Unique Italian Dishes: Forgotten Delights You Should Try at Least Once”

Italy is famous worldwide for its culinary excellence, with iconic dishes like pizza, pasta, and risotto. However, beyond these well-known favorites, there’s a rich gastronomic heritage of unique Italian dishes that, while less known outside the country, tell stories of local traditions and cultures. These culinary treasures, often passed down through generations, offer a fascinating journey through time and space, revealing the deep roots of Italy’s diverse regions. From rustic soups to offal-based preparations, and desserts celebrating specific festivities, these nearly forgotten foods are a unique opportunity to explore Italy through taste. In this article, we delve into a world of surprising flavors, uncovering stories and curiosities of dishes that deserve to be rediscovered and enjoyed beyond Italy’s borders.

Here are the unique Italian dishes you should try at least once when visiting Italy (besides the famous and traditional ones, of course):

Casu Marzu

Casu Marzu is a traditional cheese from Sardinia, known for its distinctiveness and rather unusual production method. The name “Casu Marzu” translates to “rotten cheese” in Sardinian, reflecting the advanced fermentation process it undergoes. It starts as a typical Sardinian pecorino cheese and is exposed to cheese flies (Piophila casei), which lay their eggs in it. The developing larvae help break down the cheese’s fats, giving it a soft, creamy texture. The result is a strong, pungent cheese with an almost spreadable consistency, famous for its sharp and complex taste.

Traditionally, Casu Marzu is eaten with the live larvae still inside, although some people prefer to remove them. It’s often enjoyed with Sardinian bread and a glass of robust wine. Due to its production method, Casu Marzu has been controversial regarding food safety and is often sold illegally. Nonetheless, it is considered a cultural and traditional product of Sardinia.

Casu Marzu is a prime example of how distinctive Italian food traditions can challenge conventions, offering an extreme and unique gastronomic experience.

Coratella

Coratella is a traditional Italian dish from Umbria, also popular in other regions like Lazio and Marche. It’s traditionally prepared during Easter celebrations, but you can find it on other occasions too, as it symbolizes the rustic, farm-based cooking of Umbria that makes use of every part of the animal. This dish is made from the offal of lamb or goat, carefully cleaned and chopped into pieces.

The offal is cooked in a pan with onions, olive oil, and sometimes a splash of white wine for flavor. Aromatic herbs like rosemary and sage are often added to enhance the taste. In some variations, especially around Easter, artichokes are included, adding a fresh and slightly bitter note to the dish.

Coratella is usually served hot as a main course, often accompanied by slices of rustic bread. It’s loved for its rich and intense flavor and is a perfect example of how traditional Italian dishes use simple ingredients to create meals that are both tasty and nourishing.

Insalata di Nervetti (Nervetti Salad)

Insalata di Nervetti is a classic example of ancient Italian dishes from Lombardy, using humble ingredients to create a flavorful and nutritious dish. It’s a shining example of “cucina povera,” making the most of every part of the animal.

“Nervetti” refers to the tendons and cartilage from a cow’s legs, which are slowly cooked until tender. Once cooled, they are sliced and mixed with thinly sliced red onion, vinegar, olive oil, chopped parsley, and sometimes borlotti or cannellini beans for extra heartiness. This salad is typically served cold or at room temperature, making it an ideal appetizer, especially in warmer weather.

It’s loved for its unique taste and its ability to elevate simple ingredients through careful preparation.

Lampredotto

Lampredotto is a traditional dish from Florence, Tuscany, and a beloved street food in the city. It features one of the cow’s stomachs, the abomasum, known for its soft texture and savory flavor thanks to slow cooking.

It’s simmered in a broth with tomato, onion, parsley, and celery until tender, developing a rich, complex flavor. Traditionally, it’s served in a sandwich called “semelle,” often dipped in the broth for extra flavor, and topped with green sauce or a spicy sauce, depending on preference.

Lampredotto is a prime example of ancient Italian dishes, showcasing Tuscany’s tradition of using every part of the animal to create flavorful and affordable meals..

Maccheroni Dolci al Cioccolato (Sweet Chocolate Macaroni)

Sweet Chocolate Macaroni is a unique Italian food from Umbria, traditionally made for Christmas Eve. This dish combines pasta, typically used in savory recipes, with sweet ingredients for a festive twist.

Maccheroni or other long pasta shapes are cooked al dente and coated with a sauce of melted dark chocolate, sugar, chopped nuts, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Some variations include soaked raisins, pine nuts, or orange zest for added flavor. Once mixed with the sweet sauce, the pasta is allowed to rest so the flavors meld, and it’s served at room temperature or slightly warm.

