Top 7 Unique Italian Food Choices

The deliciousness of unique Italian food seems to be one of the only things the entire world can agree upon. Last year, the global market for Italian restaurants was valued at EUR 228 billion. There are over 11,000 Italian restaurants in the UK alone, and still there are dishes that can rarely be found, if ever, at a local restaurant. 

Indeed, some unique Italian food options are found only in specific places in Italy, which is a shame because those dishes are just fantastic. 

Those who love cooking Italian feasts at home should visit web site to find all the ingredients they’ll need to recreate these dishes.

Spezzatino Alla Veneta

This hearty beef stew has generous portions of chuck shoulder beef or cubes of veal. The meat is boiled for hours with wine, vegetable broth, tomato, and herbs. This Venetian beef stew pairs well with soft polenta, rice, or potatoes.

Lampredotto

Lampredotto, or “tripe,” is Tuscany’s unique way of serving a cow’s stomach. It features onion, tomatoes, parsley, and celery and is served over rigatoni or in a sandwich. The dish originated from the lower classes, but it can be found anywhere in Tuscany, from street cuisine to fancy restaurants.  

Focaccia di Recco

Many people know about focaccia, but probably not like the one served in Liguria. The thin-baked bread with loads of olive oil also has a layer of a special cheese called crescenza in the middle. Crescenza isn’t easy to find, so the best chance to try this treat is to travel to Genoa and its surroundings. 

Pastissada de Caval

Pastissada de Caval is a feast for food and history lovers despite its not-so-appetizing origins. Legend has it that this unique food in Italy was created by the Ostrogoth king, Theodoric, who decided to eat the dead horses on the battlefield in Verona. 

As if that were not enough, the dead horses had been on the battlefield for a couple of days, which means their meat needed to be heavily spiced to be tolerable. Contemporary versions are much more edible, usually involving beef or chicken.    

Canederli

While visiting Trentino-Alto Adige in Bolzano, travelers will notice that leftover bread is never wasted. Canederli is a traditional, unique food in Italy that turns yesterday’s bread into a hearty meal. 

This dish is made by turning the bread into dumplings with eggs and milk, then cooking it with spices, smoked ham, cheese, and beef or chicken broth. 

Bottarga

Food tours in Sardinia are not complete until visitors try bottarga. Sardinian cuisine is famous for its seafood and bottarga is a recipe made from salted tuna roe coated in beeswax until it is firm enough to cook without melting.

It is usually served on spaghetti and can be found all over the island. 

Coratella

In Umbria, the only part of lamb that doesn’t go to the stew is the bleat. This unique Italian food dish combines lamb guts, heart, liver, and spleen. It’s not the kind of dish seen at a local Italian restaurant.