Italian food customs - Part 1
- Thuy Doan
- May 9, 2016
- 2 min read
Italian food customs are the unwritten rules that may drive you crazy should you visit Italy unprepared...
The more common rules include… General rules
The words “fast” and “food” can’t go in the same sentence. “Slow” and “food” are a perfect match, instead.
Enjoying your meal slowly and comfortably at the table, more or less at the same time every day, is something given for granted.
About pasta
The famous Italian comedian 'Toto'
Pasta is never a side dish as is rice in many Asian cuisines. This implies that you can’t put pasta next to your steak.
Every shape of pasta is good for some sauces: olive sauce is great for penne or rigatoni, but doesn’t match spaghetti which, on the other hand, are perfect with shellfish. Sauce with peas goes with pipe, not the most common pasta to be found abroad. Luckily ragù, also known as bolognese sauce, is pretty versatile.
Spaghetti should never be cut. Instead, learn the basic skill oftwirling.
Never overcook pasta, make sure it’s al dente.
Ketchup is not a sauce, especially a pasta sauce!
Meat based dishes do not go with pasta, do not ever mix them in the same dish! Eat pasta first and then meat or fish. Meatballs with spaghetti, although quite popular in America, is as much Italian as shepherd’s pie. Some meat based pasta sauces like Bolognese are acceptable.
About pizza
Many are concerned about good manners when they sit in a restaurant thinking this applies to pizza as well! Most of the people (including italians) use cutlery... Here is a big revelation: you must eat pizza with your OWN HANDS! Pizza is a street food and you can appreciate fully only if you feel it as well.
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