When it comes to food, Italians are purists. Having perfected such a delicious cuisine, they certainly don’t want anyone messing with it. Ordering pizza with pineapple or liberally sprinkling parmesan on top of seafood linguine might not turn heads in the UK, but do it in Italy, and you’re committing a sin. Discover the 11 most embarrassing food mistakes to avoid making in Italy. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.
Eating Chicken with Pasta
It’s no big deal in British and American kitchens, but pasta with chicken is unheard of in Italy. It could be because the texture of chicken is too similar to cooked pasta, or maybe it’s just because that’s not what Nonna used to do, but chicken is kept strictly to the secondo, or second course.
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Serving Everything on the Same Plate
Meals in Italy are often long and drawn-out affairs to be lingered over and enjoyed. As such, there’s a set order to the courses: The antipasti, or starters, are followed by the primi, which isusually soup, pasta or rice. Only then does it move on to the secondo, or meat course. Unlike the British idea of ‘meat and two veg’ (and everything else) on one plate, Italian courses should be tasted and appreciated individually. Although vegetables can be ordered as a contorno, they’ll still be served on a separate plate, so serving risotto or pasta alongside anything else is frowned upon.
Ketchup
Whether it’s for dipping pizza crusts into, or, worse still, putting on pasta, ketchup has no place on an authentic Italian table. The Academia Barilla, run by the world’s leading pasta brand, called ketchup on pasta ‘a true culinary sin,’ so leave it for your French fries.
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Drinking a Cappuccino After a Meal
Heavy with milk and, in the eyes of many Italians, difficult to digest, cappuccino is strictly a breakfast drink. For a post-dinner caffeine boost, opt for an espresso or caffè macchiato (which has just the tiniest drop of milk) instead.
Asking for Non-Italian Dishes
Despite having been invented in Rome, Fettuccine Alfredo is not the classic Italian dish many Americans, in particular, think it is. Just two restaurants—both claiming to be the birthplace of the dish—serve it. Ask for it anywhere else and expect to be met with blank expressions. Likewise, Caesar salad was first created in Mexico, and the Hawaiian pizza was invented by a Greek-Canadian.
Sprinkling Parmesan on Everything
To many non-Italians, parmesan is a default cheese that can happily be sprinkled on any pizza or pasta dish in huge quantities. Firstly, pizza does not need extra cheese, and secondly, the chef has carefully prepared each recipe, so don’t mask its flavour with mountains of parmesan. If pecorino is offered instead, then feel free to use it—different dishes use different cheeses—but if no cheese is offered, then there’s probably a reason. Cheese on seafood dishes, for example, is a huge no-no.
Dipping Bread into Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar—it just sounds so Italian, doesn’t it? It isn’t. Save the bread for the end of the meal, and use it to fare la scarpetta, to make a little shoe. In other words, use a small piece of bread to mop up any remaining sauce, and enjoy every last morsel of your meal.
Drinking Anything Other Than Water or Wine With Food
Much Italian cooking is relatively simple, and many recipes rely on the top-notch quality of the ingredients to create a dish that is greater than the sum of its parts. With such care put into the food, drinks are given equal consideration. Opt for a wine that complements the food, or stick to bottled water. co*cktails are aperitifs and meant to open the appetite, and sugary soft drinks mask the flavour. One exception is beer, which goes great with pizza or fried foods.
Dolloping Sauce on Top of Plain Pasta
The correct method for cooking and serving pasta is to tip the almost cooked pasta into the warm sauce (no prepared jars here, please) and stir them together in the pan. This allows the pasta to absorb the flavour of the sauce and creates a consistent taste in every forkful. Blobbing sauce just in the middle only results in sticky lumps of plain pasta.
Changing Traditional Recipes
Spaghetti bolognese does not exist in Italy, and it’s best not to try and convince Italians otherwise. Instead of spaghetti, ragù is served with tagliatelle and is principally made with veal or pork mince and red wine—no mushrooms or tomato. Similarly, carbonara is made with eggs and cheese, not cream. Last year, Italians were scandalised when French website Demotivateur posted a so-called carbonara recipe, which involved boiling pasta together with onions and bacon before mixing with crème fraiche and topping with a solitary egg yolk.
Overcooking Pasta
Pasta should be cooked al dente—to the tooth. Not only does a bit of bite make the pasta taste better, it helps it to hold the sauce better (overcooked pasta turns the entire dish mushy). It’s also better for your health; the more pasta is cooked, the more vitamins are lost, and the more its sugars are broken down. Al dente pasta, on the other hand, has a lower glycemic index and keeps you fuller for longer.
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Read Next
As a culinary expert with a deep understanding of Italian cuisine, let me share insights and knowledge related to the concepts mentioned in the article about embarrassing food mistakes to avoid in Italy.
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Eating Chicken with Pasta: In Italy, the tradition dictates that chicken is reserved for the secondo, or second course, and is not typically paired with pasta. This could be attributed to the similarity in texture between chicken and cooked pasta. Italians prefer to appreciate the distinct flavors of each course individually.
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Serving Everything on the Same Plate: Italian meals follow a specific order of courses. Antipasti (starters) are followed by primi (soup, pasta, or rice) and then secondo (meat course). Unlike the British style of serving everything on one plate, Italian courses are meant to be tasted and appreciated individually. Vegetables, if ordered as a contorno, are served on a separate plate.
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Ketchup: Ketchup is considered inappropriate on an authentic Italian table. It is not used for dipping pizza crusts or, even worse, putting on pasta. The use of ketchup on pasta is considered a culinary sin by institutions such as the Academia Barilla.
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Drinking a Cappuccino After a Meal: Cappuccino, being heavy with milk, is considered difficult to digest, and it is strictly a breakfast drink in Italy. After a meal, Italians prefer espresso or caffè macchiato for a post-dinner caffeine boost.
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Asking for Non-Italian Dishes: Certain dishes, like Fettuccine Alfredo and Caesar salad, have origins outside Italy despite being associated with Italian cuisine. It's essential to be aware of authentic Italian dishes and their regional variations.
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Sprinkling Parmesan on Everything: Parmesan is not a default cheese for every Italian dish. While it's acceptable in some cases, it's crucial to respect the chef's preparation. Cheese on seafood dishes, for instance, is generally not approved.
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Dipping Bread into Oil and Balsamic Vinegar: While it may sound Italian, the practice of dipping bread into oil and balsamic vinegar is not authentic. Bread is typically saved for the end of the meal to fare la scarpetta, meaning using a small piece to mop up any remaining sauce.
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Drinking Anything Other Than Water or Wine With Food: Italians pay attention to drink choices that complement the food. Water and wine are preferred, with co*cktails considered aperitifs meant to open the appetite. Sugary soft drinks are discouraged.
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Dolloping Sauce on Top of Plain Pasta: The correct method involves combining almost-cooked pasta with warm sauce in the pan, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavor. Blobbing sauce only in the middle results in unevenly flavored pasta.
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Changing Traditional Recipes: Authentic Italian recipes should be respected, and attempts to alter traditional dishes may not be well-received. For instance, spaghetti bolognese is not an Italian dish, and traditional carbonara does not include cream.
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Overcooking Pasta: Pasta should be cooked al dente, providing a slightly firm texture. Overcooked pasta not only affects the taste but also diminishes its nutritional value.
These insights reflect the cultural and culinary nuances of Italian dining etiquette, emphasizing the importance of respecting traditions and regional variations in Italian cuisine.
