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A Taste Tour of Italy in 7 Complete Menus

Carl Hanson is a Senior Editor at Allrecipes who has been writing about food and wine for nearly 20 years. He enjoys creating content that informs, entertains, and assists busy home cooks get nourishing meals on the table for their families.

Join us on a taste tour of Italy! These top-rated dinner menus were inspired by Italy's famous regional cuisines. From the Italian Alps down to the tip of the toe and across the Straits of Messina to Sicily, these complete Italian menus feature Risotto alla Milanese, Tuscany's famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the savory ragu of Bologna, and Swordfish a la Siciliana, and so much more. Make these Italian feasts at home!

A Taste of Tuscany

Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Tuscany is home to several of Italy's most breathtaking cities: Florence, Sienna and Pisa. This menu pays tribute to the best foods of the region—from Minestrone Soup and Rigatoni Florentine to Tuscan Black Pepper Beef (or for super-sized appetites, try Tuscan Porterhouse ) and Panzanella Salad! Bring your super-sized appetite for this one. Enjoy with a bottle of Sangiovese-based wine.

• Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Tuscan Porterhouse)
• Chef John's Tuscan Bean Soup
• Rigatoni Florentine
• Escarole and Beans
• Panzanella Salad

Best of the Abruzzi

This multi-course menu features the best of Abruzzi's robust cuisine. You'll feast on hearty tortellini soup, a spicy pasta dish, and marinated lamb chops. Wash it all down with a simple red wine from Montepulciano.

• Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
• Simple Arrabbiata Sauce
• Herbed Lamb Chops

Feast of Venice

If you can't get to Venice any time soon, this menu will take you for a taste tour of the city—no passport required! Seafood is the star here. Serve these dishes with a crisp Soave from the Veneto region.

• Grilled Shrimp Scampi
• Lemon Seafood Risotto
• Spring Pea Medley with Edible Bowl

A Complete Sicilian Meal

Sicilians know how to eat! This multi-course menu pays tribute to the best of traditional Sicilian food, using fresh ingredients from the land and sea. With an appetizer, pasta, seafood, and a delicious dessert, this is a dinner to be savored with friends and family. Prep the eggplant dish just up to the point of cooking, then wrap and chill until you're ready to pop it into the oven. The topping for the fish can also be made ahead of time. Enjoy with a bottle of Sicilian wine.

• Sicilian Spaghetti
• Eggplant Rollatini
• Swordfish a la Siciliana
• Sicilian Fig Cookies

Taste of Northern Italy: Piedmont Style

This one hits on the best of Piedmont with rich, flavorful dishes (like Risotto alla Milanese and steak with Gorgonzola sauce) that are popular in this region around the foothills of the Alps. Serve this meal with regional wines like Barbera, Barbaresco, or Barolo.

• Risotto alla Milanese
• Chef John's Bagna Cauda
• Arancini III
• Tenderloin with Spicy Gorgonzola Pine Nut Herb Butter

Campanian Pizza Party

Campania is big-time Italian pizza country! The famous San Marzano plum tomatoes grow here and are featured in the region's wood-fired pizzas and calzones. We go all out here with pizza, calzones, and some appetizers! Enjoy with a bottle of Anglianico red wine. Buon gusto!

• Brick-Oven Pizza (Brooklyn Style)
• Real Italian Calzones
• Grammy's Calamari Salad
• Drunken Stuffed Figs

Taste Tour of Bolgna, Italy

Arguably the food capital of all of Italy, Bologna is also the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, which is also home to Parma and Modena, no slouches in the Italian food category. This menu draws on the best of the region, including rich Bolognese meat sauce and lamb braised in red wine.

• Antipasto Pasta Salad
• North Italian Meat Sauce (Ragu Bolognese)
• Balsamic Tortellini
• Braised Lamb Shanks

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Complete Guide To The Olive Garden Menu & Copycat Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our disclosure policy .

Olive Garden is a popular Italian-American chain restaurant known for its friendly service and large menu of delicious dishes.

Whether you’re looking for a nice night out or a wide variety of options to feed the family, Olive Garden has something for everyone.

If you’re an OG fan but not in the mood to go out to eat, you can also make your favorite Olive Garden dishes at home with easy copycat recipes.

In this article, you’ll find descriptions and DIY copycat recipes for everything on the Olive Garden menu including appetizers, soups, salads, breadsticks, entrees and desserts!

So whether you’re craving Olive Garden’s Lasagna Classico or Chocolate Brownie Lasagna, our guide has got you covered.

Olive Garden Appetizers

When you’re looking for a little something to tide you over before your entrée arrives, Olive Garden has plenty of delicious appetizers to choose from. No matter what you’re in the mood for, Olive Garden has an appetizer that will hit the spot.

Breadsticks & Dipping Sauces On The Olive Garden Menu

Olive Garden’s freshly-baked breadsticks are legendary. Add on a delicious dipping sauce like marinara, alfredo or five cheese marinara. And don’t forget to save room for your entree!

Olive Garden Breadstick & Dipping Sauces To Make At Home

• Try one of these copycat breadstick recipes from Little Sunny Kitchen , Saving Dollars and Sense , or Mom Foodie .
• Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce from Sweet Pea Kitchen
• Olive Garden Spaghetti Sauce from Chic ‘n Savvy.

Fried Mozzarella

Delicious mozzarella cheese is breaded and fried until it is golden brown and slightly crispy, then served with a marinara sauce for dipping.

Fried Mozzarella Recipes To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Fried Mozzarella Sticks from CopyKat
• Air Fryer Olive Garden Fried Mozzarella from Fork To Spoon

Stuffed Ziti Fritta

Crispy fried ziti is filled with a rich blend of five kinds of cheese, then served with alfredo and marinara dipping sauces.

Stuffed Ziti Fritta Recipes To Make At Home

• Stuffed Ziti Fritta (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe) from Foodie and Wine
• Copycat Olive Garden Stuffed Ziti Fritta from Food Hussy

Rings of tender calamari are lightly breaded and fried, then served with marinara and spicy ranch for dipping.

Fried Calamari Recipe To Make At Home

• Crispy Pan Fried Calamari from Alekas Get Together

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Warm spinach, artichokes and a blend of cheeses are served with flatbread crisps for dipping.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe To Make At Home

• Add a recipe post – https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2016/11/128463/olive-garden-spinach-artichoke-dip-recipe

Lasagna Fritta

Crispy parmesan-breaded lasagna, topped with even more parmesan cheese, delicious meat sauce made with beef and Italian sausage and creamy alfredo sauce.

Lasagna Fritta Recipes To Make At Home

• Lasagna Fritta (Copycat Olive Garden Recipe) from Pass The Sushi
• Easy Air Fryer Lasagna Fritta (Olive Garden Copycat) from Simply Happenings

Shrimp Fritto Misto

Fritto misto means “fried mix”. In this appetizer, hand-breaded shrimp, onions and bell peppers are lightly fried and served with marinara and spicy ranch.

Shrimp Fritto Recipe To Make At Home

• Shrimp Scampi Fritta Recipe (Olive Garden Copycat) from Alyona’s Cooking.

Toasted Ravioli

Ravioli filled with seasoned beef is fried lightly and served with marinara sauce.

Toasted Ravioli Recipes To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli from Damn Delicious
• Air Fryer Olive Garden Toasted Ravioli from Fork To Spoon

Olive Garden Soup

Chicken & gnocchi.

This delicious creamy soup is loaded with roasted chicken, gnocchi (traditional Italian dumplings) and spinach.

Chicken & Gnocchi Soup Recipes To Make At Home

• Comforting Chicken Gnocci Soup from Harbour Breeze Home
• Easy Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat) from Scrummy Lane
• Creamy Vegan Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Inspired) from Thank You Berry Much

Pasta e Fagioli

Paste e fagioli or “pasta and beans” starts with a savory broth and plenty of white and red beans, ground beef, fresh tomatoes and tubetti pasta.

Pasta e Fagioli Recipes To Make At Home

• Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans) from The Forked Spoon
• Crock-Pot Pasta Fagoli Soup (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe) from Crock-Pot Ladies
• Pasta e Fagioli Soup from Kathy’s Vegan Kitchen

This vegan classic soup has a light tomato broth with fresh vegetables, beans and pasta.

Minestrone Recipes To Make At Home

• Instant Pot Vegetarian Minestrone Soup (Olive Garden Inspired) from My Cooking Journey
• Minestrone Soup (Copycat Olive Garden) from Belly Rules The Mind

Zuppa Toscana

Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana is made with gluten-free ingredients including spicy Italian sausage, kale and russet potatoes in a creamy broth.

Zuppa Toscana Recipes To Make At Home

• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Copycat Olive Garden recipe) from Katie’s Cucina
• Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat) from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us

Olive Garden Salad

If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden, you know a great way to start your meal is with a big helping of their famous house salad. It’s made with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, croutons, peppers, and olives and served with Olive Garden’s signature Italian dressing .

Olive Garden Salad And Dressing Recipes To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Salad from Princess Pinky Girl
• Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe from House Of Nash Eats

Olive Garden Pasta and Entrees

Fettucine alfredo.

Olive Garden’s delicious and creamy alfredo sauce is made from scratch with ingredients including parmesan, Romano cheese, cream, garlic and butter.

You can choose from classic fettucine alfredo , chicken alfredo, shrimp alfredo, seafood alfredo (shrimp and scallops) and chicken tortelloni alfredo .

Olive Garden Alfredo Recipes To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo from Easy Budget Recipes
• Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo from Creme De La Creme
• Copycat Olive Garden Seafood Alfredo from Three Olives Branch
• Olive Garden Shrimp Alfredo from The Slow Roasted Italian
• Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo With Grilled Chicken (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe) from I’m Hungry For That

Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara

In this dish, sautéed chicken, shrimp and spaghetti are tossed together in a creamy sauce that is loaded with bacon and roasted red peppers.

Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara Recipe To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara from 100k Recipes

Chicken Parmigiana and Eggplant Parmigiana

Served with a side of spaghetti, two lightly fried parmesan-breaded chicken breasts or eggplants are smothered in homemade marinara sauce and melted Italian cheese.

Olive Garden Chicken Parmigiana and Eggplant Parmigiana Recipes To Make At Home

• Chicken Parmigiana Olive Garden from The Slow Roasted Kitchen
• Copycat Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana from Flavorite

Chicken Marsala Fettucine

In this dish, juicy chicken is sautéed with spinach and mushrooms in a creamy marsala mushroom sauce and served over fettuccine noodles.

Olive Garden Chicken Marsala Recipes To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Marsala Recipe from Valentina’s Corner
• Olive Garden Chicken Marsala from Evolving Table

Lasagna Classico

Freshly made lasagna with layers of pasta, parmesan, mozzarella, pecorino romano and our homemade meat sauce made with beef and Italian sausage.

Olive Garden Lasagna Classico Recipes To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Lasagna Classico Recipe from Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Tour Of Italy

For times you can’t decide on one entree, try the Tour Of Italy which includes three Olive Garden classics: Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico and Fettuccine Alfredo.

Try these recipes to make your own Tour Of Italy at home!

Spaghetti With Meatballs

Classic spaghetti and meatballs with your choice of homemade marinara or meat sauce. 

Olive Garden Spaghetti And Meatballs To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Spaghetti and Meatballs from Kitchen Divas

Shrimp Scampi

Sautéed shrimp in a delicious garlic sauce are tossed with asparagus, tomatoes and angel hair pasta.

Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Copy Cat Recipe from The Food Hussy
• Copy Cat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi Recipe Without Wine from Six Sisters Stuff

Chicken Scampi

Seasoned chicken is sautéed with fresh bell peppers and red onions with creamy scampi sauce and served over angel hair.

Olive Garden Chicken Scampi To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Scampi from Diary Of A Recipe Collector
• Olive Garden Chicken Scampi {Copycat} from Girl On The Bloor

Five Cheese Ziti al Forno

Pasta with signature OG five cheese marinara sauces is smothered in a blend of Italian cheeses and baked to perfection.

Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno (Copycat ) from Dinner, Then Dessert
• Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno (Copycat) from Alyona’s Cooking

Cheese Ravioli

Large ravioli filled with a blend of Italian cheeses are topped with your choice of homemade marinara or meat sauce, and then warm mozzarella is melted on top.

Olive Garden Cheese Ravioli To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Cheese Ravioli In 20 Minutes from I’m Hungry For That

Grilled Chicken Margherita

Two grilled chicken breasts are topped with mozzarella, basil pesto, lemon garlic sauce and sliced fresh tomatoes. This dish is served with a side of parmesan garlic broccoli.

Olive Garden Grilled Chicken Margherita To Make At Home

• Olive Garden’s Copycat Chicken Margherita from Carrie’s Experimental Kitchen
• Olive Garden Chicken Margherita from CopyKat Recipes

Herb-Grilled Salmon

Grilled salmon is topped with delicious garlic herb butter and served with a side of parmesan garlic broccoli.

Olive Garden Herb-Grilled Salmon To Make At Home

• Herb Grilled Salmon Olive Garden Copy Cat from What Molly Made
• Herb Grilled Salmon Olive Garden Recipe from Eating On A Dime

Olive Garden offers a grilled 6 oz sirloin steak that is topped with garlic herb butter and served with fettuccine alfredo.

