7 “Italian” dishes that don’t exist in Italy
There are many “Italian” dishes in the US that are not, in fact Italian. Here’s a compilation of some of the biggest items that we have at every Italian restaurant in the US, but you can’t find anywhere in Italy.
1. Pepperoni pizza
Yes folks, I am very sorry to say that pepperoni pizza does not exist in Italy. The closest thing you will find is something called ‘Diavola,’ which is a type of spicy sausage (think chorizo), but isn’t what we would think of as pepperoni. The word ‘pepperoni‘ actually means bell peppers, so if you ask for a pizza with pepperoni, chances are that you will receive pizza with bell peppers.
Note: I do not compare countries to see which pizza is better. Italian pizza is so vastly different from American pizza, that they’re not even the same thing and are impossible to compare. I like American pizza and I also like Italian pizza, so sue me.
2. Fettuccine Alfredo
Actually, alfredo sauce doesn’t exist in general in Italy. Sad, but true, and I have a strong feeling the Italians wouldn’t enjoy the extremely cheesy flavor. In the US though, fettuccine alfredo is arguably one the most popular dish. That also means there is no alfredo pizza. Instead, they have “white pizza” which is only with cheese, but no sauce
3. Carbonara
Carbonara DOES exist, just not in the way we could expect. In Italy, carbonara is made from eggs and isn’t really a sauce. In the US, we again use alfredo with bacon or peas.
4. Lasagna with ricotta
Lasagna exists as well, but is made differently. In Italy, they use a sauce called ‘bechamel‘ which is very creamy and a bit runny. For my Italian friends: Americans put ricotta instead of bechamel in their lasagna. I know I know, you’re in shock but don’t hate! It’s pretty good!
5. Mimosas (or Bellinis)
THE MOST DEVASTATING ON THE LIST. NO MIMOSAS.
In the US, no brunch is complete without bottomless mimosas. I’m not sure where they actually come from, because not many people in Europe tend to know what they are. The first time I asked my friends who would be bringing mimosas to brunch, they looked at me like I was crazy. Same thing goes for bellinis, although that’s 100% an Italian word.
6. Marinara Sauce
There’s the sauce for pizza and there’s bolognese, but there’s never ‘marinara.’ Where does it come from then??
7. Meatballs
Sure they may have meatballs, but not in the same sense. You will never see on a menu ‘spaghetti and meatballs.’ At least Italians know they exist though, after seeing Lady and the Tramp.
What other “Italian” dishes are impossible to find in Italy?
The Comments
Amy
I arrived in Italy excitedly expecting the Italian food I adore and soon discovered exactly what you are saying is true! Also, I stayed in a non-tourist area and couldn’t find any Italian restaurants. Is this due to the fact that Italians cook at home and only go out for foreign food? I hope you can answer this question because I really have been wondering!
Jori
AmyHi Amy! Thanks for your question! It’s true that Italians tend to cook at home A LOT. It’s a big part of the culture and really centers around the family centricity. I had friends who would head home at a certain time because “I have to have lunch with my roommate.” Was totally bizarre to me, but definitely a thing!
Italians are also pretty set on Italian food, although the occasional sushi night does happen. I think though, that our version of “Italian restaurants” varies vastly from theirs. To them, they are just restaurants. Everywhere you go in Italy you will find the same food over and over with variation of course. Even sandwich places are made to cater to Italian tastes (mortadella, prosciutto, etc). The main difference I would say is that a pizzeria is a pizzeria. You wouldn’t normally order pizza unless it is a pizzeria. Pizzas are also a bit more difficult to cook at home, so you’ll find that most Italians choose to go to a pizzeria when they do decide to eat out.
How To Travel Amalfi Coast On A Budget
[…] if you’re reading this and saying, “But I’m in Italy! I want to try all the food!” Sure, try the local food, but most of the time the food in tourist places on the Amalfi coast is not very authentic. If you […]