This is a sponsored post from Eating Europe.
Italy may be the birthplace of pizza, pasta, and gelato, but Italian cuisine is far more than that. Much of this is thanks to how regional the country is. As Stanley Tucci explained in a CNN interview, “If you ask people in Italy, so you’re Italian? They’ll say, ‘No, I’m Florentine.’ Or ‘No, I’m Piedmontese.’ ‘I’m Sicilian.’”
The food of Italy is the same. Though many think of dishes such as lasagne or a margarita pizza as quintessentially Italian, both of those are, in fact, Neapolitan. Each part of Italy is blessed with its own climate, agricultural specialties, and history. These inform a range of traditional dishes that you won’t just struggle to find outside the country, but even outside of that region. That’s why it’s so worthwhile to get curious about the hidden gems of Italian cuisine that each different area has to offer.
Not sure where to start on your journey of exploration? Most people already know about the most popular foods in Italy – the classic meat and tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, and parmigiano reggiano. But we are going to take you on a journey to tempt the taste buds and find the authentic Italian cuisine you may not have heard of, using fresh ingredients local to each region.
We’ve broken it down by the different regions and cities that each dish comes from, and even have some quick tips on how to dine like a true Italian.
Table of Contents
Northern Italy
With the Alps on one side and the Ligurian coast on the other, northern Italy offers some of the most varied landscapes and food you could ever find.
Liguria
Home to the Cinque Terre, Liguria is one of the smallest and most densely populated regions of Italy. Although they are known for their fresh seafood dishes and the famous pesto genovese, it’s Liguria-style braised rabbit (coniglio alla Ligure) that we’d recommend trying. This stew pairs rabbit with olives, pine nuts, and dry white wine for a simple but wonderfully delicate flavour.
Piedmont
The cool mountain air of Piedmont has made it home to some of Italy’s cosiest dishes, one of which is bagna cauda. Created by farmers to be eaten during the winter and autumn harvests, this simple dipping sauce of anchovies, oil, garlic, and butter is usually served over a candle to keep it warm with a side of bread and raw vegetables.
Central Italy
The gorgeous farmlands and wild forests of central Italy have yielded some of the world’s best ingredients and its most delicious meals.
Tuscany
You’ve heard of cannoli but what about necci? This Tuscan classic somewhat resembles cannoli in presentation but instead of being a hard shell, it’s a soft chestnut flour pancake that is rolled and stuffed with a sweet ricotta filling. Chestnuts grow wild in these parts which is why they tend to feature so frequently in central Italian dishes.
Umbria
Wild boar is perhaps the most notable ingredient in Umbrian dishes, alongside truffles of course. It’s best enjoyed as a ragù in which the meat is slow cooked with lemon, herbs, a little vinegar, tomato, and green olives, and then served with pappardelle pasta. Since the wild boar of Umbria live on a diet of acorns, roots, and even truffles, the meat has an entirely unique flavor.
Lazio
Dominated by the presence of Rome, Lazio food tends to be a representation of the capital’s strongest traditions. One of those is “gnocchi Thursday”, intended to help Romans fill up on calories before the Friday fast from meat that the Catholic church used to call for. Gnocchi alla Romana doesn’t look quite like what foreigners expect though. Rather than potato dumplings, it’s made up of egg-enriched semolina discs that then get a delicious crunchy outer crust in the oven when cooked with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Southern Italy
Once known as the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, southern Italy still maintains much of its charm and traditions from centuries past through its delicious food.
Sicily
Polizzi-Generosa is a hidden gem all its own. This small mountain town in Sicily has all kinds of traditional culinary delights, but our favorite has to be sfoglio di Polizzi. You won’t see this cake on many menus outside of southern Italy but it’s nothing new. First created by Benedictine nuns in the 15th century, it features a short-crust pastry filled with cinnamon, chocolate, and Tuma (fresh sheep’s cheese). The cheese is a local specialty and is what makes this dessert so unforgettable.
Puglia
Sitting right on the Adriatic Sea, Puglia is home to some of the best Mediterranean food. If you’re looking for something unusual to try, order an octopus sandwich from a Puglian street vendor. The grilled octopus is usually served in a rosetta bun with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.
Hidden Gems In Major Cities
It’s not just the larger regions that have hidden delights. Every Italian city has its own gems to discover …
Rome
The Roman food tradition of “quinto quarto” or the “fifth quarter” has yielded an array of dishes that use offal in ways you won’t see in many other parts of Italy, let alone the world. One such dish is fried animelle. Eating a fried thymus gland from lambs or young cattle may not sound appealing, but breaded and fried, they’re too delicious to miss.
Florence
The Chianina cows are a huge point of pride for Florence so next time you’re in the city, skip the pasta and give a Fiorentina steak a try instead. They tend to have a dark, crusty exterior and melt-in-your-mouth rare interior as soon as they’re sliced.
Venice
Sarde in saor is said to have originated in the Middle Ages with Venetian sailors who had to survive long trips on the sea with preserved fish. Classified more as a snack than a meal, these deep-fried sardine fillets preserved with raisins, pine nuts, and vinegar make a delicious starter.
Milan
Next time you’re in Milan at mid-day, give the local lunchtime favorite, piadina, a taste. This light, flaky flatbread is folded over local meats and cheeses, almost like a quesadilla, and is best eaten warm while the cheese is still gooey.
Dining Tips And Etiquette In Italy
Regardless of where you travel to in Italy or the dishes you try, here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind so that you don’t just order like a local, you dine like one too.
- Unless cheese has been served alongside a dish, don’t ask for it. This is especially true of seafood meals.
- Don’t toast a meal with water or an empty glass. For the superstitious Italians, it’s a sign of ill luck.
- Don’t be embarrassed to mop up what’s left on your plate at the end of a meal with a slice of bread. This is called scarpetta and is traditionally seen as a great compliment to the cook.
- Leave a tip of 10-15%, as this has become a standard expectation from tourists.
- Don’t order a cappuccino in the afternoon, go for an espresso instead or a macchiato.
Finding The Hidden Gems Of Italian Cuisine
Our number one trick when eating in Italy is to order the dishes that are most typical of the region, city, or village you’re in. Remember that the best Italian restaurants are those that serve fresh local food to local people. That’s how you find the hidden gems and get to know the true heart of Italian cooking in all its varied forms. Buon appetito!
