and regions of the Italian peninsula unified and became a single state. This new country was very unbalanced, with some parts much poorer than others. Like Naples, one of the most densely populated cities in Europe, riddled with disease due to to how crowded it was. This created a national feeling of shame towards Naples and everything related to it – including pizza, which was one of Naples’ most popular street foods. However, in 1889, King Umberto I and Queen Margherita visited Naples to try recover the city from its poverty. While there, Queen Margherita tried a pizza from chef Raffaele Esposito, who, using tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, replicated the new Italian flag in this dish. This delighted Queen Margherita, after whom the ‘Margherita pizza’ is named from, and so the rest is history. Though, this didn’t immediately create the love for pizza – worldwide or in Italy. That came after, when it became a staple in the USA in the latter half of the 19th century.
Ragù al Bolognese
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Bolognese is a complicated dish. Ask a waiter in Bologna, the city in Emilia-Romagna where Bolognese comes from, for ‘spaghetti Bolognese’ and their nose will turn up quicker than you can say ‘parmigiano’. Former Bologna mayor Virginio Merola even declared on Italian national radio that ‘spaghetti Bolognese doesn’t actually exist’. So, what gives?
For the authentic Italian dish, you need to ask for ‘Ragù al Bolognese’. You see, in Bologna, they would never put spaghetti pasta with their meaty ragù sauce. Instead, tagliatelle is the best base. In Italy, the pasta shape matters as much as the sauce!
Strictly speaking, a ragù is any hearty Italian meat sauce. Ragù comes from the Old French term ragoûter, meaning “to revive the taste”. Throughout Italy, there are many different variations of ragù. The two famous types are that from Naples, and the one from Bologna. In both, the meal is hearty and comforting, with the rich and meaty ragù sauce as the star of this dish, simmered slowly to perfection. In Bologna, they use mince meat and some kind of cream, whereas in Naples they use thick cuts of pork or beef and no cream or milk. It normally starts with a sofrito: carrots, celery and onions cooked to make a sauce base. Then add some type of ground beef or pork and a touch of wine. The sauce develops a depth of flavor as it cooks, resulting in a robust and savory concoction that clings beautifully to al dente pasta. Then add some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Ragù is one of the most quintessential pasta dishes. And in the quest for authentic Italian food, one must be precise.
Risotto Milanese
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Pasta alla Norma
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Pasta alla Norma is much more than a simple recipe for Italian pasta. The dish is a real masterpiece which long ago has passed the borders of Sicily and took its place in the menu of all who love the Italian cuisine.
There are two stories that are told about the beginnings of this iconic Sicilian dish. The first is that in 1831, Vincenzo Bellini presented his new opera ‘Norma’ in La Scala, which captured the public so much that they started using the word ‘norma’ as a shorthand for ‘perfection’. Thus, this delicious Sicilian recipe was given the name, and it stuck.
The second legend is that in 1920 a playwright from Sicily called Nino Martoglio met his friends for lunch. The landlady served pasta with eggplant, tomatoes, basil and cheese, which Martoglio loved so much he said ‘this is a real norma’.
Either way, this iconic Sicilian dish exemplifies good Italian food: combine fresh ingredients like tomato, basil, ricotta and thinly sliced eggplant with good cooking techniques to create an amazing dish.
Discover Sicily with locals and experts on Sicily In Depth
Gelato
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Gelato, undeniably the most beloved Italian treat worldwide, boasts a rich heritage deeply ingrained in Italian culinary tradition. The origins of gelato trace back to Sicily during the Arab domination, where fruit juices and sugar were mixed with snow from Mount Etna, giving rise to granita and sorbet—precursors to Italian gelato. Skilled “nivaroli” were tasked with gathering and storing snow in caves for summer use during this era.
The fame of Sicilian sweets spread to Florence during the Renaissance, where gelato garnered further popularity and led to advancements in ice storage techniques. However, it wasn’t until the 1660s, with the involvement of Sicilian chef Francesco Procopio de ‘Coltelli, that gelato as we know it came into existence. Inheriting a sorbet and granita-making contraption from his grandfather, Procopio ventured to Paris and founded Café Procope in 1660. There, he enhanced his ice cream recipes by infusing them with milk and Sicilian flavors such as pistachios, almonds, lemons, oranges, chocolate, and coffee.
Procopio’s innovative gelato creations earned him royal favor from King Louis XIV, who granted him a special license to produce these frozen delights. Thus, Italian gelato was born—a testament to the fascinating history behind one of Italy’s most cherished culinary treasures.
Remember, Italian food is not just about the dishes; it’s about the love and passion that goes into creating them, the joy of sharing meals with family and friends, and the connection to the land and its bounty. It’s about gathering around a table, breaking bread together, and savoring every moment. So venture to Italy itself with other food-lovers and discover all the sights and insights of Italy’s traditional food culture.
Discover traditional food on insightful Italy guided tours
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