Olive Garden Steak Recipes To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Steak Alfredo (Copycat Recipe) from The Fresh Cooky
• Copycat Olive Garden Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo from The Foodie Affair

Olive Garden Desserts

Olive Garden’s dessert menu includes the classic Italian dessert, tiramisu! Espresso-soaked ladyfinger cookies are topped with creamy custard and a dusting of cocoa.

Olive Garden Tiramisu Recipes To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Tiramisu Recipe from Dwell By Michelle
• Olive Garden Tiramisu (Better Than Copycat Recipe) from Daily DIY Life

Black Tie Mousse Cake

Rich layers of chocolate cake, dark chocolate cheesecake and creamy custard mousse.

Olive Garden Black Tie Mousse Cake Recipes To Make At Home

• Black Tie Mousse Cake Recipe: Olive Garden Copycat from Cook Think
• Black Tie Mousse Cake from Mindee’s Cooking Obsession

Lemon Cream Cake and the new Strawberry Cream Cake

Unfortunately, Lemon Cream Cake is no longer on the OG dessert menu. It seems to be replaced by a similar Strawberry Cream Cake.

Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake and Strawberry Cream Cake Recipes To Make At Home

• Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake from Food Folks and Fun
• Top Secret Version of Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake from epicurious
• Olive Garden Strawberry Cream Cake Recipe [Copycat] from Smarter Homemaker

Chocolate Brownie Lasagna

The decadent Chocolate Brownie Lasagna from Olive Garden has EIGHT layers of rich, fudgy brownie and sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting, topped with chocolate shavings and a chocolate drizzle.

Olive Garden Chocolate Brownie Lasagna Recipes To Make At Home

• Air Fryer Copycat Olive Garden Chocolate Lasagna from fork to spoon
• DIY Olive Garden’s Brownie Lasagna (7-Ingredients) from Wide Open Eats

Warm Italian Doughnuts

Often called zeppoles, these fried doughnuts are tossed in powdered sugar and served with chocolate or raspberry sauce for dipping.

Olive Garden Warm Italian Doughnuts Recipe To Make At Home

• Zeppole – Easy Italian Donuts from Natasha’s Kitchen

Sicilian Cheesecake With Strawberry Topping

Olive Garden currently offers a rich ricotta cheesecake complete with a shortbread cookie crust and sweet strawberry sauce.

They have also offered other cheesecakes in the past, so we’ve included a variety of recipes for you to try at home.

Olive Garden Cheesecake Recipes To Make At Home

• Olive Garden Sicilian Cheesecake With Strawberry Topping from Nina Kneads To Bake
• Olive Garden White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake from Adventures of Mel
• Olive Garden Cookie Dough Cheesecake from CopyKat
• Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake from CopyKat

And there you have it—a complete guide to the Olive Garden menu and copycat recipes! Dining out can be a fun experience, but sometimes it’s nice to stay in and whip up something special.

Olive Garden is a great option for those looking for casual Italian fare, and with these copycat recipes in your arsenal, you can enjoy the Olive Garden experience any time you like. Thanks for reading, and buon appetito!

Up Next: Everything You Need To Know About The Crumbl Cookie Menu

Meet Micky Reed, your go-to snack expert and creator of The Three Snackateers—a hub for all the best sweets and treats to make, try, and buy. From whipping up collaborations with industry giants like Ben & Jerry's to being featured on Delish and PopSugar , Micky's delicious adventures are causing a stir in the foodie world. You can find Micky on IG and Pinterest.

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10 Recipes from Stanley Tucci’s ‘Searching for Italy’

Get an Italy fix with these 10 recipes for dishes featured on Stanely Tucci's ‘Searching for Italy.’

Missing Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy ? We understand. For six weeks straight, the actor and autho r transported viewers to Italy, uncovering history, humanity, and culture through the lens of food.

While we’ve got you covered for all the places to hit up on your next trip , we realize that a trip to Italy might be on hold for the foreseeable future – but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the dishes that dazzled Tucci's palate in il bel paese . Here are 10 recipes from Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy that you can make at home.

1. Spaghetti alla Nerano

Here’s our spaghetti alla Nerano recipe , the spaghetti with fried zucchini he enjoyed at Lo Scoglio on the Amalfi Coast during the episode dedicated to Campania. Plus some tips for perfecting the dish .

2. Tagliatelle al ragù

This meat sauce (which some might refer to as bolognese) tossed with silky ribbons of fresh tagliatelle is an indisputable Italian classic. In the Emilia-Romagna episode, Tucci enjoys it at Casa Artusi, named for the late and great Pellegrino Artusi . Here’s our tagliatelle al ragù recipe .

3, 4, and 5. Roman pasta trinity: Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Carbonara

Cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and carbonara comprise the holy Roman pasta trinity , and Tucci samples all three during the Rome episode. Here are our recipes for cacio e pepe , amatriciana , and carbonara .

Carbonara, photo: Riccardo Lettieri

6. Pasta alla Norma

This pasta with tomatoes, fried eggplant, and ricotta salata cheese is one of Sicily’s most beloved dishes – and one of the most simple to recreate at home. Here’s our pasta alla norma recipe .

7. Cotoletta alla Milanese

The Milanese-style veal cutlet is a must-eat in Milan. During the Lombardy episode, Tucci visits Ratanà restaurant where he prepares the dish with chef Cesare Battisti. Here’s our cotoletta alla Milanese recipe .

8. Cacciucco alla Livornese

When in Tuscany, Tucci sampled this historic fish stew from the port city of Livorno, and it stole his heart. Here you’ll find our cacciucco alla Livornese recipe .

9. Bistecca alla Fiorentina

In the final Tuscany-themed episode, Tucci enjoys bistecca alla Fiorentina , the traditional Florence-style steak, with chef Fabio Picchi. Here’s you’ll find our bistecca alla Fiorentina recipe along with some t ips for perfecting the steak .

10. Delizia al Limone

Here’s Sal de Riso’s recipe for Delizia al Limone , an exquisite representation of the Amalfi Coast in the dessert form. The region's storied lemons, Limone Costa d’Amalfi PGI , are what makes the dessert so particular – if you can’t find them, Meyer lemons are a nifty substitute.

Cover photo courtesy of Raw CNN

The Black Saffron Martini Sipped by Stanley Tucci

Negroni with Balsamic Vermouth Recipe, as Sipped by Stanley Tucci

6 Italian Recipes Inspired by Stanley Tucci’s Best Scenes

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All the Recipes from Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

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Photo by:  Fine Dining Lovers / Stanley Tucci's portrait by Daniel Krieger / 

The hit travel show  Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy  followed the Italian-American actor as he explored the peninsula in search of the country’s rich and fascinating history, all told through the medium of food.

During a period of relaxed coronavirus restrictions, actor Stanley Tucci went in search of his Italian roots, starting off in Naples and the Amalfi Coast, heading north to Rome, Bologna and Milan, and returning south to Sicily. He documented his journey, guided by locals who are all passionate about their food traditions and the cultural learning contained within.

It proves the world’s love affair with all things Italian, and particularly its food, that the programme was so popular. And the great thing about the show’s food is that it’s really quite easy to make at home - you just need to pay attention to the raw ingredients and follow all these easy step-by-step recipes from Searching for Italy .

Naples & Amalfi Coast 

The fried pizza at  Pizza Fritta da Fernanda in Naples is legendary. You can make  it it at home with this fried pizza, tomato Bavarese, buffalo mozzarella and tomato confit  recipe by chef Viviana Varese. Pizza is definitely the star of the show in the first episode, and the classic Neapolitan pizza makes an appearance at  Pizzeria la Notizia.  Here's  how to make the perfect Neapolitan pizza  at home.

On the Amalfi Coast, Tucci eats a classic spaghetti and zucchini dish,  spaghetti alla nerano , at restaurant  Lo Scoglio. It's incredibly easy to make and a very satisfying meal to boot. Have a look at the video below for the recipe - it's in Italian, but quite easy to follow the steps. 

The famous stretch of coast is known for the lemons that grow there, which are sold on the side of the road by vendors, and are often the size of grapefruit. The lemon delight is a gorgeous fresh dessert that features in the episode, and you can make your own  lemon delight cake  at home in our authentic step-by-step recipe.

All roads lead to Rome, so they say, but it was certainly true for Stanley Tucci , as he headed to the country's capital to sample its incredible traditional cuisine. Rome has a very strong food identity and its traditions go back to ancient times. The huge city is surrounded by the fertile land of Lazio, which produces some of the best ingredients in the country. The cuisine of Rome is hearty and satisfying, and its four famous pasta dishes will leave you fully sated. See below for how to make the four famous pastas from Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy .

How to Make The Rigatoni all'Amatriciana from Searching For Italy  

Lunch calls, and Tucci finds it at  Armando al Pantheon,  where he orders the Roman classic  rigatoni all'amatriciana , one of the city’s four famous pasta dishes. Learn how to make the dish here.

How to Make the Pasta alla Gricia from Searching for Italy

One of the famous four pastas of Rome is  pasta alla gricia , the proto pasta of the amatriciana dish. Just remove the tomatoes, as they were only added to Italian cuisine after the discovery of the New World. Pasta alla gricia contains just guanciale and pecorino Romano.

Learn how to make this famous Roman dish in the video below:

How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara from Searching for Italy

Next is a favourite dish the world over -  spaghetti carbonara .  Tucci learns about it from chef and historian Daniele di Michele . Like the other Roman pastas, carbonara is very simple, made with just guanciale (pigs' cheeks), pecorino, black pepper and eggs. Here's how to make spaghetti carbonara.

  Luciano Monosilio is famous for his carbonara. Learn from the best below.

How to Make the Cacio e Pepe from Searching for Italy 

Cacio e pepe is the ultimate Roman pasta - simple, satisfying and totally delicious. Learn how to make it through the eyes of Michelin-star chef Riccardo Camanini of Lido84 .

Emilia-Romagna

The city of Bologna in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region can call itself the food capital of Italy. Known as the 'food valley', the region has some of the richest agricultural land in the whole country and its produce (beef, dairy, grain, fruit and vegetables) gave the world its most famous pasta dish, the ragù Bolognese. Discover the recipes from Searching for Italy below:

How to Make Massimo Bottura's Tortellini in Brodo from Searching for Italy  

Tucci visits Modena, and Massimo Bottura , who tells him about the city's devout worship of pasta: "If you don't believe in God, you believe in tortellini in Modena." Watch Bottura as he makes tortellini in brodo from scratch at home, with his family for company, during his lockdown series.

How to Make Ragù alla Bolognese like Emilia-Romagna Chefs

Try these two versions of ragù by chefs  Aurora Mazzucchelli , Gianni D'Amato and Dario Picchiotti.

How to Make Homemade Tagliatelle from Searching for Italy 

Ragù should not be served with spaghetti, locals will tell you, it should be served with tagliatelle. Learn how to make it at home with the  Simili sisters:

How to Make Tagliatelle with Ragù Bolognese: The Original Recipe

Learn  how to make tagliatelle with ragù bolognese with this authentic recipe from chef  Alberto Bettini , owner of  Amerigo1934.

How to Make The Strozzapreti Pasta from Searching for Italy  

On to Rimini, where where Tucci learns how to make homemade pasta, including cappelletti and strozzapreti. Learn  how to make homemade strozzapreti  in our Tried and Tasted recipe.

The northern city of Milan - the cosmopolitan capital of finance and commerce, design and fashion - has its own particular food traditions. There, Tucci meets up with locals who guide him thorough the streets of a city that is a mix of the modern and the ancient. 

How to Make Risotto Milanese from Searching for Italy

Risotto Milanese is the symbol of the city, and it is a dish that is both warm and hearty, as well as delicate and subtle. Learn how to make it below.

Risotto Milanese from Ratanà as seen in Searching for Italy

This risotto Milanese recipe is from chef Cesare Battisti at   Ratanà , the very restaurant featured in  Searching for Italy . Slightly different to the traditional recipe, it has a truly golden hue.

Parmesan Risotto Recipe

Watch how to make the perfect parmesan risotto with Michelin-starred chef Riccardo Camanini .

Watch Michelin Chefs Cook Risotto

Risotto is one of those ever-reliable dishes, that once you crack, you'll always be able to whip it up very quickly. Check out these risotto tips and tricks from Michelin-starred chefs.

How to Make Pizzoccheri from Searching for Italy

The winter warmer of pizzoccheri is a northern delight that those who live in the Alpine north depend on in the colder months. 

Learn how to Make Delicious Pizzoccheri with Pasta Grannies

Learn How Make Cotoletta Milanese from Searching for Italy

Quite similar to a schnitzel found further north in Austria, the Milanese will tell you it originated in their home city - don't forget the clarified butter.

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Cotoletta Milanese

And here’s the Real Recipe for Cotoletta Milanese

How to make polenta from searching for italy.

Typical of the north, polenta is easy to make, but it does take time and a little effort to get it right. Have a look at these ten different ways to serve it .

