Italy is well-known for its fantastic food! The food is one of the things I love most about being there. Since I returned from my two-month stay, I have been asked, “What was the best thing you ate?”
This trip was different for me because I was there longer than a typical vacation. I couldn’t eat out every meal like I might on a two-week trip so I was forced to cook most days. But I did have some visitors and we ate out when they were in town. I did eat out alone a few times, which I don’t really enjoy much, but occasionally I was sick of trying to cook for one person in a kitchen the size of a closet with minimal ingredients!
Identifying the best food seems like an easy question to answer, yet several standouts came to mind. I guess it depends on the meal, what the occasion was, or the view and that will change what the best thing was! I’ll just give you the highlights and maybe then I’ll find THE BEST.
Pappa al Pomodoro
This is a tomato soup thickened with stale bread that is cooked into it. It was a way for peasants to use up stale bread and it was so fulfilling! I have had this soup before and have even made it at home but this version took this peasant soup to a new level by topping it with burrata cheese. (Burrata is like fresh mozzarella with cream inside.) It was love at first bite. Now that the weather will be changing soon, I will be making this.
Risotto ai Funghi
Risotto is always a winner in my book. It’s always more creamy in Italy than when I make it! This one came with Parmigiano crisps and cream. This was the dish that came after that soup!
Schiacciata Panino
Think focaccia bread without toppings and that is schiacciata. Add some mortadella straight from Bologna and you have heaven for lunch. I had another memorable schiacciata panino in Montepulciano that had crema di carciofi (Parmigiano, artichoke hearts, cream cheese…) with mortadella and it was hot, gooey, and amazing! Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture and I think that is because I didn’t think to take one until my hands were oily. I’m experimenting with recipes for crema di carciofi now!
Arancini e Mozzarella in Carrozza
Day 1 in Italy! I love arancini and mozzarella in carrozza. I had time to kill in the train station in Rome and found these gems. Arancini were created as a way to use up leftover risotto. You stuff them with cheese or whatever you want and fry them. Mozzarella in carrozza is like a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich.
Zuppe de Vedure e Piadina
I read about this little counter-service cafe in Florence and stopped in for lunch. The piadina was the standout! Piadine are flat sandwiches that are pressed like a panino. This one was ham and cheese. The creamy cheese and the soft bread were a great combination.
Focaccia al Pomodoro
I love all focaccia no matter the topping. There is something about the fluffy texture, topped with excellent olive oil and sea salt that is so satisfying. This focaccia was made even better by being accompanied by a wine tasting with a gorgeous view!
Lampredotto con Salsa Verde
This is a classic Firenze sandwich. It took me a while to get myself to try it since it’s made from the fourth stomach of a cow. But I was at an all-day wine tasting with my amici Fiorentini and one of the stops had these available so I ate it! They slow-cook it in broth. It was so tender and the soft roll and salsa verde completed the experience. The salsa is mostly made from olive oil and parsley.
Crostini
Every menu has a variety of crostini. It is a simple appetizer made from toasted bread and toppings. I was in the area of Tuscany that is known for Pecorino di Pienza, a cheese made from sheep’s milk. Italians eat and drink very local foods so Percorino was everywhere. These crostini were topped with melted Pecorino, walnuts, and honey. Outstanding yet simple.
Tagliere e Crostini
We had two kinds of crostini. One was topped with mortadella, burrata, and pistachios. The other was the familiar bruschetta. The other board was a tagliere, which is a variety of salumi and cheese. These were made even more memorable because of the view we had!
Pizza con Pomodori Ciliegia, Arugula, e Burrata
Burrata is my new favorite cheese and it belongs on everything! You put this creamy cheese on the pizza after you bake it, then cut into it and spread it around.
Dolci
I can’t emphasize enough how fantastic all of the desserts are in Italy. In Florence, there was a pastry shop every block or so! There were so many gems and then, there’s gelato. I learned of bombolone on this trip and it quickly became a favorite. (It’s a round donut filled with custard, pistachio cream, or chocolate cream. Torta della nonna, mille foglie…
Although it is difficult to pin down “THE BEST” food I ate in Italy, I see a little theme building: burrata, bread of all kinds, mortadella, and pastry. Oddly enough, there wasn’t one picture of pasta! Maybe there were too many good ones to even choose. What should I make for you when you come over?
