Italian Meal Structure

Many times you’ll hear Italians say that every day they eat just a primo and a secondo, when they invite friends they prepare also an antipasto or a dolce, at the restaurant you can nowadays order just a secondo and a contorno. All of this talking is so easy for Italians but not so common in other countries. Let’s specify a little more about the courses:

APERITIVO

The aperitivo is usually served when the guests are still standing up waiting for their seats. It consists of spumante, prosecco, or white wine, small dishes of olives and nuts

ANTIPASTI

Many times it consists of cold cuts such as salami, mortadella, or prosciutto, small fishes or cheese slices.Then crostini /tartine: bread with various sauces or small bruschettas as a simple appetizer or more complicate small portion of vegetables or other.

PRIMI

Primi is the first course, it may be Risotto, gnocchi, soup, fresh pasta with eggs such as tagliatelle, ravioli, tortellini and lasagne, or dry pasta like spaghetti, penne and farfalle with an infinity of different sauces or soups with a large variety of vegetables.

SECONDI

In this course, you will encounter different meat or seafood options. You may have chicken, beef, pork, lamb, or turkey prepared in a variety of different ways, a roast or grilled meat or meat cooked in wine. As seafood, you might find fish, shrimp, lobster.

CONTORNI

Contorni dishes are served alongside secondi dishes. Common contorni dishes are vegetable-based, whether raw or cooked. They are served on a different plate than the secondi, to preserve the flavors.As a contorno, you can have a simple salad with lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes or a more complex dish such as a savory cake

DOLCE

Dessert /Pudding include tiramisu, pannacotta, sorbet or gelato, some Biscotti di Prato with Vin santo, cannoli, cassata and many more.