Tuscany 

One of Italy's best-known regions, Tuscany has given the world so much in terms of art and culture, science and progress, but the same is true of its food. The local cuisine is rich in oil, with plenty of flavour, and will never leave you hungry.

How to Make the Perfect Steak Florentine from Searching for Italy

Learn all you need to know with Italy's favourite butcher,  Dario Cecchini , with all his tips and tricks for cooking the best steak Florentine . Whichever way you like your steak, these tricks can ensure you get the best results every time. Here is the definitive infographic for every single beef cut, all sixty of them explained , with instructions on how to cook them.

Learn How to Make Tuscan Almond Biscuits, Cantucci, from Searching for Italy

Here is recipe for delicious cantucci , as seen in Searching for Italy . Perfect to finish a meal after dipping in Vin Santo.

Learn How to Cook Ribollita from Searching for Italy

One of Tuscany’s oldest recipes, ribollita is actually a bread and vegetable soup cooked twice. It's a simple and hearty dish traditionally made by the peasants who worked the land.

Lean How to Make Tuscan Panzanella from Searching for Italy

Here's a light and refreshing traditional salad dish that is also an excellent way to use up leftover bread.

In the final episode of Searching for Italy , Tucci stops off on the island of Sicily, the heart of the Mediterranean, whose cuisine is known as 'God's kitchen'. The rich and diverse history of this island is reflected in the cuisine, and in this series, Tucci kept the best for last.

Spaghetti alla Bottarga from Searching for Italy

Learn how to make a classic spaghetti alla bottarga, as enjoyed by Tucci on the show.

How to make Timpano from Tucci's Big Night

Tucci goes searching in Palermo for 'timballo' or timpani, the baked dish from his 1996 film, Big Night . Try this Tucci-inspired timpano recipe.

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Food | lifestyle | travel | ..., pasta italia: tour of italy – pasta medley recipe.

August 18, 2015 by Pragati Bidkar 29 Comments

Italy is my dream holiday destination.

When my parents went on a Europe tour a couple of years ago, I did a lot of research for their trip. My mind is flooded with exotic images of Tuscan landscapes, Cinque Terre, Italian Alps and so on.

Any Big B fan of my generation grew up fantasizing about Zeenat and Amitabh enraptured in amore , gliding along a Venetian canal, singing ‘ Do Labzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani ’. What Desi girl hasn’t secretly dreamed of a honeymoon in Venice?

BTW, this post has 3800+ words, 33 images and 2 videos – I suggest you settle down with a cup of tea or a glass of wine – I promise you won’t be bored!

When Del Monte India announced their Italian Escapades contest, I was struck dumb. Just the tiniest chance of actually winning a 7 day trip to Italy overwhelmed me. Add a food tour and cooking classes from a Nonna! For a few days, I refused to let myself dream. But part of me was thinking of recipes in the background.

Del Monte has conquered the pasta market in India, I think, mostly because their pasta is available even in small grocery stores. No need to travel long distance to a specialty store to get pasta now!

Italian food always seems robust and plentiful, the kind you can enjoy with a large family. Del Monte India asked us to create a pasta dish from the heart, so I started thinking about what Italy and Italian food signified. I received the Chifferi Rigati from Del Monte India, which is like an elbow macaroni but with rigati or ridges. This kind of short tubular pasta is perfect because it holds on to the sauce.

I wanted my pasta dish to symbolize everything I associate with Italy. I also wanted to try and represent the different regions and ingredients like spinach which is a star of Tuscan or Florentine cooking, the white cannellini beans of the pasta fagioli soup that is famous in Venice, and of course a robust red sauce that pretty much represents Italian food.

So I present Pasta Italia: Tour of Italy . Yes, I have deliberately chosen the colors of the Italian flag. This pasta is made of three different sauces. They represent the basic pasta sauces that are famous in Italy – a green pesto, a cheesy white sauce and a tomato based sauce, but all very innovative with my twist. Every sauce uses different herbs. So together, this pasta dish is like a culinary tour of Italy.

If your family is anything like mine, everyone has different tastes. Mom wants a cheesy white sauce, dad wants a tomato based spicy sauce, I like the freshness of the pesto, and the sibling wants everything at once.

Pasta Italia is perfect for a large family gathering because it feeds a crowd and satisfies a variety of tastes. Combined with some buttery garlic bread, it is the perfect family feast.

Pasta Italia: Tour of Italy – The Inspiration!

Being a food blogger, I am always on the hunt for unique or innovative recipes. And I have found inspiration in the most unlikely places. A street vendor selling guava reminds me they are in season, and then when I am plotting a recipe, I remember the guava and try to incorporate it into the recipe. I made a plum salsa just last week to go with my grilled tofu.

When I heard of the #ItalianEscapades challenge, I decided right away that I wanted to showcase the varied cuisine of Italy. Considering how big the country is, and the different regional influences, it was hard to incorporate everything into a single pasta dish.

I thought of the Primavera which literally means ‘spring’ and discarded the idea because it is not the season for using Spring vegetables like peas. Baked pastas were discarded because everyone doesn’t have an oven.

I definitely wanted to use spinach because it is a mainstay in Florentine cooking. Venetian or Veneto cooking is known for the pasta fagioli soup with cannellini beans. Then the pomodoro sauce with simple tomato and basil is the most basic of sauces. Bolognese is another signature Italian pasta dish.

My challenge was to showcase the maximum aspects of Italian cooking and also keep them vegetarian. Italians love to cook with a lot of different meats. Their antipasto is legendary, for example. And they use bacon or pancetta to flavor their sauces.

Frankly, I want to win this contest and I lay awake at nights trying to think of the right recipe. I had a surreal dream about Olive Garden (famous Italian restaurant in the US). I was enjoying a meal with some old friends, folks I have not seen in over 10 years, and I had a lightbulb moment. I would do a pasta medley, or a bottomless pasta bowl.

Pasta Italia: Tour of Italy – The Concept

I went for spinach in my pesto because spinach represents the cooking of Tuscany or Florence for me. I am using sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts or pinoli because they are easily available locally and much cheaper. Basil is the heart of my green pesto and a dash of parmesan adds nuttiness. Good quality extra virgin olive oil is a must!

This spinach and basil pesto transforms me to Firenze (Florence), to the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, Michaelangelo’s David, the Uffizi gallery and Tuscan landscapes.

The white sauce in my Tour of Italy is authentic yet innovative. White, cheesy, béchamel based sauces are typically very high in calories. I do away with all that by using a cauliflower based sauce. Instead of the pancetta, I am using a smoked cheese to add a similar flavor. A little cream and parmesan are enough to add richness. Cannelini beans or white beans are the star of the pasta fagioli soup so famous in the Venice region. Flat leaf parsley adds some freshness to this creamy sauce.

My Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce with cannellini beans takes me to the canals of Venezia or Venice, to the gondolas of the Grand Canal, to the Piazza San Marco and the Bridge of Sighs and to St. Mark’s Basilica.

The red sauce in my Tour of Italy is very simple, but has a lot of depth of flavor. I am using roasted red peppers, the sweet peppers that are used so much in Italian cooking. I am using stewed tomatoes here, and some white wine to add sweetness. Olives are another mainstay of Italian cooking, and they add a touch of saltiness to this sauce.

My Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro sauce in my Tour of Italy takes me to Roma and the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

Tour of Italy represents all the elements of Italian cooking – fresh produce, herbs like basil, parsley and oregano, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, olives and the most important, love.

I present this pasta dish from the bottom of my heart and hope that you will enjoy at least some part of it.

Don’t worry if you have never cooked pasta before. My step by step detailed instructions will help even the most novice cook.

Basic Tips for Cooking Pasta

• Pasta cooking time varies based on brand. So always follow package instructions.
• Use plenty of water to cook pasta and use a large pot.
• Liberally add salt to pasta water because this is the only time you can season the pasta itself.
• Cook pasta al dente or slightly undone. The pasta will continue cooking by residual heat and will also cook a bit in the sauce.
• Never wash cooked pasta – this will wash away the starch and prevent sauce from sticking to it.
• Drain pasta and immediately add into half the sauce. Toss the pasta lightly and then serve remaining sauce on top in the plate or on the side.
• Use a mixture of butter and extra virgin olive oil for your sauce. Oil increases smoking point of butter and prevents it from burning or browning. And extra virgin olive oil adds its own unique flavors.
• Sauté garlic on very low heat and let it flavor the oil. Do not let it brown. Unlike Asian cooking, Italian cooking does not use burnt garlic. Also, burnt garlic becomes bitter.
• Use good quality cheese rather than processed cheese. One tablespoon of good cheese will give much more flavor than one cup of average cheese.
• Use just enough sauce to coat the pasta. Sauce should not run around the pasta like a gravy.

Pasta Italia Sauce 1 – Spinach and Sunflower Seed Pesto

Pesto is so easy and flavorful, it is perfect for someone new to Italian food. I am using spinach to add some extra fiber and nutrition. Spinach makes this vegetarian dish hearty and robust. I also found that the combination of basil and spinach works really well – they both mellow each other out.

Sunflower seeds are easy to procure in India and they are pretty economical compared to walnuts or pine nuts which are typically used in pesto. Raw garlic adds a pungent kick and is also good for your heart. Parmesan cheese adds texture and saltiness, and extra virgin olive oil helps emulsify everything while imparting classic Italian flavor.

Equipment for Spinach and Sunflower Seed Pesto

Food Processor/ Chopper with S blade

8 inch Calphalon Stainless Steel pan or nonstick pan

Ingredients – Spinach and Sunflower Seed Pesto

2 cups spinach tightly packed

2 cups basil tightly packed

¼ cup sunflower seeds

4-5 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp black pepper crushed

Salt to taste

Method – Spinach and Sunflower Seed Pesto

• Clean and pluck the basil and spinach leaves.
• Put spinach and basil leaves in a colander.
• Boil water in a large pot.
• Assemble ice water in another bowl or vessel.
• Pour boiling water over the spinach/ basil in the colander.
• Immediately transfer spinach/basil to ice water bath. This will stop cooking process and keep them green.
• Squeeze the leaves tightly to remove all water.
• Grind the pesto in a food processor or mixer with S blade.
• You can add some water to reduce quantity of oil, but add it spoon by spoon.
• Spinach and sunflower seed pesto is ready to be tossed with our Del Monte pasta.

This recipe makes 2 cups of pesto, enough for 4 generous servings of pasta.

Pasta Italia Sauce 2 – Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce with Beans

Alfredo Sauce is my absolute favorite when it comes to pasta sauces. But it is made with butter, parmesan cheese and cream – not very figure friendly or heart friendly. My low fat cheesy white sauce uses a common vegetable – cauliflower! Cauliflower is abundantly available anywhere in India and adds body to this sauce. But you will never guess it while tasting or looking at this sauce. I wanted to add a smoky component, so I am using smoked gouda cheese here. I would have liked to use pecorino romano in addition to parmesan but romano was 7250 per kilo – not affordable for sure!

I am using local cauliflower, garlic, smoked Gouda cheese from Kodai Farms and parmesan cheese from the new Corona Dairy – all local ingredients but the flavor here is totally Italian.

I am using cannellini beans or ‘ fagioli ’ from a can, but chickpeas will also work well here. The beans add a robust component and make this so Italian. The inspiration for this dish is definitely the cheesy Alfredo or parmesan sauce and the pasta fagioli soup.

If you are not a fan of smoky flavor, you can use regular gouda or just more parmesan cheese. Also, the Kodai Farms cheese was extremely smoky so I used very little. You can use more or less depending on the brand of cheese you use.

Flat leaf parsley with its fresh, vibrant earthiness is the perfect herb for this pasta. This recipe will make 2.5-3 cups of thick sauce.

Equipment for Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce with Beans

4 Quart Sauce Pan

8 inch stainless steel pan

Cooking Time

Ingredients – Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce with Beans

3 cups cauliflower florets

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp garlic chopped

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 Tbsp cream

½ tsp black pepper crushed

3 Tbsp parmesan cheese

1-2 inch piece smoked Gouda cheese

1 cup cannellini beans

2 Tbsp Italian/ flat leaf parsley chopped

Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Method – Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce with Beans

• Drain the cauliflower and let it cool.
• Heat butter with a touch of oil in a pan. Sauté chopped garlic on very low heat until it changes color slightly (do not burn).
• Bring to a gentle boil on low heat and switch off the heat. Taste for salt and add it if needed.
• Add chopped parsley to the sauce and mix it in. Grate in a dash of nutmeg if you like (Italians always add a dash of nutmeg to white sauces and greens).

This recipe makes 2-3 cups of thick sauce, enough for 4 generous servings of pasta.

Pasta Italia Sauce 3 – Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro Sauce

The pomodoro sauce or tomato sauce is the most basic of Italian pasta sauces. I make this pretty frequently. I wanted to add more depth of flavor and I came across some nice sweet red peppers or red capsicum. I decided to fire roast these for more flavor. Puttanesca sauce is another of my favorites so I took inspiration from it and added olives to this red pepper sauce.

The brine from the olives nicely balanced the sweet peppers and tomatoes.

