Bucket list of Italian food

Italian food needs no introduction. The country’s cuisine must be the most famous in the world thanks to its incredible pizzas and pasta dishes. So many people visit Italy attracted by the thought of enjoying its wonderful food. All of which gave us an idea to create our very own bucket list of Italian food! How many of these iconic Italian dishes have you ticked off your bucket list?!! Who will be the first to sample every dish during their time in Italy?!! This is our guide to the top 50 Italian dishes that you shouldn’t leave Italy without trying at least once!

1. Spaghetti carbonara – a Roman speciality, it’s a simple pasta dish containing eggs, pecorino cheese, cured guanciale and black pepper. Take note Americans – this should not contain cream!
2. Penne all’ Arrabbiata – another classic Roman pasta dish with a kick thanks to the chilli it includes.
3. Cotoletto alla Milanese – a breaded veal cutlet, similar to a Viennese Schnitzel
4. Tiramisu – a classic Italian dessert made of mascarpone cheese, biscuits soaked in coffee, eggs, sugar and cocoa powder.
5. Pizza – the Pizza Margherita may be the simplest and most traditional pizza but there are a whole host of others with various toppings to choose from as well as the famous Calzone, a folded pizza.
6. Risotto alla Milanese – There are plenty of risotto dishes in Italy but probably the most famous of these is the Risotto alla Milanese whose striking yellow colour is thanks to the saffron which it contains. Other famous risotto dishes include Risotto al Frutti del Mare found in the south of Italy in Basilicata and Calabria, Risi e Bisi (risotto with peas) found in Venice and Risotto al Limone, most commonly found in Campania.
7. Panettone – a large cake full of candied peel and raisins traditionally eaten at Christmas.
8. Pandoro – another cake traditionally eaten at Christmas but which is easily recognised thanks to its star shape. It is a vanilla flavoured sweet bread.
9. Arancini – a Sicilian speciality, a circular or conical dish usually filled with minced meat, fish, potatoes or rice before being covered in breadcrumbs and fried in oil or butter.
10. Suppli – not a million miles away from arancini, suppli are found in and around Rome. They tend to be oblong in shape and are filled with rice, tomato sauce and mozarella.
11. Lasagna – A dish consisting of layers of pasta, ragu and bechamel sauce
12. Focaccia – this is just one of hundreds of types of bread that you’ll find in Italy but is definite a firm favourite with travellers. While you will often find it served as an open sandwich, we like it really simple with plenty of salt and drizzled with olive oil. Each region will have their own bread speciality. Those visiting Tuscan will immediately notice that the bread there is made without salt
13. Saltimbocca alla Romana – veal stuffed with prosciutto and sage before being fried in butter
14. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio – A simple pasta dish made with olive oil and garlic
15. Ossobuco – veal shank slow cooked in a tomato and wine sauce
16. Peperonata – a slow cooked side dish popular in Southern Italy made from cooking down peppers in plenty of olive oil.
17. Insalata Caprese – salad served with tomatoes, mozarella and basil
18. Sarde in Saor – a dish served cold or at room temperature made from sardines mised with raisins, pine nuts and topped with onions stewed in oil and vinegar.
19. Cannoli – A sweet treat from Southern Italy and Sicily, cannoli are tubes of fried pastry dough filled with sweetened ricotta cheese and other fillings.
20. Sfogliatella – A pastry filled with a ricotta almond paste, best tried in Naples and Campania where it originated
21. Bistecca alla Fiorentina – one to try when in Florence, be prepared for a larger than life T bone steak!
22. Polenta – Eaten mostly in Northern Italy to accompany meat
23. Ribollita – a hearty soup that is thickened with bread and which originates in Tuscany
24. Fritto misto – a typical Italian dish that varies from region to region and which can consist of any type of fried fish, meat or vegetables
25. Bottarga – Best described as Sicily’s answer to caviar, this is the roe from the grey mullet fish, salted, pressed and air dried for 6 months and then used sliced or grated over pasta.
26. Grissini – long, thin breadsticks, often served up in Italian restaurants
27. Pizzoccheri – a much lesser known dish found in the Alpine region of Italy which consists of buckwheat pasta served with Valtellina Casera cheese and served alongside potatoes and green vegetables.
28. Ragù alla bolognese – a meaty pasta dish that originated in Bologna and usually served with tagliatelle pasta
29. Bruschetta – one of our favourite Italian antipasti, bruschetta (pronounced with a hard k in the middle) are pieces of bread topped with anything from a simply drizzle of oil to a spoonful of ripe tomatoes to some chicken livers.
30. Porchetta – most common in central Italy in Umbria, Lazio, Tuscany and Marche, a delicious boneless roast pork dish with a crispy skin.
31. Pasta alla Norma – Sicilian pasta dish with tomatoes, aubergines and ricotta cheese.
32. Spaghetti alle Vongole – Spaghetti with clams, best eaten in Campania. The authentic Italian version has a simply ‘sauce’ of garlic, white wine, and chilli. 
33. Beef carpaccio – Originating in Harry’s Bar in Venice, this is thin slices of raw beef drizzled with olive oil and topped with rocket leaves
34. Tagliata di Manzo – Thick pieces of beef that are grilled and then carved into strips and served with olive oil, Parmeggiano Reggiano cheese and rocket
35. Parmigiana di Melanzane – oven baked dish of sliced aubergines layered with tomato sauce and cheese
36. Truffles – Italy is home to both black and white truffles.
37. Gelato – Not sure this needs any introduction! We try and eat as much of the stuff as we can whenever we visit Italy, reassured by the fact that apparently it’s less calorific than traditional ice cream!
38. Gnocchi – Small potato dumplings served up in delicious sauces.
39. Piadina – Think Italian flat bread, often filled with cheese or ham to
40. Minestrone – A thick soup made using a variety of vegetables, beans, and either pasta, rice or potatoes.
41. Panzanella – a salad consisting predominantly of bread and tomatoes, popular in Tuscany
42. Pesto – Definitely to be tried in its birthplace, Liguria, pesto is a sauce made using basil, pine nuts, garlic, pecorino cheese and olive oil. Try a dish of Troffie al Pesto.
43. Cacio e Pepe – A delicious pasta dish originating from Rome, made just using three ingredients – cheese, pepper and spaghetti or tonnarelli pasta.
44. Ziti alla Genovese – a pasta dish made with beef and onions
45. Orecchiette con le cime di rapa – Orecchiette is the most popular pasta shape in Puglia and the most popular way to serve it is with cime di rapa, similar to broccoli but with a more bitter taste.
46. Antipasti – not strictly one dish but several small dishes served early evening before a meal, supposedly to prepare the appetite for what is to come but which can almost be a meal in itself!
47. Zepole – sweet, sugar dusted, deep fried dough balls
48. Baccalà – Salted cod
49. Caponata – A delicious Sicilian dish made using aubergines, tomatoes, celery, olives and capers
50. Semifreddo – a popular frozen dessert