Italian cuisine is one of the most famous and popular in the world. It is bright, nourishing, fragrant and with its own centuries-old traditions. That being said, it's pretty simple, so you can easily cook these 20 delicious Italian dishes yourself!
1. Ravioli
Cute little pasta dumplings with a variety of fillings. Try it with spinach and ricotta!
You will need: 250 g flour, 5 eggs, 300 g ricotta, 300 g spinach, a pinch of nutmeg, 30 g butter, 2 tsp. olive oil.
Preparation: Mix 1 egg, 4 yolks and flour in a blender, and then knead the elastic dough with your hands. Put it in the refrigerator for half an hour. Simmer chopped spinach in a frying pan in a mixture of two oils, season and mix with ricotta.
Roll out the dough into a very thin layer and cut in half. Put small portions of the filling on one layer, cover with the second and cut. Cover the ravioli on all sides with a fork and boil in boiling water until it floats.
2. Carbonara
A classic Italian pasta recipe from the Lazio region.
You will need: 400 g spaghetti, 6 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, 300 g of ham, 4 yolks, 100 g of grated Parmesan, 200 ml of 10% cream, spices.
Preparation: Fry the garlic in olive oil and add finely chopped bacon to it. Whisk the yolks with the cream and add a little salt. Add boiled spaghetti to bacon, stir and top with whipped yolks. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remove from heat after 3 minutes. You can add more yolk when serving.
3. Bolognese
Bolognese is an Italian meat sauce that is most often served with pasta or spaghetti.
You will need: 900 g ground beef, 300 g onions, 1 head of garlic, 50 ml of olive oil, 50 g each of basil, oregano and parsley, 100 g of tomato paste, 100 g of cheese, 250 ml of broth, 150 g of ketchup, 100 g of tomatoes, spices.
Preparation: Chop the onion and garlic and sauté in olive oil. Add minced meat to them and fry for about 20 minutes, breaking the lumps. Whisk the peeled tomatoes, ketchup and tomato paste with broth in a blender and add to the meat. Stew for 2-3 minutes, add greens and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti and grated cheese.
4. Lasagna
A kind of multilayer casserole with minced meat, mushrooms and several types of cheese.
You will need: 10 sheets of lasagna, 600 g of bolognese sauce, 600 g of minced meat, 60 g of butter, 2.5 tbsp. flour, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 750 ml of milk, 500 g of cheese.
Preparation: Melt the butter, add the flour and stir to avoid lumps. Slowly pour in the milk and boil the sauce until the consistency of sour cream. Fry the minced meat in olive oil until half cooked and stir in the bolognese.
Pour some white sauce into a mold, lay lasagna layers and cut with minced meat. Top - cheese, white sauce again, and repeat. Sprinkle the last layer of bechamel generously with cheese, leave for 10 minutes and bake for half an hour at 180 degrees.
5. Porchetta
Baked pork roll with spices that can be easily cooked in the oven.
You will need: 2 kg of lard with meat interlayer, 100 g of olives, 100 g of walnuts, 3 pickled peppers, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 pack of oregano, 1 tbsp. granular mustard.
Preparation: Grate lard with oregano and salt and top with chopped nuts and olives. Spread out the garlic cloves and pickled peppers, brush everything with mustard, roll up the roll and tighten with culinary thread. Bake it for 1.5 hours at 190 degrees.
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6. Saltimbocca
Delicate beef schnitzel wrapped in a slice of prosciutto.
You will need: 700 g tenderloin, 100 g prosciutto, 3 sage stalks, 80 g butter, 250 ml white wine.
Preparation: Beat off pieces of tenderloin up to 10 mm thick, spread sage leaves on top and wrap in prosciutto. Melt the butter and fry the meat until golden brown on both sides. Then put it in the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes. And pour the wine into the pan and boil the sauce lightly. Pour the meat over them when serving.
7.Caprese
The simplest but most recognizable Italian appetizer made from tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.
You will need: 2 scoops of mozzarella, 2 tomatoes, 1 bunch of basil, garlic, spices, olive oil, balsamic.
Preparation: Cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into slices, overlap and season. Sprinkle with chopped basil and garlic, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.
8. Frittata
Even an ordinary omelet in Italy is prepared in its own way!
You will need: 4 eggs, 1 bunch of parsley, spices, 50 g Parmesan, 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 pepper, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, spices, 2 cloves of garlic.
Preparation: Beat eggs with chopped herbs and grated Parmesan. Chop all vegetables at random and gradually fry until soft. Pour the egg mixture over them and wait until it grabs. While the middle is still liquid, place the frittata in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.
9. Potato gnocchi
Flavored dumplings can be served separately, instead of a side dish or with soups.
You will need: 400 g potatoes, 260 g flour, 1 egg, parmesan.
Preparation: Boil the potatoes until soft and mashed. Mix with egg, flour and grated cheese, roll the dough into sausages and cut into slices. Boil in salted water for 3-5 minutes after the gnocchi float.
10. Pizza Margarita
The most popular Italian pizza, which at the same time will become a wonderful basis for your experiments.
You will need: 1.5 cups flour, 1 tsp. yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, 0.5 cups of water, a pinch of salt, 5 tbsp. olive oil, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 clove of garlic, 6 basil leaves, salt, 200 g mozzarella, 8 cherry tomatoes.
Preparation: Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water and let sit for 15 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, stir and knead the dough with sifted flour. Put it away in the heat while you make the filling. Fry the garlic in the remaining oil, add the tomato paste and bring to a boil. Season and simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir in the chopped basil.
Take out the garlic and chill the sauce. Cut the mozzarella into slices and the cherry into slices. Roll out the dough into a 3 mm thick layer with sides, brush with sauce, add mozzarella pieces and tomatoes. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the oven at 220 degrees.