Since I had already used basil and parsley in the green and white sauces, I chose oregano for this sauce. Oregano has firm place in a pasta sauce, I feel, and no Tour of Italy would be complete without this herb. Wine is another ingredient that is used commonly in Italian cooking, and I was lucky to get a 2007 vintage Chateau Indage on sale.

This roasted red pepper sauce is so flavorful, you will be licking the bowl for sure.

I suggest using San Marzano or any kind of Italian sweet tomatoes for this sauce (Del Monte, please market these in India). If you use local plum tomatoes, spend more time in simmering the sauce, and be ready to add more sugar to get the right flavor.

Equipment for Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro Sauce

3 Quart sauce pan

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients – Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro Sauce

2 red bell peppers or capsicum

400g stewed tomatoes

1 shallot or ½ small onion chopped

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp black olives sliced

½ cup white wine (optional)

½ tsp oregano dried

1-2 Tbsp sugar

Method – Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro Sauce

• After peppers cool, peel them and roughly tear into pieces. Discard seeds and black skin.
• Add the peppers and tomato to a blender jar and puree well. It can be as chunky or smooth as you want it.
• Heat butter and oil in a sauce pan.
• Add the garlic and sauté on low heat. Add the onions and sauté until they soften.
• Now add white wine and cook it out until reduced. If you don’t want to use wine, that is OK. A splash of balsamic vinegar will also work well here.
• Add the blended tomato/ pepper, black pepper and sliced olives.
• Bring to a boil and simmer.
• Add parmesan and sugar and crushed oregano. Add salt later if needed.
• Simmer sauce until it coats the back of the spatula.
• Switch off heat.

This recipe makes 3 cups of sauce. And 4 generous servings of pasta with extra sauce.

Pasta Italia Side – Garlic Bread with Compound Butter

The perfect pasta is incomplete without crispy garlic bread. I am going to show you the easiest way to make compound butter or garlic parsley butter. This will make your garlic bread sing.

You can roll this butter in some parchment paper and refrigerate to use later too.

Equipment for Garlic Bread

optional – pan

Ingredients for Garlic Bread

1 Loaf Italian Bread or baguette

50 g butter

3 cloves garlic minced

1 Tbsp parsley chopped

Method for Garlic Bread

• Take some soft room temperature butter in a small bowl.
• Grate in 3 cloves of garlic.
• Add very finely chopped flat leaf parsley.
• Slice Italian bread and slather with this garlic parsley butter.

You can also toast this in a pan on the gas stove.

Pasta Italia – Boiling Pasta and Mixing in Sauces

Once our sauces are ready, we can now boil the Del Monte pasta. Pasta should be boiled just before you are ready to serve.

Equipment for Boiling Pasta

6 Quart Pasta Pot with Insert

Ingredients for Pasta

6 cups Del Monte pasta

20+ cups water

Method for Pasta

•  Bring pasta water to a boil. Use a pasta insert pot if you have one.
• Once water boils, add a generous amount of salt.
• Drain the pasta and roughly divide in three portions in three bowls.
• Add half of the sauce – green, white and red to each bowl and lightly toss to mix in. You should have three colors of pasta in 3 different bowls – green, white and red.
• Add cannellini beans to the white pasta and mix in lightly.

Plating Pasta Italia: Tour of Italy Pasta

• To plate up a Tour of Italy, ladle a scoop of each type of pasta into a pasta bowl. Add some Roasted Red pepper sauce on top of the red pasta, some Spinach and Sunflower Seed Pesto on top of the green pasta, and some Low Fat Cheesy White Sauce on top of the white pasta.
• Garnish the green pasta with sunflower seeds, red pasta with some olives, and white pasta with cannellini beans.
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the entire pasta and crack some fresh black pepper.
• Add some more parmesan cheese on top.
• Serve this Tour of Italy pasta, the Pasta Italia with hot garlic bread with our garlic parsley butter.
• Serve extra sauce on the side.
• Optionally, serve with white wine or drink of choice.

The biggest advantage of this Tour of Italy pasta is that everyone can choose what they want .

So if someone only wants Red Sauce pasta, serve it to them in a bowl. Or if someone just wants the cheesy sauce with their pasta, plate up a portion of the white pasta.

Any combination is possible and everyone is happy.

Hello #DelMonteItalianEscapades

Pasta Italia: Tour of Italy pasta makes me think of sunshine, family, friends, laughter, love and fresh and simple food cooked from the heart – everything I associate with Italy.

This is my labor of love from my kitchen to yours, Del Monte India!! Now all that is missing is the Tuscan landscape for real :). I am ready to blog my way to Italy!!

Sending this on to Del Monte India’s #DelMonteItalianEscapades contest. Wish me luck 🙂

About Pragati Bidkar

Hello! I am Pragati. Welcome to my blog KamalKitchen.com! I am a vegetarian food blogger creating real food recipes. I also write on lifestyle, travel and local Pune events. Please check my About Page for more...

August 18, 2015 at 1:50 pm

Wow Pragati, awesome.. I sincerely hope, wish and pray that you win that Italy trip. I am definitely trying the pesto and green pasta at home.

August 18, 2015 at 9:06 pm

Hello dear…try them all…pretty simple, really..and my video should help…hee hee…

August 18, 2015 at 2:12 pm

This has been such an amazing read! What a fabulous post and such an innovative recipe!:) hugs!

August 18, 2015 at 9:04 pm

Hey Divsi…how nice to see you here…thanks for the kind words…xoxo..you have already been to Italy, haven’t you? Did this spark any memories? And ‘when’ did you read this 😃

August 20, 2015 at 2:35 am

My gosh Pragati !! This is fantastic !! What a superb blogpost ! I have to say while the recipes sound great I am in love with your photographs ! I just came back from Italy and I know first hand how delicious it was. I think you’ve done a fabulous job with this blogpost more than anything I can see a lot of love and passion for your cooking. I really do hope the contest judges take note of your effort because it is quite something. If it were up to me, you’d have my vote 🙂 Good luck with the contest I really hope you win. Either ways I look forward to all your lovely recipes 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 8:40 am

Hello Roxanne, It is so nice to see you here..and you are too kind..have tried to put in a serious effort and now it is up to the judges or the pasta Gods or travel Gods. Thank you so much for your support – it means a lot to me. – pragati

August 20, 2015 at 2:53 am

WOW. What an elaborate detailing. Roasted Red Pepper and Pomodoro Sauce is up next on my “culinary” experiments lists 😀

August 20, 2015 at 8:48 am

Hello Sherna…welcome 🙂 Thanks for the compliment…looking forward to hearing all about it. pragati

August 20, 2015 at 9:27 am

Hi Pragati , your talent , skill and passion about Gourmet cooking and Creative writing shines brilliantly through this post. Hearty Congratulations … in advance. I am sure , you are the winner.

August 20, 2015 at 9:34 am

Hello Sujata..first of all, thanks so much for visiting my blog and checking out my recipe..and thank you for the compliments…I have tried to do my best, and now I can only pray :)…you know, ‘maa faleshu kadachana’ 🙂 Thank You!

August 20, 2015 at 11:01 am

LOVE all of these! The perfect plate!

August 21, 2015 at 1:21 am

Thanks Jenn…welcome 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 11:36 am

Really informative and beautiful post! The pasta looks so colorful and delicious! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

August 21, 2015 at 1:29 am

Hello Madiha am glad you like it..thanks 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 12:27 pm

I love pasta! All these ways look delicious!

August 21, 2015 at 1:30 am

Hey Sophia..welcome and thanks 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 12:28 pm

I am Italian and I say thanks for these delicious recipes

August 21, 2015 at 1:31 am

Well, that is quite a big compliment…glad you like these..thanks 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 12:58 pm

I just adore pasta! As I am vegan the cheesy one is out for me but the Roasted Red Pepper & Pomodoro Sauce sounds perfect and I think I can easily veganize the pesto! That plate with all three on just looks lovely!

August 21, 2015 at 1:32 am

Hi Mel..the pesto has a very little amount of parmesan..and if you are vegan, I guess you can leave it out. Nutritional yeast is an option but I have never used it so cannot say how it will taste in this recipe..I wanted to keep at least one of these vegan..the roasted red pepper sauce only has cheese on top, so yes, that is something you can start with! Glad you like it..thanks 🙂

August 20, 2015 at 2:28 pm

There’s nothing better than pasta! What a great post, Pragati! 🙂

August 21, 2015 at 1:33 am

Hello Sina..thanks 🙂 And I agree..comfort food for sure..but I have tried to keep these sauces as healthy as possible.

August 20, 2015 at 4:15 pm

How fun to have three different pasta sauces all on one dish. These recipes look delicious. Good luck on the trip. I hope you win!

August 21, 2015 at 1:35 am

hello Ginny, thanks 🙂 I had a good time eating this..the contrast as you dip into different parts of the dish is amazing..and it is also a nice flavor surprise for your tastebuds.. Fingers crossed!

August 21, 2015 at 4:27 am

I got tiered making the pasta in one sause and putting together the post, here you did there… appreciate the effort, plus they all look delicious and loved how you took me all over Italy with this post.. all the best!

August 21, 2015 at 5:32 am

Hello Disha, welcome 🙂 That is so nice of you..thanks much!

August 24, 2015 at 3:26 pm

I’d deffo like to try the low fat cheese canellini pasta! Easy to make but hard to master! All of these dishes look awesome though 😀

August 25, 2015 at 9:43 am

Hey Howie..welcome..yeah..these recipes are actually pretty simple but that is what makes them tough ;)..they have to be just right on flavor. Not a problem for you, I am sure 🙂

December 11, 2015 at 1:34 pm

I love pasta! it looks so colorful and delicious!

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Home › Blog › 18 Olive Garden Copycat Recipes to Satisfy Your Italian Food Cravings

18 Olive Garden Copycat Recipes to Satisfy Your Italian Food Cravings

By Donella Crigger

Published Dec 14, 2023

You know when you get a craving and you just have to have that food? That’s how I feel about Olive Garden. Unfortunately, we don’t have one close by, so driving for a couple of hours is out of the question. What’s a girl who’s craving pasta to do? Why, whip up one of these Olive Garden copycat recipes , of course! You’ll get all the flavors of your favorite pasta dishes right at home. Better for you and better for your budget, right?

Olive Garden Copycat Recipes That’ll Make You Swoon

1. zuppa toscana – one of those olive garden copycat recipes to bring italy to you.

Oh! Yum!! Zuppa Toscana ! It is *the* date night recipe! It’s creamy, it’s tasty and it’s easy to cook!

You’ll need:

• 1 lb ground sausage (choosing a spicy kind is a good option, too)
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 4 slices fried, chopped bacon
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon (or as much liquid bouillon as you’d need for 9 cups of liquid water)
• 3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups fresh kale, chopped

If you’re not preparing your pot already, you’re missing out! Try this recipe out today and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home!!

2. One Can Never Go Wrong With This Chicken & Gnocchi Soup Recipe

Thirty minutes is all you need for this delicious and creamy Chicken & Gnocchi Soup . It’s packed with veggies and it’s creamy. The kids approved it, too! And that is just a win by itself!

via Food Folks and Fun

3. Mind-Blowing Olive Garden Copycat Recipe – The Best Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo sauce is THE best thing about Olive Garden. Period.

I am a huge sauce lover, so believe me, I’ve tried (more than once…) to find the secret to the delicious Alfredo sauce they always make in Olive Garden. And how happy I was when I tried this copycat Alfredo Sauce recipe!

Take your saucepan out and prepare yourself You will have your socks knocked off!

via Go Go Gourmet

4. Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo Copycat Recipe To Prepare The Best Steak Ever

One of the things I love eating in Olive Garden is definitely chicken. But eating the same meat every time will usually get you easily bored. But not with this copycat Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo recipe! It just makes my tastebuds sing every single time.

via The Midnight Baker

5. The Zuppa Toscana Never Tasted So… Italian!

Perfect for cold evenings, the Zuppa Toscana is delicious and frugal… can’t beat that when you’re looking for a substitute for your favorite takeout! And the biggest pro – the kids love it!

via Parenting Chaos

6. The Breadsticks – Soon To Be Among Your Favorite Olive Garden Copycat Recipes

Of course, you can’t get that Olive Garden experience without some warm, chewy breadsticks to go along with your meal. They are great to dip in some marinara sauce, too! Yum!

via Mommy Musings

7. The Most Delicious Marinara Sauce For A Real Italian Pasta Experience

You’ll need some marinara sauce for those breadsticks… or to go on top of a heaping plate of spaghetti. You can make it in a bigger batch and freeze it, too. That way, you’ll be able to quickly put a tasty pasta dinner for the family, even on a busy night.

If you want more pasta ideas to add to our monthly meal plan, don’t miss to check out our Pasta Dinners the Whole Family Will Love .

via Tammilee Tips

8. Smoked Mozzarella Fondue Appetizer to Satisfy All Your Italian Cheese Cravings

The Appetizers in the Italian kitchen are my absolute weakness. They are quick to make and always SO delicious! Mmmm…

Are you craving an appetizer now, too? Smoked Mozzarella Fondue to the rescue. Look at all that creamy, cheesy goodness you can make in your kitchen!

via Tastes of Lizzy T’s

9. The Best Olive Garden Copycat Recipes Online – Make Your Favorite Garden Peach Tea

The weather is hot, the sun is burning and you’re dreaming about getting a cold drink as soon as you get in your house. And then, you remember your favorite Olive Garden summer drink – Peach Ice Tea!

