10 Famous Foods from Italy

1. Pizza      

The modern day pizza's birthplace was Naples, Italy. The original and most popular variety is Margherita, which has only tomato, mozzarella, and basil. These colors represent the Italian flag colors and legend says this pizza was served to Queen Margherita of Savoy. Pizza was a peasant food, yet the Queen loved it and continued to enjoy it despite the backlash she received from others in the royal circle. The pizza was later named after her and is a popular pizza variety served around the world. If you have a chance to sample a Margherita pizza, Naples is definitely the place -- with tomatoes grown in the volcanic ash of nearby Pompeii, the taste is spectacular and unlike pizza I have tried anywhere else in Italy or around the world.

2. Gelato 

Gelato is Italy's version of ice cream. It contains many of the same ingredients as other frozen dairy desserts, but has a lower butterfat and sugar content. It is made and frozen in small batches versus the process of making most commercial ice creams in the United States. It lacks the amount of "air" seen in ice cream, giving it a more intense flavor. Another difference is how long it can keep -- gelato only stays fresh for a couple days.

Gelato dates back to ancient Roman and Egyptian frozen desserts made from ice and snow. It later appeared in Florence and the Florentine cook, Bernardo Buontalenti, is the one who is credited with creating modern ice cream in 1565. Gelato itself did not become popular until the 1900's after the first mobile gelato cart was created.

3. Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a popular dessert found on nearly every Italian restaurant menu in the United States. It is made of biscuits soaked in coffee with layers of whipped mascarpone and egg yolks. It also contains cocoa and liquor flavors.

There is quite a bit of debate as to where and when Tiramisu originated, but it comes from Italy. Many people believe it is more of a recent creation (early 1980s), while others believe it was earlier. There is also debate as to where in Italy it originated as well. Thankfully, everyone can agree this is one of the best desserts to come out of Italy!

4. Risotto

Risotto originated in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Risotto dishes are made with short-grain rice and include a broth that creates a creamy final product. Producing a good risotto is not often that easy and an improperly cooked one can resemble a crunchy rice soup.

Risottos are often found in fine Italian or even gourmet French restaurants around the world. If you want to learn to make risotto at home, look to chefs like Mario Batali, who are considered masters of Italian risotto dishes.

5. Mortadella

Mortadella originated in Bologna and is a large sausage made from finely ground pork sausage that is heat-cured. It also has small cubes of pork fat incorporated in it. Mortadella is spiced and sold in a variety of ways -- popular varieties include olives, pistachios, pepper, and jalapenos. When you are shopping in the local markets or delis in Italy, be sure to pick some up as the taste is incredible.

6. Spumoni

Spumoni is a molded Italian ice cream dessert. It has different layers of color and flavor and contains nuts and candied fruits. Spumoni is believed to have originated in Naples, Italy. Traditional spumoni is often hard to find in some restaurants outside of Italy, but you can often get spumoni ice cream at your local grocery store. While not quite the same, at least it is something to satiate the craving until your next trip to Italy!

Trivia tidbit -- this popular dessert is so beloved in North America that there are even two National Spumoni Days! The United States celebrates it on August 21 and Canada celebrates it on November 13.

7. Mozzarella

Not surprisingly, this versatile and gourmet cheese came from Italy. Good mozzarella is the key to many Italian dishes and of course the Caprese salad. Mozzarella is actually the term for several different kinds of cheese made by spinning and cutting. These include:

- Mozzarella di Bufala (buffalo mozzarella) - made from water buffalo milk
- Mozzarella fior di latte - made from fresh cow's milk (may or may not be pasteurized)
- Low-moisture Mozzarella - made from whole or part skim milk
- Smoked Mozzarella

The name comes from the Campania region of Italy where mozza means "cut". As with the pizza, if you are in Naples, be sure to try the Caprese salad as well with the fresh buffalo mozzarella and Pompeii-grown tomatoes!

8. Cannoli 

This is one of my personal favorites -- cannoli from Sicily. If you have never seen one, they are small pastry tubes filled with a sweet, creamy cheese filling. Many places in the United States will serve them with chocolate chips inside and a light dusting of powdered sugar on top.

Cannoli originated in the Palermo region of Sicily and were traditionally prepared during Carnevale, eventually becoming a regular part of Italian cuisine and eventually found worldwide. Cities with "Little Italy" districts are great places to pick up authentic cannoli when you can't get back to Italy quick enough!

9. Spaghetti

Despite what many think, pasta did not originate in Italy. The Chinese have the hold on the first known pastas, however, Italy did invent the ever popular pasta we call spaghetti. It is believed to have originated in Southern Italy, back in the 12th century. It wasn't until the 19th century when commercial pasta factories came on the scene, enabling Italy to mass produce spaghetti and other pastas.

If you really like pasta, you might want to consider checking out the Pasta Museum in Rome during your travels in Italy! It is the only one of its kind in the world and boasts 11 rooms with eight centuries of pasta history!

10. Parmigiano-Reggiano

Another cheese that we have Italy to thank for is Parmigiano-Reggiano, often referred to as Parmesan elsewhere in the world. It is named after the areas near where it is produced - Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna. Much like wine and champagne laws, only cheeses produced in this region can be labeled as Parmigiano-Reggiano. Sorry, the Kraft Parmesan cheese you sprinkle over your pasta at home is not the same thing!

Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano has an unmistakable taste that is essential in many Italian dishes and pairs extraordinarily well with numerous red wines. If you are traveling through these regions in Italy, be sure to check for any festivals where you can sample some of the local production Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses! Trust me, you will never want to buy the grated stuff in a can ever again!