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11. Panini
Closed Italian sandwiches are served hot. We offer the simplest recipe!
You will need: 1-2 ciabatta, 2 tomatoes, 150 g ham, 125 g cheese, lettuce, spices, pesto sauce, olive oil.
Preparation: Cut the ciabatta, drizzle with butter and brush with pesto sauce. Arrange the filling in layers to taste, cover the sandwich and pan or grill.
12. Chicken Parminana
Tender chicken in tomato sauce with melted parmesan cheese. Another delicious Italian recipe!
You will need: 600 g chicken fillet, 1 mozzarella scoop, 2/3 cup bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 1 bunch of parsley, 7 tbsp. olive oil, 50 g parmesan, 400 g tomatoes in their own juice, 1/3 cup red wine, 1 onion, 3 cloves of garlic, oregano and basil.
Preparation: Chop the onion and garlic as finely as possible and fry in half the butter until soft. Pour in wine, evaporate to half and add chopped tomatoes. Stew for 10 minutes, add herbs and spices, and remove from heat after 2 minutes.
Separate and beat the egg whites, dip the beaten fillets in them and roll in crumbs. Fry the chicken in a frying pan, put in the boiling sauce and stew for 7 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle with grated cheese and herbs before serving.
13. Risotto
The second most famous Italian dish after pasta, to change the fillings and combinations at least every day.
You will need: 2 cups rice, 3 cups broth, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 1 onion, 1/3 cup white wine, 2 tbsp. butter, 1/3 cup grated cheese.
Preparation: Fry chopped onions in olive oil, add rice to it and fry until transparent. Pour in wine and evaporate, stirring occasionally. Gradually add the broth and continue to cook the rice over low heat for about 20 minutes. Finally add the butter and cheese.
14. Cacciucco
The thick and aromatic soup is reminiscent of seafood goulash.
You will need: 2 liters of water, 300 g each of different types of fish, mussels, squid and shrimp, 140 g onions, 80 g carrots, 25 g garlic, chili, 60 g celery, 30 ml olive oil, 300 g tomato sauce, 150 ml red wine, spices and herbs.
Preparation: Peel the fish, fill the head with the bones with water and boil the broth for 40 minutes. Strain it and add the boneless meat back. Chop vegetables and sauté in olive oil. Add seafood to them and stew for 7 minutes with tomato sauce and wine. Put the contents of a frying pan and fish in a boiling broth, season and boil for 15 minutes over low heat.
15. Minestrone
Italian vegetable soup, the composition of which can be changed on the go according to desire and mood.
You will need: 1 carrot, 1 onion, a quarter of a celery root, half a courgette and an eggplant, 2 stalks of celery, 1 clove of garlic, 2.5 liters of water, 1 tomato, 2 tbsp. lentils, spices.
Preparation: Chop coarsely and fry the celery root, half the carrot and half the onion without oil. Put in a saucepan, cover with water, add spices and boil broth for 20 minutes.
Remove the onions, carrots and celery from the broth, add the lentils and the rest of the diced vegetables to the saucepan. Boil the soup until tender and season if necessary.
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16. Semifredo
This is a cross between classic gelato and frozen meringue.
You will need: 2 eggs, 250 ml 35% cream, 30 g sugar, 70 g candied fruits, 50 g pistachios, a handful of berries.
Preparation: Whisk the whites until stiff and do the same with the cream. Beat the egg yolks and sugar separately until light weight. Combine all three parts, add berries, candied fruits and nuts, and pour into a mold. Send dessert to the freezer for 5 hours.
17. Sabayon
An original Italian dessert based on wine and egg yolks.
You will need:100 g sugar, 6 yolks, 150 ml marsala.
Preparation: Beat the yolks with sugar until white and place in a water bath. Pour in the wine slowly, keep whisking. The finished mass will thicken and triple in volume. Pour the cream into the fruit tins.
18. Panforte
A simple and enjoyable dessert with honey, nuts, fruits and spices.
You will need: 50 g of dark chocolate, 1 cup each of honey, hazelnuts, almonds, figs, dried apricots and flour, 0.5 cups of sugar, 1 tbsp. water, 1 tsp. cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander and ginger.
Preparation: Melt honey, sugar and water until syrupy, add chocolate pieces and stir. Stir all the nuts and dried fruits with flour and spices, add syrup and stir in a thick mixture. Spread it on a baking sheet in a thin layer and put it in the oven at 150 degrees for half an hour.
19. Panna cotta
This most delicate creamy jelly is served with berry sauce, caramel or chocolate.
You will need: 65 g sugar, 125 ml fat milk, 250 ml 33% cream, 8 g gelatin.
Preparation: Pour gelatin with water according to the instructions and let it swell. Combine the cream with milk and bring to a boil with sugar, then remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour in the gelatin, stir with a whisk, pour into molds and put in the refrigerator overnight.
20. Tiramisu
This "king" of Italian desserts is adored all over the world. You can easily make tiramisu at home too!
You will need: 6 eggs, 500 g mascarpone, 250 g savoyardi, 150 g sugar, 300 ml espresso, 2 tbsp. cocoa, 40 ml of cognac.
Preparation: Separate the yolks and beat them with sugar until a nice foam, and gently mix with the mascarpone. Beat the whites separately until firm peaks and gently combine the masses with a spatula. Add cognac to your coffee.
Dip each stick of Savoyardi in coffee for a couple of seconds and lay them out in one layer. Above - a layer of cream, and repeat until the end of the ingredients. Sprinkle the last layer of cream with grated cocoa and put the tiramisu in the refrigerator overnight.