Quench your thirst with a tall glass of this copycat version of Olive Garden Peach Tea . So refreshing!

via Amanda’s Cookin’

10. Cocktail Time at Olive Garden’s – Your Favorite Moscato Citrus Berry Splash Recipe Is Here

And if you prefer a more adult beverage with your meal, you can’t go wrong with this Moscato Citrus Berry Splash .

It’s great to prepare and have while cooking your favorite Olive Garden meal from this article. It’s also great to have by the pool on a hot day. You should definitely give it a try!

via Who Needs a Cape?

11. Chicken Lombardy – All-Time Favorite Olive Garden Meal

Winner, winner chicken dinner – You’ll wonder where this Chicken Lombardy has been all your life after you make it. Even if you never had it in an Olive Garden restaurant, you’re going to fall in love with it on the first bite!

Because – let’s face it – you can never go wrong with chicken, mushrooms, and mozzarella!

via Creme de la Crumb

12. Crockpot Set and Forget Pasta E Fagioli Olive Garden Copycat Recipe

Don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight, but your household needs to be fed? I have a solution for you! Go for this Olive Garden crockpot copycat recipe for Pasta E Fagioli . Set it and forget it! Don’t you just love it when your dinner cooks itself?

If you’re looking for more dump-and-go meal ideas, you’d like our Set and Forget Slow Cooker Recipes , too.

via Chelsea’s Messy Apron

13. Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup Copycat Recipe To Save Dinner On Busy Nights

If you’re short on time on a busy work night, you’re going to love this all-time favorite copycat recipe from Olive Garden.

This marvelous Minestrone Soup can be made in just 30 minutes. And it will satisfy even the pickiest eaters! So easy and so good!

via Averie Cooks

14. The Perfect House Salad by Olive Garden Copycat Recipe

If there is something I really love in Italian restaurants, it’s the variety of salads on their menu!

For example, I could eat this Olive Garden’s house salad all day long. And with this copycat recipe, I can now make it at home. Mmm.

15. Best-Tasting Italian Dressing Copycat Recipe To Feel Like You’re In “Olive Garden”

The perfect finish for every Italian salad is the perfect dressing. And Olive Garden’s Italian dressing is amazing. So, what are you waiting for?

Drench (I mean, drizzle) your salad with this amazing at-home version of their Italian Dressing . You’re going to thank me later.

via The Cozy Cook

16. Shrimp Alfredo Pasta Recipe Leaked From Olive Garden’s Kitchen

Do you love Olive Garden’s “Seafood Alfredo”? If you do, you MUST try this Shrimp Alfredo Pasta recipe! It’s so delicious, you’re going to swoop every last piece from your plate.

via Natasha’s Kitchen

17. Baked Parmesan Shrimp To Impress Your Family With Your Italian Food Skills

Speaking of shrimp,  do make this Baked Parmesan Shrimp … and then, don’t miss inviting me over for dinner.

This is one of the recipes you’ll save because your family will ask you to cook it over and over again. Even if your kids are not the most avid seafood lovers.

via Homemade Hooplah

18. Olive Garden’s Chef Secrets: Healthy Chicken Abruzzi Recipe

Did you know that Italian cuisine, as a part of Mediterranean cuisine, is very healthy? And you can easily enjoy all the benefits of a healthy Italian meal at the comfort of your home?

You can feel good about this Healthy Chicken Abruzzi recipe. It’s totally delicious and totally good for you.

via iFoodreal

19. Olive Garden Copycat Recipes: Chicken Vino Bianco

This recipe for Chicken Vino Bianco claims to be so delicious it may teleport you to Italy. Take me away!

This recipe is easy to make and you’re going to love it, for sure!

Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list:

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried linguine
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 4 (4 ounces) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup white wine, (I use Chardonnay)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 scallions, chopped (divided)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (divided)
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

via The Slow Roasted Italian

Looking for more kid-approved pasta dishes? Definitely check out One-Pot Pasta for Kids post for even more ideas!

Have you found your favorite Olive Garden copycat recipe it this list? I know I picked a few favorites myself. Which is the first recipe from this list you’re going to cook? I’d love to hear how it ended up, too!

Did you like these yummy Olive Garden copycat recipes? Then you’ll love these other copycat recipe ideas we’ve gathered for you:

• 15 Red Lobster Copycat Recipes to Try at Home
• 15 of the BEST Applebee’s Copycat Recipes
• 15 Copycat Cheesecake Factory Recipes That Are Almost Too Good to Eat
• 15 Copycat Candy Bars That Are Better Than the Real Thing
• 16 Copycat Panera Recipes You’ll Want to Eat Every Day

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Olive Garden Northern Tour of Italy

Olive Garden Northern Tour of Italy with Chicken Lombardy

Grilled Pizza – A Tour Of Italy

Inspired by our line of Sauces for Pizza, Ashley Cuoco creates a tour of Italy with pizzas recalling the cuisines of Positano, Parma, and Napoli.

Made with Positano pizza sauce

Mutti® Sauces for Pizza are inspired by celebrated recipes from the cities of Positano, Napoli, and Parma. While each city has its own distinct culinary style, an appreciation for simple, high quality ingredients is a common thread.  This Positano sauce is inspired by the flavors of the Amalfi coast where fresh, 100% Italian sun-ripened tomatoes are blended with bursts of savory garlic and fresh oregano.

1h 35 min (COOK TIME: 1h 20 min / PREP TIME: 15 min)

• 2-1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups water 95-100°F
• 5 cups all-purpose flour plus more for work surface
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Positano Pizza

• 1/4 cup Mutti® Sauce for Pizza - Positano (Garlic & Oregano)
• 3 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into 1" pieces
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground pepper for finishing

Parma Pizza

• 1/4 cup Mutti® Sauce for Pizza - Parma (Parmigiano Reggiano)
• 3 oz fresh ricotta
• 3 fresh or dried figs, thinly sliced
• 2 slices prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, coarsely shredded
• 2 tbsp reduced balsamic vinegar

Napoli Pizza

• 1/4 cup Mutti® Sauce for Pizza - Napoli (Basil & Olive Oil)
• 3 oz buffalo mozzarella thinly sliced into rounds
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves chopped or whole
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Recipe and image credit: AshCuoco

Share the ingredient list

Grilled pizza – a tour of italy: method.

• To make dough: combine yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Add warm water and let sit until puffed and foamy, about 5 minutes. Add 4 cups flour and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until dough comes together.
• The dough will be sticky—sprinkle countertop or worksurface with a generous amount of flour. Keep the remaining 1 cup of flour beside you as you work. Set the dough onto the floured surface and knead, adding flour little by little to prevent sticking, until dough is smooth and elastic—about 10 minutes. Use a bench scraper to help lift and move dough along. You may not use all the flour.
• Lightly oil a bowl with olive oil and add dough, turning it around in the oil to coat. Cover with a dish towel and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces and form each into balls. Place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a dusting of flour, cover with a clean dish towel and let rise again while you prepare the grill.
• Preheat gas grill to 500 degrees F. Brush grates so they’re clean. Use a silicone brush to lightly coat with olive oil. You’ll want to create an area of direct and indirect heat—once the grill is preheated, turn one side of the burners off. If using a charcoal grill, push coals to one side to create the same effect. Have the balls of dough, sauces and toppings ready to go once grill is hot. Keep the grill covered until you’re ready to cook.
• Pick up the first ball of dough and use your hands to gently stretch it until it’s roughly 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Carefully place the stretched dough onto the area of direct heat. Cook about 2 minutes, until it puffs up and grill marks appear. Using metal tongs and a spatula, flip pizza over and onto the area of indirect heat. Spoon sauce directly onto this side and top with cheese only. Cover grill and let cook about 3 minutes.
• Transfer pizza from the grill onto a cutting board. While hot, immediately top with remaining toppings, always finishing with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked pepper to serve. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
• Recipe Tips: Give these other topping variations a go, as inspired by regions of Italy:
• Try Positano sauce with shredded provolone and thinly sliced roasted eggplant. Or, try it with tangy goat cheese, basil and lemon zest for brightness.
• Try Parma sauce with dollops of ricotta, sautéed pancetta and mushrooms. Top it with baby arugula that’s been tossed in extra virgin olive oil. Or, top with fresh pomorodori and basil.
• Try Napoli sauce with shredded mozzarella and thinly sliced, fried zucchini. Or, try it topped with grilled green peppers and fried zucchini blossoms.

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"cooking and happiness are similar...both are things we can create.", tour of italy: tasty foods to try during your next visit.

Amalfi, Italy

Hello everyone let’s take a quick foodie tour of Italy! Italy is a beautiful, history-rich country known for its art, fashion, football team, and most importantly, its food! In this brief food tour of Italy, indulge your inner foodie as we introduce you to five must-try tasty meals you have to eat during your next visit.

Coniglio all’Ischitana

Ischia, Italy, is a European island known for luxury and leisure . This gem of an island has beautiful beaches, a slow laid back island lifestyle, and rich gastronomy. One dish in particular that this island is famous for is Coniglio all’Ischitana, a delicate, savory rabbit stew.  Typically rabbit is delicately seared in olive oil to begin the flavor-building process.  It is then slow-cooked until tender in a broth of vine-ripened tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili pepper, salt, assorted herbs, and white wine. Sound tasty?  The result is a succulently tender and aromatic delicacy that is a must-try when visiting Ischia.

Gnocchi! Just the word alone leaves some people salivating. But what is it? Light and fluffy dumplings are a good way to describe them. Potato gnocchi (everyone’s favorite) hails from Northern Italy, which has a climate very suitable for growing the starchy tuber.  Gnocchi is also very popular in the city of Verona due to its prominent role in the Veronese Carnival. Gnocchi are simple to make and delicious to eat! A basic recipe consists of potatoes, flour, salt, and a few eggs. It makes a great side dish tossed in your favorite Italian pasta sauce.

Pesto alla Genovese

Another food (or rather, sauce) to try during your next visit to Italy is an authentic pesto alla Genovese. Pesto has become super popular on menus over the years. But did you know that this basil-infused savory paste is centuries-old and originated in the city of Genoa? Yep, and when visiting Genoa and the coastal region of Liguria it is a must-try. Seven simple ingredients make up a classic pesto.  Fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil, salt, and pepper. All the ingredients are transformed into a flavorful paste that pairs well with steak, soup, and, naturally, pasta! It also makes an excellent side sauce for certain types of charcuterie boards.

Who doesn’t love a good pizza? Pizza may be popular worldwide, but the cheesy flatbread version we eat today calls Naples, Italy, its birthplace. Traditional pizzas from Naples have a hand-stretched, thin center, yet fluffy crust cooked in a wood-fired oven. Margherita pizza was the first pizza ever made and has become well-known throughout the world. This classic consists of a sauce made from local vine ripe tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala (buffalo milk mozzarella), torn basil leaves, and a drizzle of olive oil. This is the must-try pizza when in Naples. Of course, the more adventurous can add assorted toppings such as artichoke hearts, mushrooms, spicy salami, prosciutto, and arugula.  Let your pizza feast begin! 

Risotto alla Milanese

This is a traditional rice dish from Milan, Italy. Rumor has it; it originated in the 1500s when a glassmaker made a rice dish colored with saffron as a joke. But in reality, there was no historical record of this dish prior to the 1800s. The first recipe to resemble it appeared in 1809, and it wasn’t until 1929 that the Milanese chef Felice Luraschi gave it its name. 

Risotto is made by sauteing onion in butter for a few minutes to start the process then the rice is added to lightly toast it. White wine is next and left to cook until it evaporates completely. Beef stock is then added in several steps. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is lastly added to finish this succulent dish.  Classicly risotto is served with braised veal making for a hearty meal fit for a king!

• Most famous Italian recipes from North to South
• Food and Flavours

Travel with us to discover the most famous Italian recipes , in an itinerary from North to South among the gastronomic traditions of our country.

What are the most famous Italian recipes ? Which dishes and products are worthy of describing and representing our country in the world? It’s not easy to give a clear and unequivocal answer to these questions.

In fact Italy is a receptacle of a lot of extraordinary culinary traditions . Every region, or perhaps even every province, has typical and peculiar recipes. In Italy food is culture , and it symbolizes the very identity of each territory. 

The most famous Italian recipes by region

Image by Moira Nazzari via Pixabay

Our journey to discover the most famous recipes in Italy will be linked to regional traditions . We are going to start from the gastronomic customs of Northern Italy, passing through the typical products of Central Italy to conclude with the most renowned flavors of the South and the Islands.

During our itinerary we’ll explore the cultural curiosities and the specific characteristics of the products of each territory.

As the great French gastronome Brillat-Savarin, who lived between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, said: " Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are ". Nothing could be more true. So let’s set out to discover the regions of our Country through the story of their main culinary traditions.

