Italian Food Tours & Traditions

The chance to indulge in my Italian food cravings was one of the motivators of our recent Italian road trip. I have such vivid memories of the richness, the colours, and the homeliness of Italian cooking. The Italians have some wonderful food traditions, and a deep reverence for food and family. The Italian format of meals is interesting too – antipasto, then pasta or risotto (primo piatto), then a meat dish (secondo), followed by vegetables or salad (contorno), and finally dessert. I learnt many years ago that you can’t escape the Italian dinner table without eating dessert! Here are some some of my favourite Italian dishes; where you can eat them; and where you can take Italian food tours to learn more – buon appetito!

Carbonara – Rome

Carbonara is one of the best pasta inventions ever created, in my humble opinion. This simple dish made with spaghetti, egg yolk, pepper, guanciale (cured pork cheeks), and pecorino cheese was created in Rome. Originally a cheap and easy coal miner’s meal, Carbonara gained popularity after World War II. You can try some traditional Roman Carbonara plus other treats such as white pizza on this gourmet food tour of Trastevere.

Risotto – Lombardy

Risotto originated in the Lombardy region of Italy – around Milan and up into the lakes to the north. The famous Risotto alla Milanese is probably the most notable, in my mind. Made with saffron, it is a delicate and refined dish that goes well with Saltimbocca. While in Milan, why not take a food tour, to discover the traditional and more modern Milanese cuisine?

Aperol – Padua

Aperol has become quite popular in recent years, particularly in its Spritz cocktail form (Aperol, sparkling wine & soda). Lighter, less bitter, and less alcoholic than Campari, Aperol was invented in Padua in 1919 by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri; but it is now produced by Campari. Padua is also famous for radicchio dishes and polenta, so food tours there often include market visits and cooking lessons.

Panzanella – Tuscany

Panzanella is basically a bread salad. Bread IN a salad you say? Well, it’s more delicious than it sounds. This pauper’s meal is a Tuscan summer favourite and really showcases the beautiful produce of the area. Made with fresh tomatoes, red onion, peppers, basil, olive oil, and stale bread revitalised with vinegar before combining – yum!

Testaroli – Tuscany / Liguria

I only learnt about Testaroli when I found a packet in an Italian supermarket. This thin crêpe-like dough has its origins in ancient Etruscan culture. The batter would be spread out on hot surface and cooked, and could then be eaten. Although you can also cut it up and boil (like pasta) and then mix with pesto and cheese. It is thought to be the very first form of pasta. Amusingly, despite it being a Tuscan invention, Testaroli is popular in Liguria, and you can try it on food tours of the Cinque Terre.

I’ll be honest, much of my favourite Italian food hails from the south – Naples and Sicily…

Naples

Coffee

Naples takes coffee to a whole new level. It is so good, in fact, that it has somewhat ruined all other coffee for me. Roasted for longer, and pushed to the point of intense depth and oiliness, Neapolitan coffee packs a beautiful punch. My favourite addition to their exquisite espresso, is the sweet crema they dollop on top if you ask for ‘Cremina di Caffè‘ or a ‘zuccherato‘ (pre-sweetened). Combine this with a mini Sfogliatelle pastry (see below) for a true breakfast of champions! Most food tours in Naples will mention or enlighten you on the coffee culture in the region.

Sfogliatelle

Oh, how have I lived so much of my life without discovering these little lobster-shell-shaped pastries? We were having our morning espresso at Exytus in Pozzuoli, when these mini ricotta and citrus pastries caught our eyes. Stuffed with orange ricotta and candied citrus, the delicate layers of buttery pastry are simply perfection. Try a Naples Street Food Tour for more delicious lite bites!

Neapolitan Pastiera

Neapolitan Pastiera is yet another ingenious use of ricotta cheese. The combination of orange flower water and tart ricotta make for a not-too-sweet dessert that is widely available in Naples. Some say Pastiera comes from Pagan traditions to celebrate spring and new life, but the modern Pastiera was invented by nuns in a convent in Naples. It was augmented by pastry chefs more recently with the addition of pastry creme into the mix (making it moist and creamy), and is most popular around Easter.

Real Neapolitan Pizza

You haven’t had pizza, until you’ve had Neapolitan pizza. It doesn’t look like much, I know, but the pizza sauce made from the San Marzano tomatoes tastes like nothing else. These tomatoes are grown in the volcanic soil around Mount Vesuvius, and sure do pack a flavour punch. The Margherita pizza was born here in Naples in the late 1700s, although was probably not always called ‘Margherita’. The Marinara (pictured) is also on the list of originals (and is my personal favourite) – this cheese-less pizza is just rich tomato sauce, basil leaves, garlic and oregano.

The Neapolitan pizza base is thin, chewy, yet it is somehow magically still crisp on the bottom but not doughy or burnt. The edges of the dough are puffy and light (and not the stodgy or cheese-filled gunk on offer at chain pizza restaurants in other countries). Go to Naples, and eat real pizza – just DO IT!

Limoncello – Amalfi Coast

The Amalfi Coast is home to a very special kind of lemon. The Amalfi Lemon is renowned for its use in desserts, cooking and of course, Limoncello. This syrupy lemon liqueur is probably one of the Amalfi Coast’s most famous exports. I would urge you to explore the Amalfi Coast at leisure – Sorrento, Positano, Ravello, and Capri. But if you don’t have a lot of time, why not take a day-trip tour from Rome!

Sicily

Schiacciata

Schiacciata literally means ‘squashed’. This flat stuffed pizza bread may be squashed, but by gosh it’s delicious. Traditionally a way to fill out a meal when you are running low on ingredients, it is a tasty way to fill up without breaking the bank. Using a baking tray, pizza dough, potatoes, cheese and leftover meat, Schiacciata may have had humble beginnings, but it is now served in antipasti all across southern Italy.

Italian Food Tours & Traditions

Italy is known for pizza and pasta, but I have tried to reveal a few lesser known Italian treats in this article. If you are visiting Italy, I would definitely recommend a food tour so you can learn more about the food traditions of this gastronomic nation. If you are visiting more than one area, you’ll see a great deal of diversity in the food on offer.

This is one of the many reasons why it is, and will always remain, one of my favourite ‘foodie‘ countries in the world. Bring your stretchy pants and take one of the many Italian food tours on offer – it may well expand your mind as well as your waistline!

Ready for a Cinque Terre adventure? Or how about a weekend on Lake Garda? Contact me for itinerary planning services!

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with an iPhoneX.