As soon as one thinks of Italian cuisine, it gets limited to Pizza and pasta without a second thought. It is hard to deny the stereotype that as soon as one hears of an Italian menu, one can never think beyond the staple cuisine. However, Italian cuisine is diverse and offers a large variety that can be explored. Read on to know more about it.

As far as pasta and pizza are considered, Italians never consider those as their basic diet. Pasta is full of carbs and takes nearly 20 mins to cook and thus serves as the simplest lunch. Pizza on the other hand, is not a quick dish and they usually have it twice a week. Some of the popular dishes that they usually rely on are listed below.

Polenta

Certain smaller regions of Italy, closer to France and Switzerland, replaced pasta with Polenta. The main reason being unavailability of wheat in this area in the past. People then found an alternative pasta and chose another source of carbohydrates which is made of cornmeal mush, usually served with sausages and ragu. Other techniques involve the presence of cheese or eggs on the top of the dish which can then be grilled or fried.

Courgette Flowers

This is one of the most unique dishes of Italian cuisine as it is prepared from real flowers which are plucked on the same day when it is prepared. It is then fried with coating and stuffed with varieties of vegetables and then baked in the oven. It gives a crunchy soft texture which is a win on its own.

Lesso

The word literally means “boiled” and in this case it involves various boiled beef and calf meat. This is the fastest preparation and involves a few minutes to achieve perfection. The uniqueness of the dish involves the usage of three different sauces that the meat is served with. It involves the green sauce (which is made of parsley, garlic, onion and capers), the mustard sauce and a specific “bagnetto rosso” sauce which is made of tomatoes and bell peppers.

Cacciucco

This remains the most famous dish in the northern coast of Tuscany. It is a mixture of varieties of non-veg which includes fish and seafood, cooked with a lot of tomatoes and spices. This gets served with typical Tuscan bread. Italians are more into bread and less oily food and this dish serves as a perfect one to satisfy their palate.

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

This serves as the most popular steak of Italy which is literally translated as Florentine steak. Meat which is sourced from a Chinese breed of cattle, is grilled or baked softly so that it retains the soft texture before it is served. Panzanella

Italians are also fond of leftover food and the attempt to make something good out of it. This dish serves as a perfect example of the same which makes use of stale bread to be sauteed with olive oil, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, garlic and lots of fresh vegetables. It is generally the same concept as Indian bread pulao and involves a minimum expenditure.

Arancine

The word literally means “orange” and it derives such a name because of its color. It is basically a cone shaped samosa structure which is stuffed with rice, meat and vegetables. It is experimented with various things which also includes cheese or peas in addition. It is quite a wholesome dish and has become one of the main dishes for the people of Sicily.

Tuscan Brick Chicken

One of the favorite dishes of the Tuscan people, it involves grilled chicken along with strong flavors of chilli, paprika and mustard that are cooked along with varieties of sauces which includes teriyaki and soya sauce.

Tiramisu

This serves as one of the most popular dishes in Italian cuisine, also known as ‘pick-me-up’ cake. Generally soaked in coffee and layered with creamy mascarpone all around, it has attained a great fan base all over Italy.

Therefore, the list clearly brings out the vast delicacies that the Italian cuisine is dominated with except the age-old pizza and pasta. Such varieties make their palate hugely innovative and experimental as they are largely known for their cuisine. Restaurants serving proper Italian food must definitely include all such popular dishes to make people think beyond the expected norms.