Travel from North to South among the most famous Italian recipes: Aosta Valley

Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da Valle d'Aosta (@valledaosta)

In the wild and magnificent alpine landscape that characterizes the Aosta Valley, cheeses are probably the most valuable regional product, in particular the extraordinary Fontina Valdostana DOP , which is used to prepare the Fonduta Valdostana and the Cotoletta alla Valdostana .

We don’t know exactly where the Fondue recipe originated. A legend associated it with a Swiss monk of the 13th century : since in his monastery, during Lent, the consumption of cheese was forbidden, to circumvent this rule he decided to heat the cheese and make it liquid, so as to turn it into a soup, which was allowed. 

The Fonduta Valdostana , however, is slightly different from the Swiss Fondue: on one side because Fontina Valdostana is used, on the other because there’s a different procedure by which  cheese is left to rest in milk .

And Fontina is also the peculiar element of Cotoletta alla Valdostana , which thanks to the mix of cheese and cooked ham becomes a tasty recipe with typical mountain flavors.

Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da Francesca Lugano (@francesca.lugano.5)

Bollito Misto is a typical dish of Piedmont and one of the most famous Italian recipes. It dates back to the late fifteenth century, but it was at the end of the 19th century that it became a must on the Royal tables , brought to the attention of the chronicle by characters such as Cavour and Vittorio Emanuele II .

The traditional recipe includes 7 tougher cuts of beef and veal and 7 bagnetti (sauces). Today, however, it is "limited" to five cuts of meat and three sauces : green, red, al cren. According to tradition and for its history linked to convivial banquets, Bollito Misto should be served for no less than 12 people !

The sauces of Bollito, or Bagnet , are another of the classic Piedmontese recipes: Bagnetto Verde (green sauce), in particular, is a very tasty recipe that is traditionally used to accompany meat and fish dishes.

Among the most famous recipes of Piedmont we cannot fail to mention Bagna Cauda , that literally means hot sauce, prepared with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (once produced locally in Lower Piedmont), garlic and anchovies; Vitello Tonnato , a cold second dish that is as simple as delicious; and Agnolotti del Plin , a traditional pasta from the Langhe and Monferrato areas that is characterized by a filling in which the roast meat is used. Plin means pinch, and indicates the typical way to close the raviolo around its filling. 

Image by RitaE via Pixabay

Trofie are a type of traditional pasta of Liguria, in particular of the area between Camogli, Recco, Avegno and Sori, which according to tradition dates back to the period of the Crusades. Once prepared by hand by Ligurian women, the trofie have historically an irregular shape , because the newly home-made pasta was at first curled over a kind of wooden knitting iron, and then pressed with the palm of the hand.

The second essential product is obviously Pesto , a sauce that is obtained by crushing raw basil, pine nuts and garlic and that is one of the most famous Italian recipes in the world .

The Trofie al Pesto are in fact one of the Ligurian dishes to try absolutely when we visit this region.

Another famous Ligurian recipe is focaccia. Ligurian Focaccia is a very famous product in Italy, but not so common abroad. It’s different from the traditional focaccia because it’s greasier and tastier, since there’s oil or lard in the dough. It’s a recipe of very ancient origin : it dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was even served in church during weddings and funerals (it was then banned for the too much noise that the faithful made while they ate!).

Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da Emanuele - Wine & Food Time (@winefoodtime)

Bergamo and Brescia , in Lombardy, are united as Italian Capitals of Culture 2023 , but historically they’re also rival cities, and that is true also as regard cuisine. Casoncelli are in fact a famous egg pasta typical of both cities. 

While the Bergamo recipe includes a thicker dough , a filling rich in veal and cheese, and a seasoning with butter, Grana Padano, sage and bacon, Casoncelli Bresciani have a more delicate filling (breadcrumbs, butter and Grana Padano) highlighted by a thinner paste and a topping without the use of bacon.

Among the valleys of Bergamo and Valtellina we find another recipe that we can count among the most famous in Lombardy: Polenta Taragna , which prepared with a mix of corn flour and buckwheat flour, butter and cheese. 

We stay in Valtellina for another traditional and tasty dish, Pizzoccheri . It is a pasta similar to tagliatelle, prepared with buckwheat flour (a representative product of this territory, in particular the town of Teglio) and seasoned with pieces of potatoes, savoy cabbage, cheese, garlic and pestèda, an aromatic seasoning used in the province of Sondrio.

Let us now move to the Lombard plain and to the big city. Milan is considered the world capital of fashion, but also in gastronomic terms it offers some recipes of great tradition, including Risotto alla Milanese and Ossobuco ( òss bus , in local dialect).

The first, also called risotto giallo (yellow risotto) because of the color given by the use of saffron , appears to date back to the 16th century: looks like it was created by a painter who wanted to "tint" the dish to impress his guests.

Ossobuco is a real icon of Milan. It’s a particularly tender cut of veal . It is served as a single dish or combined with saffron risotto, thus creating a recipe that combines the two culinary symbols of the city.

Trentino-Alto Adige

Image by klinik via Pixabay

In the chapel of the picturesque Hoccheppan Castle , not far from Bolzano , we can admire some extraordinary Romanesque frescoes of the 13th century. One of them depicts the “ mangiatrice di canederli ” (canederli/dumpling eater). 

Apart from its undoubted artistic beauty, this work makes us understand the great tradition of a recipe that, originally born in Bavaria, Germany, has become the undisputed emblem of Trentino gastronomy .

Canederli are large dumplings , prepared with a mixture of old bread and seasoned in different ways according to the distinct areas of the region. Compared to Tyrolean dumplings, those of Trentino include the addition of smoked luganega .

Strangolapreti is another very famous recipe of Trentino, not to be confused with the Strozzapreti, which are instead typical of Emilia-Romagna. It is a kind of gnocchi with a dough made with bread, eggs, spinach and grana, then topped with melted butter and sage.

Where did the name “strangolapreti" come from ? It is said that in the '700 a priest appreciated this dish so much that he continued to eat it continuously. Until, in fact, he practically choked, and was saved by a hostess who hit him with a punch so strong that he immediately spit out the bite!

Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da Viviana Dal Pozzo (@cosatipreparopercena)

Stockfish , that is dried cod, is one of the fundamental ingredients for the recipe of Baccalà alla Vicentina . Cod is a product from Northern-European extraction: why, then, is it part of the Venetian tradition since the 15th century?

Apparently it was the navigator Pietro Querini, while he was in Norway in the Lofoten Islands, who saw stockfish hanging to dry. Once "transferred" the recipe back home, it became commonly used to circumvent the religious ban on eating meat on Fridays , without being forced to buy fresh fish, which was too expensive.

Among the most famous recipes of Veneto, there is one that is even older, dating back to Roman times. Fegato alla Veneziana is a dish made with pork or veal liver and the white onion of Chioggia , which serves to give sweetness to dampen the strong taste of the liver. This creates a combination of typical regional flavors, to be enjoyed with a side of white polenta.

Let’s remain in the beautiful Venice to mention the recipe of Risi e Bisi , a traditional soup of rice and peas typical of spring (the season when we can find fresh peas), which usually was offered to to the Doges during the Feast of Saint Mark, the Patron Saint of the city.

We conclude our gastronomic tour of the Serenissima with the Sarde in Saor , fried sardines seasoned with vinegar, onions, raisins and pine nuts. This is another recipe that has its roots in the history of Venice, being born in the 14th century as a poor dish that Venetian sailors exploited during long sea voyages (because the use of vinegar and onions preserved fish longer). 

Over the centuries this preparation has become more and more elaborate, so that Sarde in Saor have also landed on the tables of the wealthiest classes , and today they are one of the most famous recipes of Northern Italy.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Image by pastel100 via Pixabay

The typical products of Friuli-Venezia Giulia are grappa , San Daniele ham and cheeses , among which Montasio stands out. The latter is the main ingredient of Frico , one of the most famous regional recipe. Frico is prepared soft or crunchy: in the first case, using butter and potatoes, it basically becomes a kind of omelette. If we only use Montasio, we will be able to taste its crumbly variant. 

Another traditional element of Friuli is Muset , a sausage similar to cotechino. Brovada and Muset is a Christmas recipe that combines pork with the classic white turnips of the region.

Among the typical first courses, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia we find Blecs , a type of thin pasta prepared with wheat, corn and buckwheat, very similar to maltagliati .

And among the desserts ? We absolutely cannot fail to mention Tiramisu , a real Italian institution famous all over the world. 

Tiramisu is a dessert made with coffee, biscuits and mascarpone cream, and its origin is the subject of great debate: is it an original recipe from Friuli or from Veneto?

In 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry ruled that Tiramisu originated in Friuli-Venezia Giulia , where the dessert was born in two different versions, in the form of a slice in the province of Udine and as a semifreddo cup in the province of Gorizia.

Emilia-Romagna

Image by Hans via Pixabay

In Emilia-Romagna we can find some of the most famous Italian recipes. Traveling within the region from the Northwest to the Southeast, we can find a series of tasty products and dishes, from Gnocco Fritto , passing to Tortellini and Lasagne alla Bolognese , until the Romagna Riviera with the classic flavors of its Piadine .

Gnocco Fritto dates back to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, probably brought to these areas by the arrival of the Germanic populations. In the cuisine of the Longobards , lard (which is the main ingredient of Gnocco Fritto) was obtained from the fatty tissue of pigs. In this way a tastier bread was obtained, which is the peculiar characteristic of this recipe even today, when it is seasoned with the outstanding salami of the region, such as Culatello , Prosciutto di Parma , Salame Piacentino and so on.

If Gnocco Fritto can be an extraordinary appetizer, Emilia is also home to some of the most famous pasta dishes in Italy, for example Tortellini . 

Tortellini is a round egg pasta roll with a variable filling (raw ham, mortadella, pork, and much more). 

It is a recipe that has an origin cloaked in legend : it seems to have been born at the Corona inn, in Castelfranco Emilia, when the owner peered through the keyhole of a room where a noblewoman was staying. That vision inspired him so much that he immediately went down to the kitchen and began to knead, creating a pasta with the shape of navel. 

Another tradition claims that one evening Venus, Bacchus and Mars arrived at the Corona inn. The next morning Venus woke up, calling her companions, but finding that they had already left, leaving her alone. Hearing the calls, it was instead the owner who entered the room: he saw Venus and was dazzled by her beauty, which was once again the inspiration to give life to the first Tortellini.

Among other traditional recipes we can mention Lasagne alla Bolognese , with their layers of puff pastry stuffed with béchamel sauce and meat sauce, and seasoned with a sprinkling of tasty Parmigiano Reggiano . It is a dish to eat with the family, and it transmits all the joy and conviviality typical of the Emilian people. It’s recipe that has become a pillar of Italian cuisine, and in fact its regional variations are countless (for example the Lasagne di Carnevale in Naples).

Finally we arrive on the Adriatic Sea , where we have to try the flavors of Piadina Romagnola , commonly called Piada . It’s a street food of popular origin that, however, can also become gourmet, depending on how it is filled. The origin is uncertain, perhaps even dating back to the Etruscan period, for a food to be savored avidly over and over again in kiosks, on the beach or while walking at sunset on the seafront.

Image by smilingpixell via Pixabay

Tuscany is a fantastic region, from the shores along the Tyrrhenian coast to the enchanted landscapes of the hills and the historic villages. In a territory as varied as spectacular, even the gastronomic component can not be outdone, thanks to its excellent raw materials.

Here we can find recipes known all over the world , such as Bistecca alla Fiorentina , Pappa al Pomodoro , Tagliatelle al Cinghiale and Cacciucco .

The Bistecca alla Fiorentina dates back to Etruscan times, although the name steak is much more recent and comes from English language (beef steak). In fact, during the reign of the Medici or perhaps in the 19th century, several English Knights, who often stayed in the wonderful city of Florence, began to call in this way the fillets of Chianina meat that were tasted in the summer, during the Feast of San Lorenzo on August 10. 

This recipe also goes perfectly with typical Tuscan red wines , such as Chianti , which are another characteristic product of the region.

Pappa al Pomodoro is another of the culinary symbols of Tuscany. It’s a simple recipe with peasant origin , composed of few ingredients (stale bread without salt, as it is used in Tuscany, and tomato pulp, basil, oil, salt and pepper), but still extremely tasty.

Tagliatelle al ragù di Cinghiale are typical of the Tuscan hinterland, especially the Maremma area. The secret of this recipe lies in the long cooking of the meat, which must be soft and give an intense flavor to the pasta.

Finally, let’s travel to the beautiful Livorno to enjoy the real Cacciucco Livornese . It is a recipe that comes from the coasts of Western Turkey, introduced in Livorno in the 17th century with the only replacement of an ingredient: tomato, which was only recently imported from the Americas, instead of capers. The name is a consequence of the Turkish terminology Küçük Balik , which means small fish, to indicate one of the most famous sea soups in Italy and beyond.

Visualizza questo post su Instagram Un post condiviso da Will Pierson (@chefprah)

A place in which nature and art, culture and landscapes coexist in a complementary way: this is Umbria , a region sometimes neglected from a gastronomic point of view, but that is still able to offer some recipes well known for their outstanding flavors .

