When it comes to global cuisine, there is no doubt that Italian is one of the best. Almost anywhere in the country, food is a crucial part of their culture, and there is no wonder why their culinary tradition is unmatched. That being said, in the rest of this post, we will list down some of the best dishes that every Italian food lover should be familiar with.

Spaghetti

While there are many pasta dishes that will remind you of Italy, one of the best is perhaps spaghetti. A true Italian spaghetti is made using al dente pasta. It is never broken and rinsed. The star is the rich and meaty sauce, which is made using simple ingredients. Personally, while I have tried many spaghetti dishes in the past, one of the best is from Scarpetta, my favorite Italian restaurant in Manhattan. It only has tomato, basil, and pasta, but it is oozing with flavor.

Pizza

The menu of the Italian restaurants in Manhattan will most likely always include a pizza. Nonetheless, many of the pizzas in the United States are tailored to fit the American taste. However, an authentic Italian pizza has a thin but fluffy crust. The right yeast and flour will be important to achieve the perfect crust. The sauce is usually made of fresh local tomatoes. It is not cooked together with the toppings. The toppings, on the other hand, can vary, which will often include tomatoes, basil, cheese, artichokes, truffle, capers, and prosciutto. It is also drizzled with olive oil.

Osso Buco

The list of the best Italian dishes will be incomplete without a mention of the classic osso buco. It is a meat dish that you should definitely try whenever you are in Italy or in an Italian restaurant. Basically, it is braised veal shanks with vegetables, broth, and white wine. It is often served with a gremolata garnish. The authentic version is cooked without tomatoes, while there are modern versions that already incorporate such ingredient.

Risotto

If there is one rice dish that is well-loved by Italians, it would be risotto. This classic Italian dish can be eaten either as a starter or as a main course. When cooking risotto, one of the most important is to use the right kind of rice. It should also be agitated continuously to achieve the right consistency or creaminess. The quality of the stock is also critical as it will have a huge impact on how the dish would taste.

Ribolitta

This is a Tuscan dish with an Italian name that literally translates to “re-boiled” in English. It is a soup that contains leftover bread, cannelloni beans, kale, and cabbage. There are also different variations around Italy. According to history, this is a traditional peasant dish but has now grown to be a well-loved soup.

Italy is a huge country with a long list of culinary delights, which will differ from one region to the other. Those that have been mentioned above, however, are some of the most popular, which should be familiar to anyone who loves Italian cuisine.