Taste of Italy: Italian Food You Must Try

We have seen a lot of people visiting an Italian restaurant in NYC who juggle between ordering pizza and pasta. It won’t be wrong to say that a lot of people don’t know italian cuisine is beyond these two dishes and there is actually a lot that needs to be explored and appreciated. As someone who has been exploring cuisines of different parts of the world and witnessing how the authenticity of the food changes when it enters the streets of America, we have decided to bring to your table a few authentic Italian foods that literally everyone needs to try at least once in their lifetime to know why Italian cuisine is considered one of the best.

Focaccia

Starting with their bread, we have focaccia as one of the easiest yet most delicious options. Focaccia bread is a very thick, flavorful flatbread that is usually topped with coarse salt and herbs. Sky’s the limit when it comes to experimenting with this bread. Different restaurants serve different varieties of focaccia but the most classic, authentic one is topped with coarse salt and rosemary.

Risotto

Made of rice and broth, risotto is one of the common rice dishes that is made in italy. It is not your regular rice, steamed or boiled and seasoned. risotto is very creamy in consistency and can be made from any broth, vegetable, fish, or meat. Again, just like focaccia, risotto can be customized in several ways. In fact, different regions of Italy have a different way of making risotto.

Lasagna

A variety of pasta, lasagna tastes nothing like other pastas and this is one of the reasons why we urge people to try it. Lasagna is basically layers of vegetable or ground meat stuffing and pasta sheets topped with cheese, baked in the oven. The pasta is a combination of creamy and solid textures that melt in your mouth with every bite. Unlike other pastas, in lasagna the sauce is usually thicker and it does not just coat the pasta but is more like a stuffing that can be eaten on its own as well.

Ravioli

Relating it to the Asian dumplings, ravioli is the type of pasta that is filled with stuffing and then served in a sauce or broth. Again, because of the different preparation and cooking technique, it has a very different texture than regular pasta but it is as good and creamy as you would want your pasta to be. Ravioli is a dish that can be related and compared to a food item of almost every cuisine and culture. From Europe to Asia, every region, country, and cuisine would have their own version of ravioli.

Arancini

Arancini or arancini balls are one of the most popular staple foods of Sicilian cuisine. Made with rice, arancini balls are stuffed with cheese and ragu, which is a meat based sauce. These balls are then coated with bread crumbs and deep fried. Arancini tastes absolutely delicious as it is but serving it with carbonara, marinara or red sauce, also adds to the texture and flavor. It may not be the authentic way of having arancini balls but definitely an intriguing fusion that deserves to be mentioned and appreciated.

Panna Cotta

Italian cuisine is not limited to tiramisu when it comes to desserts. It may come as a shock to a lot of you but tiramisu is not the only italian dessert that has gained popularity. Panna cotta deserves equal, if not more appreciation. Panna cotta, in simple words, is set but not frozen sweetened cream that is served with fruits or caramel. The dish looks extremely simple but making it is as complicated. One can compare it to greek or frozen yogurt in terms of its presentation and texture but it is completely different and just fabulous in taste. Definitely a must must try!

All these dishes are extremely common Italian foods but it is unfortunate that the majority is not familiar with the authentic taste and texture of the dish. If you are into food, we highly urge you to try these food items at least once either from Italy or an authentic Italian restaurant in New York City.