One of these recipes is undoubtedly Pasta alla Norcina , a typical dish of the city of Norcia . The term norcino , however, indicates a real profession, that is the specialist of processing and seasoning of meat , in particular the pork, which is typical of these areas. The main ingredients of Pasta alla Norcina are in fact the sausage of Norcia , the fresh ricotta of sheep and, for those who appreciate stronger flavors, a sprinkling of fine black truffle , also characteristic of the region.

In Umbria we can find other important recipes, like Strangozzi . Strangozzi are a kind of fettuccine prepared with a dough without eggs, made with flour 00, flour semolina, oil and water, to be seasoned very simply with tomato sauce and chopped parsley. 

Instead, in the historic and beautiful city of Assisi , Spoleto and other areas of the region, we can taste a particular dessert, the Rocciata . Round in shape and with a thin dough, it is a cake topped with dried fruit, apples and nuts, while a brush of Alchermes liqueur (which however is of Tuscan origin) gives it a distinctive reddish color.

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Home to artists, castles and beaches, as well as rich in natural and cultural attractions, Marche region offers traditional and heterogeneous recipes.

One of these, perhaps the most typical of the inland, is Fritto all'Ascolana , declined in the famous dish of Olive all'Ascolana , one of the most famous Italian street food. Basically they are balls fried in batter with a filling of green Ascolan olives in brine stuffed with a mixture of beef and pork of the territory, very tender and tasty.

In this way we can savor a crunchy food, a recipe whose origin dates back to the 19th century, although the filling of olives was in use since 1600 and olive cultivation in this area was even present at the time of Greeks and Phoenicians.

If we move from the inland of the Marche to the shores of the Adriatic Sea, in particular to Ancona , we must necessarily mention another famous regional recipe, named Stoccafisso all'Anconitana .  

As we have seen talking about Baccalà Vicentino, Stoccafisso (stockfish) has always been a very suitable product for sailors who had to make long sea travels, and in fact the city of Ancona has nothing to envy to anyone in terms of maritime traditions. 

The curiosity of the Anconitana version lies in the fact that there is no real fixed recipe , because traditionally it is a food to match what we can recover from the home garden , which differs depending on the various areas or seasons. We also remember that, speaking of Stoccafisso and Baccalà, we refer in both cases to Cod : what changes is simply the conservation technique.

Image by takedahrs via Pixabay

Some of the most famous Italian recipes originate in Lazio , the geographical, historical and cultural heart of Italy. Where should we start? Perhaps from Pasta alla Carbonara , an extraordinary dish known all over the world, absolutely not to be missed if you are in Rome . 

In fact, this recipe does not have certain roots, but it is surely quite recent. It is said that it was born during the presence of the Allies in 1944 , when the American army stationed in Central Italy had to eat with the few foods available, like eggs and bacon, classic ingredients of an English breakfast. This combination of flavors was also appreciated by the lumberjacks of the Apennines , who worked to obtain coal from wood. For them the ingredients available were eggs and guanciale, and these are also the pillars of the recipe that we know today. That’s why it is called Carbonara .

There is some debate about the seasoning of Pasta alla Carbonara : someone prefers bacon and parmesan instead of guanciale and pecorino , but the truth is that the latters are the correct ingredients of the official dish. Guanciale gives a sweeter taste, while pecorino was produced by the same lumberjacks and was easy to store. The variant with parmesan is however appreciated by those who prefer a less salty seasoning, while the one with bacon from those who want a less fat recipe (bacon is also cheaper).

Another typical regional dish is pasta Cacio e Pepe . It is a product of humble origins, a poor dish that comes from the pastoral tradition, and in fact it is made by dressing pasta with pecorino cheese and pepper, the same ingredients that roman shepherds always carried with them. Cacio e Pepe is also the base of another famous recipe, named Gricia , which simply adds guanciale to pepper and pecorino cheese.

Another dish of the peasant cuisine of Lazio is Gnocchi alla Romana : these kind of gnocchi are large dumplings shaped like discs, prepared with a mixture of semolina, eggs, milk, butter and parmesan (no flour, no potatoes). Baking in the oven makes them crisper and particularly tasty.

Finally, we move to the province of Rieti , in the beautiful Amatrice , to discover one of the most famous sauces in Italy, named  Amatriciana . Guanciale sauté shaded with white wine, tomato, pecorino cheese, chili, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper: these are the ingredients of a classic sauce, tasty and capable of transmitting the color and warmth of the people of Lazio. Again, it is a recipe born for popular tables, now become a true symbol of Lazio and of our entire Country .

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Among the most famous Italian street food recipes, Arrosticini Abruzzesi occupy a place of honor. Composed by skewers of ciavarra ( young sheep meat) or castrated mutton, this product was born according to legend in the first half of the 19th century, around the 1930s. 

Two shepherds from Abruzzo who lived in the area between L'Aquila and Pescara put pieces of old sheep meat on a wooden stick, trying to cook them on the grill to improve the quality of a meat that was not particularly valuable. The positive result led to trying the same process with higher quality cuts, and in the following century this recipe became not only a regional icon, but a model in whole Italy , particularly appreciated during barbecue in the summer months. 

Another typical dish of Abruzzo is Spaghetti alla Chitarra , a name that derives from the instrument used to prepare pasta. It is not a guitar in the musical sense, of course, but a tool used to cut the dough thanks to the presence of a series of metal strings. In this way spaghetti become more wrinkled and square in shape, and can absorb the sauce better. Spaghetti alla Chitarra should be served al dente .

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Molise is a region as small as rich in gastronomic flavors, which are strongly linked to the territory.

Cazzutill con la Ventricina, using dialectal terms, represent probably the most famous regional recipe, better known in Italian as Cavatelli con la Ventricina . Cavatelli are a type of pasta born in Molise, perhaps created by a local lady who made a mistake in preparing pasta for tagliatelle. She cut strips too wide, so she tried to remedy by cutting the pasta into small rectangles and, keeping them in contact with the table, rotating and pressing them with three fingers, giving them a shape that has become of traditional use. 

Ventricina is a type of pork typical of the region, which is seasoned with salt and red pepper and left to mature for several months.

Instead, in Termoli , on the Molise coast, we can savor the famous recipe of the Zuppa di Pesce (fish soup) alla Termolese , a poor dish born thanks to fishermen who reused the fish left unsold transforming it into a tasty soup .

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Campania is an extraordinary region, from the wonders of Naples , Sorrento , the Amalfi Coast and the two Gulfs , to the fabulous scenery of Cilento , the wild nature of Irpinia and the artistic beauty of Caserta and Benevento . And much, much more. In this context we also find an unparalleled gastronomic tradition , admired all over the world, which gives life to some of the most famous Italian recipes .

And what kind of food can we name first, if not the traditional Pizza Napoletana , exported and loved all over the world? In fact, if it’s true that already among the Egyptians it was customary to knead using flour, water and honey, it is due to the city of Naples , in the 16th century, the addition of tomato , a product of American import. 

Today, Pizza is an icon not only of the city of Naples and Campania, but is the main symbol of Italian gastronomy in the world . Among the typical Neapolitan variations there is also the Pizza Fritta (fried pizza), a recipe developed after World War II. 

On one hand, the lack of wood-burning ovens available due to the destruction caused by the conflict; on the other, the cost of the ingredients of the traditional recipe, made sure that women of the poorer classes developed a dough based on flour, oil, water, yeast and salt, which was cooked in hot oil and served as street food. From the classic recipe of Pizza Fritta derives also other variations such as Zeppola , Calzone or Montanara .

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is another traditional recipe from Campania admired and revived in Italy and abroad. Ingredients are basically the same as Pizza, but they are used to create a new and tasty dish, whose flavors convey all the magic of an afternoon spent in Sorrento, enjoying the scent of the sea and admiring the colors of the Gulf of Naples in the distance. 

Are there other typical dishes of the region worth mentioning? Actually there would be an infinity : Spaghetti con colatura di Alici di Cetara , along the Amalfi Coast; Paccheri allo Scoglio with Gragnano pasta , which are a delicious union between the classic pasta of Campania and the simple and delicious flavors of fish; or even the Casatiello of Naples, a typical Easter recipe with four centuries of history behind. And surely, for reasons of space, we have to leave out many other famous and extraordinary dishes.

Finally, a separate chapter on desserts is a must , with Pastiera and Baba  among the best known (and appetizing) ever. About Pastiera Napoletana , a legend wants that one day Maria Theresa of Habsburg , sovereign known for her particularly austere character, tasted a slice of this dessert. As she savored it, her face suddenly lit up and her normally severe appearance changed into an expression of happiness, to the point that her husband, Ferdinand II of Bourbon , ordered the cook to prepare Pastiera much more often!

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Apulia  is a beautiful and diverse region, place of origin of various recipes among the most known and appreciated in Italy.

Orecchiette is a characteristic product of this land, with mysterious roots that are lost in past centuries, perhaps with local origins or, some people says, brought in the 13th century by the Counts of Anjou , who at that time ruled in Puglia. 

The name Orecchiette indicates the shape of the pasta , which in fact resembles small ears, and the classic Apulian recipe requires a seasoning with turnip greens or with a red sauce. In any case, it has to be a really tasty sauce, because this type of pasta is able to collect and enhance the seasonings to perfection.

Fave Bianche e Cicorie is another famous traditional recipe from Puglia, brought to these areas by ancient Greeks , which takes advantage of the cultivation of legumes in the area to create an iconic dish, simple, pure and genuine.

If we move along the coast we can enjoy recipes related to seafood products , such as the tasty Cavatelli con le Cozze (mussles) or Ciambotto , a fish soup from Puglia realized by using small fishes.

Finally, how not to mention the famous Bombette , so called because of the explosion of flavors generated by every single bite. It is a roll of pork capocollo of small size, with a filling prepared with cheese, salt and pepper. A food that contains all the flavors and different souls of a region with such ancient traditions.

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The traditional cuisine of Basilicata is simple but healthy and tasty. In this region where wild and extraordinary nature reigns, the basic ingredient is the simplest one can think of, that is bread . Lucano bread is a product well known throughout Italy, and we can taste it through several typical dishes such as Strazzata or Pane Cotto .

Strazzata is a doughnut-shaped focaccia rich in pepper, which can be filled with the tastiest regional products, such as Caciocavallo or Ricotta , as for cheeses, but also salami or Ciambotta , which is a stew of peppers, eggplant and zucchini.

Pane Cotto is instead a sort of soup seasoned with bread, eggs, vegetables and pepper. The use of stale bread is preferred, in particular Pane di Matera IGP : this type of bread has the shape of a croissant and a processing of ancient origins, which took place in the Sassi Materani and has always been based on the excellence of Lucan wheat.

Another simple but at the same time very appetizing recipe is Rafanata : it is a traditional high omelette made of horseradish, eggs and pecorino cheese, with an additional optional seasoning of sausage, potatoes and bread crumbs. It is cooked on the grill in a uniform way to enhance all the flavors.

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History, nature, culture and an unparalleled artistic heritage. Calabria offers all this and much more, as well as a fabulous gastronomic tradition.

From spicy and tasty sausages such as 'nduja and soppressata , to vegetable excellences such as Cipolla Rossa (red onion) di Tropea , this region provides sublime quality products that enrich the most famous recipes of the culinary tradition of this territory.

Pasta alla 'Nduja is a real delight for lovers of spicy food , especially if topped with a sprinkling of pecorino. Soppressata is also ideal as a sauce for pasta , although one of the most suitable ways to enjoy this product is simply combining it with fresh bread.

Cipolla di Tropea is used in pasta dishes, but we can find it even in a particularly popular traditional recipe called Licurdia Calabrese . It is a soup in which, together with the onion, we can find bread croutons and cheese, precisely the typical and delicious Caciocavallo silano .

Finally, we must mention the classic Calabrian Lagane , a kind of pasta similar to tagliatelle, but a bit larger. Lagane are combined with chickpeas , boiled with bay leaves and sautéed in a pan with lard, garlic and oil. Thus was born the famous traditional recipe Lagane and Ciciari .

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Sicily is a world in itself, a universe rich in traditions , history, landscapes that seem to reach us from another time. Art, monuments and nature are also reflected in the typical cuisine of a fairytale territory, a gastronomy that reflects the many cultures that have taken place within a truly magical and unforgettable region.

Where to start, then? Perhaps from street food, with one of the most famous Italian recipes: Arancini . Wait… is the name correct, or should it be “ ArancinE ”?

The answer depends on where we ask the question . In Catania they use the masculine term, in Palermo the feminine one. This help us to understand how Sicilian recipes are really multi-faceted and sometimes different depending on where we are throughout the island. 

Anyway, Arancino (or ArancinA) probably originated during the Arab domination . So we are talking about a product that has been present in this territory for over a thousand years ! This simple and tasty food, made with saffron rice and various condiments (traditionally meat ragu), may have different denominations, but across Sicily it is typically eaten on the contrary, that is, upside down.

Let’s move on to another famous recipe of the Sicilian tradition, Pasta alla Norma . The name is a dedication to the work of the composer Vincenzo Bellini , and according to tradition it was the colleague and admirer Nino Martoglio to compliment this dish, calling it " a true Norma ". It is a pasta seasoned with tomato sauce, fried eggplants (cut into cubes or slices), salted ricotta, basil and plenty of garlic to enhance all the flavors.

Also Caponata , a typical Sicilian side dish, uses as main ingredient fried eggplants , which are perfectly complementary to peppers, olives, capers, celery and tomatoes, for a tasty result with a traditional bittersweet taste. 

Finally, after having tasted all these wonderful dishes, we must try to keep a little space for desserts : Cannolo Siciliano and Cassata are two excellences appreciated in Italy and all over the world. If Cassata is another food that comes from the Arab period, it is not easy to trace the origins of Cannolo . Looks like, according to tradition, that it was made the first time in a convent , by a nun who simply wanted to make a joke to her sisters! 

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Let’s conclude our itinerary to discover the most famous Italian recipes by taking a look at the fabulous landscapes and at the culinary culture of Sardinia .

Although it is often associated only with sea, resorts and holidays, Sardinia is a varied region with strong pastoral traditions . It is a land dominated by a wild and magnificent nature, with excellent gastronomic products , such as the renowned Pecorino Sardo , which result in ancient recipes, simple, strong and stunning tastes.

An example is Pane Carasau , which originates in Barbagia , a mountainous area in the heart of the Sardinian inland. It has a circular shape and its peculiarity is the thin and crunchy dough . It is a poor but very flavorful product, especially the variant called Pane Guttiau , that includes a seasoning with oil and salt.

Pane Carasau is also the basis for preparing Pane Frattau , a kind of lasagna whose sheets are wet with a lamb broth or, for a lighter flavor, vegetables.

In addition to bread and the resulting dishes, another typical recipe of Sardinia and famous throughout Italy is Porceddu , which is a Sardinian suckling pig cooked on a spit. It is a dish with a centuries-old tradition , in which the pig must be cleaned to perfection both inside and outside, before being stuffed into a skewer and cooked indirectly. In indirect cooking, the meat should be exposed to heat very carefully and not too closely. The cooking is very slow , and must be able to make the skin crispy keeping the inner meat soft and tender , thus creating a really delicious mix of textures and flavors.

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Travel Home > Traditional Italian Food Recipes From Italy

Traditional Italian Food Recipes From Italy

• Blog , Food & Wine

I don’t know about you but I’ve been busy trying new recipes and especially traditional Italian food during quarantine. It seems to be a common activity when stuck in the house. You’ve got to eat no matter what! Why not try out something new to add to your mental cooking library!

Here are some of the Italian recipes we’ve collected from our guides around Italy.  Most of the recipes were written by them, or taken from their nonnas! You couldn’t get any more traditional than that. We have gathered Italian dishes from Rome, Florence, and Venice to make a 4-course Italian dinner!

To start off with let us introduce you to the Spritz! A great welcome drink when your guests walk in the door-the Spritz is used around Italy to kick off a nice evening with friends

Giorgia’s Venetian Spritz recipe

“Alessandro style as he calls it: Spriss” A classic Spritz recipe straight from our Venice guide – Giorgia’s mixologist brother. Giorgia is one of our fabulous guides who runs our Venice walking tours .

My brother Alessandro is a professional barman and mixology teacher. He has been working in multiple Venetian hotels (Danieli, Gritti, Kempinsky San Clemente…) as well as in many bars/discos in the Veneto region.

When ordered to prepare a Venetian Spritz he would refer to the standard recipe registered by the IBA (International Barmen Association) with just a slight variation. Here it is (the quantity is for 1 Spritz):

INGREDIENTS:

• 4cl (1 ¼ Oz) Aperol
• 6cl (2 Oz) Prosecco wine
• Soda (i.e. very sparkling water)
• 1 Orange wedge
• 1 Lemon peel

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fill up a low tumbler glass with ice cubes. If unavailable, a wine glass filled to ¾ of its capacity is fine too.

Alessandro’s comments : many think that filling up a glass with ice cubes is a way for barmen to fraud clients by serving them a cocktail that will eventually be “watered”. This is of course not true…quite the opposite actually! The more ice cubes you have in the glass, the colder the drink will be and therefore the longer for the ice to melt. Filling up the glass with ice, therefore, ensures that the cocktail can be drunk “pure”. Few ice cubes won’t prevent the drink from “warming-up” for long and when this happens the cubes will melt as well, making the cocktail…watered!

Pour first the Aperol, then the Prosecco directly into the glass. Top-off with soda. Add the orange wedge.

Alessandro’s variation : in order to reduce the sweet back taste of the Aperol, use the essential oils contained in the lemon peel to “freshen-up” the cocktail Instructions below:

Cut a tiny slice of lemon peel leaving out the white part. Squeeze the lemon peel directly over the cocktail by twisting it with the yellow face down. Rub it on the brim of the glass as well.

Enjoy your Venetian Spritz!

Note : Contrary to many bacaros’ custom, no green olive should go into the Venetian Spritz. Its salty taste has in fact nothing to do with that of the other ingredients.

Note : Besides Aperol Spritz, in Venice, this cocktail is also prepared with Campari Bitter, Select, or Cynar. Said variations are however not recognized by the IBA. The quantities remain the same though.

Make sure to go on a tour with Giorgia when you’re in Venice and let her point out the best bars and restaurants for you to enjoy! Book our Skip-The-Line Venice Tour for your next trip to Italy.

After a nice spritz, you can opt for an appetizer or start on your first-course meal, which in Italy is called il primo . Here is one of our favorite Roman classics from Orlando!

Orlando’s Cacio e Pepe Recipe

Orlando runs our Rome markets and cooking classes . A Roman native and passionate foodie, you can find him in the kitchen cooking up savory Italian pasta dishes!

Together with the pasta carbonara, the pasta Cacio e Pepe is one of the most traditional Italian food you can find in Rome and only in Rome. It ’ s so traditional that most tourists don ’ t even know what it is and sometimes they get fooled and get something that it ’ s not even comparable to a proper pasta cacio e pepe like our Grandmas use to make. Let me show you the real recipe, the one Romans prepare at home.

Cacio e Pepe literally means “ pecorino cheese and black pepper ” and there ’ s nothing more delicious than these 2 ingredients to make a simple and yet lovely pasta. Th e cooking method and following the real recipe will allow you to prepare a perfect pasta cacio e pepe but one condition: don ’ t mess with the recipe and don ’ t add any variation to this dish otherwise you will end up with something totally different and not even close to a proper plate of this pasta.

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE

400 grams (14 ounces) of spaghetti o tagliolini

200 grams (7 ounces) of grated pecorino romano cheese

100 grams (3.5 oucens) of grated parmigiano reggiano ( my variant )

10 grams (0,35 ounces) ground black pepper

two scoops of the cooking water

INSTRUCTIONS  

Cook the spaghetti in salted water and in the meantime pour into a bowl the pecorino romano and parmigiano reggiano ( this last one is not in the original recipe, but I prefer it because it gives a more pleasant and less strong flavor ); adding two scoops of cooking water and create a cream with a fork

Remove your pasta from the pan at least 2 minutes before the end of cooking (to get it al dente), being careful to set aside at least 6 tablespoons of the cooking water.

Pour the spaghetti into the c ooking pan where olive oil and pepper had previously been with the cheese mixture .

Stir and serve soon the spaghetti will get cold and the cheese will start becoming sticky.

GENERAL ADVICE ON HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT CACIO E PEPE PASTA ROMAN STYLE

You can also mix pecorino and black pepper in a large pan and then strain the spaghetti in there as well BUT always remember not to cook the pasta with the cheese and black pepper.

You can avoid pouring olive oil into the salted water if you ’ re using a very good pasta that won ’ t need any help to be perfect.

Do not make the cheesy peppery cream and then add it to the pasta because the final result will not be like the one we use to make.

All the ingredients have to be carefully mixed together within the pasta to make them stick to it and form the cream.

The older the cheese the higher temperature needed to dissolve it because it contains less water so you always have to calibrate the quantity of the cooking water of the pasta to be mixed to create a perfect cream.

Come and make Cacio e Pepe with Orlando in Rome on your next trip to Italy! Book his cooking class called Cook as the Romans Do .

Next up, you’ll want to make a nice second course for your guests. Meat or fish dishes in Italy are called il secondo.

Typically in Italy when you eat eggs and cheese you wouldn’t want to follow that with fish. Italians are very particular about mixing certain foods. Fish and meat don’t mix, fish and cheese, and red wine with fish…so to follow our heavy pasta dish we’d like to share a light meat dish. Orlando has another great recipe below.

Orlando’s Saltimbocca Recipe

8 veal cutlets (scallopini)

16 – 24 slices p rosciutto, thinly sliced

16 large, fresh sage leaves

½ cup flour (to coat the veal cutlets)

4 Tbsp. olive oil

8 Tbsp. unsalted butter

½ cup dry white wine such as an Italian ‘Pinot Grigio’ (marsala can be substituted)

Freshly cracked black pepper

No salt is used because the salty prosciutto gives the salt needed.

Place the veal cutlets between two sheets of oven paper.  Using a meat mallet, pound the veal cutlets until each piece is about 1 cm thick.  Sprinkle each cutlet with some freshly-cracked pepper; salt is not necessary because of the salt that will come from the prosciutto.

Place a sage leave or two on top of the prosciutto.  Lay 2 – 3 thin slices of prosciutto on top of each veal cutlet and place a toothpick between all 3 layers to secure.  With flour on a large plate, dredge each veal cutlet in the flour, shake off any excess, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add half the veal cutlets and cook, prosciutto side facing down, turning over once until the prosciutto is crisp for 2 – 3 minutes.  Turn the veal cutlets over and cook until lightly golden brown, about 2 – 3 more minutes on a low-medium heat.

Place the cooked veal bundles on a warmed plate and cover with foil to keep warm.  Remove and discard the toothpicks.  Pour the butter and olive oil out of the skillet and save it . . . don’t throw it away.

After all veal bundles are cooked, increase the heat to high and add the wine or marsala to the skillet.  Deglaze the pan and scrape up the browned bits with the wine or marsala.  Return all of the butter and olive oil back into the skillet to cook a sauce.  Cook the sauce until reduced by a third, for about 2 minutes.

Return the veal bundles to the skillet, cook for 2 more minutes, with an occasional flip, until the sauce thickens slightly.

Serve the veal with the sauce poured over the cutlets immediately.  Serve two veal bundles per person.

Come and make this dish with Orlando in our Rome cooking class called Cook as the Romans Do !

On to dessert- il dolce . Overall desserts in Italy tend to be lighter and less sugary than what we are used to. They make light desserts to go with heavy meals, and heavier desserts to go with light meals.  Italians almost always enjoy a dessert when in good company, they don’t hold back! It has to be complementary to the flavors of the meal (you know Italians-they’re all particular about their food!) If you eat fish, you’ll often be presented with a lemon dessert to clean your palette. If you eat meat for dinner you might be presented with chocolate or custard instead.

Here is a very traditional custard recipe you’ll find all throughout Italy!

Eleonora’s Tuscan Crema Pasticcera Recipe

Eleonora is one of our tour guides who runs our private walking tours of Florence who said that crema pasticcera helped her get through quarantine!

There are a Few ingredients to amaze your friends and family: eggs, flour, and sugar, that’s what you need to make the perfect custard!

You can eat it as a dessert or use it to improve the taste of cakes, pies, or pudding. It’s Ideal to keep your morale up during rainy winter days or to end a perfect dinner when you are in good company!

500 ml of whole milk

40 gr of flour 00 (all-purpose flour)

4 eggs yolks

100 gr sugar

half lemon peel

Note: For a gluten-free version, you can use 40 gr of rice starch instead of flour, you can also substitute the milk for lactose-free milk.

Put the milk in a pot. If you like lemon put the half peel (just the yellow part) inside the milk and let it rest for 5-6 minutes. It will give you a wonderful taste at the end!

Put the pot with milk and lemon skin on the fire until it starts to boil. In the meantime get another pot and add the egg yolks, the flour, and the sugar and start to mix with a whisk until all the ingredients are perfectly blended together and you have a smooth cream.

When the milk is due to boil, put it in the pot where you have the eggs with sugar and flour. Use a little colander to strain it so that you can throw out the lemon peel.

Then mix together for a few minutes. After put everything on the fire, keep blending with a whisk until it becomes dense.

When it’s dense and it starts to boil again, take off from the fire and let it cool down.

Your custard is ready!!!!  Eat it like it is or add it to your tiramisu and you’ll be in heaven!!

A delicious suggestion: Put the cream on a cup with some chocolate chips on top: success is guaranteed!!! Your family will love you and your friends will ask for more!!!

Interested in creating your own custom food tour, or want to include some food experiences in your vacation to Italy? Get in touch with our team by filling in the form on our Custom Tours page and we’ll create a tailor-made itinerary for your group today!

We have more traditional Italian food recipes on our Facebook page ! Head to our Facebook page and click on “notes” to see more. Thanks for reading! Buon appetito.

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