This recipe highlights Umbria’s creativity in blending tradition and innovation for festive celebrations.

Meusa

Pani câ Meusa, or Palermo’s spleen sandwich, is a famous street food in Sicily. This flavorful sandwich features a soft roll filled with veal spleen, boiled and then sautéed in lard. It’s cooked with small pieces of lung and sometimes trachea for added flavor and texture.

The sandwich can be served “schietto” (plain) or “maritato” (married) with a sprinkle of grated caciocavallo cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Sold by “meusari” at street stalls, it’s a beloved example of Sicilian street food culture, showcasing how simple ingredients can create delicious, hearty meals rich in flavor and tradition.

Minestra di Castagne Bianche con Riso (White Chestnut Soup with Rice)

This traditional Piedmontese soup uses local ingredients to create a warm, nourishing meal, especially appreciated in the colder months. It’s a rustic example of ancient Italian dishes, valuing seasonal and regional products.

Made with dried chestnuts, or “white chestnuts,” and rice, the soup is slowly cooked with onion, bay leaf, and other seasonings until creamy and slightly sweet from the chestnuts.

It’s a comforting dish that embodies the flavors of Piedmont’s rural traditions, perfect for chilly winter days.

Mpanatigghi

Mpanatigghi, or “impanatigghi,” are traditional Sicilian pastries from Modica. These unique Italian food items are known for their blend of sweet and savory ingredients.

Shaped like small ravioli or half-moons with a pastry crust, they’re filled with a mixture of ground beef, dark chocolate, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes other spices like cloves and vanilla. The combination of meat and chocolate is unusual for a dessert, resulting in a rich, complex flavor.

Believed to have been introduced during Spanish rule, Mpanatigghi represent Sicily’s rich culinary tradition of blending flavors to create unique and delicious dishes.

Polpo Crudo (Raw Octopus)

Raw octopus Apulian style showcases the fresh quality of local seafood in Puglia. This dish is popular in coastal areas where fresh seafood is a diet staple.

The octopus is tenderized through a process of beating and alternating dips in boiling and cold water, then cut into small pieces and simply dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sometimes, fresh parsley and garlic are added for extra flavor.

Polpo Crudo is a cherished tradition in Puglian cuisine, reflecting the region’s deep connection to the sea and its resources. It’s a dish that celebrates the simplicity and freshness of Mediterranean ingredients.

Saba

Saba is a traditional product from Emilia-Romagna, also known as “cooked must” in other Italian regions. It’s not a recipe, but rather a sweet syrup made by slowly cooking grape must. It has a rich, sweet flavor with notes of caramel and fruit, and a syrupy texture.

You can obtain this syrup by simmering fresh grape must until it reduces to a thick, concentrated syrup. This process can take several hours, during which the liquid evaporates and the flavors intensify.

This unique Italian food is very versatile in the kitchen. It can be used to sweeten and flavor desserts like cakes and cookies, or as a topping for aged cheeses, yogurt, ice cream, and even savory dishes like roasted meats. It’s also traditionally used to make “mostarda,” a fruit preserve typical of the region. Saba dates back to ancient times and is an example of how rural cultures found ways to preserve and make the most of harvest products.

Rigatoni con la Pajata (Rigatoni with Pajata)

Rigatoni with Pajata is a traditional Roman dish from Lazio. It’s a great example of “cucina povera,” which makes the most of simple ingredients, often considered waste, turning them into delicious and hearty meals.

“Pajata” is the milk-fed veal’s intestines that still contain chime, a milky substance from the mother’s milk the animal consumed. During cooking, the chime coagulates, giving the dish a creamy texture and unique flavor. The pajata is cleaned, cut into pieces, and stewed with tomato, onion, celery, white wine, and spices like bay leaf and pepper. This rich and flavorful sauce is then mixed with rigatoni, a type of ridged pasta that holds the sauce well.

Rigatoni with Pajata is a dish tied to the pastoral and peasant traditions of Lazio, especially loved in Rome. It’s considered a staple of authentic Roman cuisine, rich in history and taste.

Sanguinaccio Dolce (Sweet Sanguinaccio)

Sweet Sanguinaccio is a traditional dessert from Campania, particularly associated with Carnival time. This sweet treat has ancient origins and was traditionally made with pig’s blood, though today it’s almost always made without it.

Originally, Sweet Sanguinaccio was made with fresh pig’s blood, sugar, dark chocolate, milk, cocoa, spices like cinnamon and vanilla, and sometimes pine nuts or raisins. The ingredients were slowly cooked until they formed a thick, smooth cream. The chocolate and spices would mask the blood’s flavor, turning it into a sweet and rich dessert.

Modern Version: Due to health regulations, many modern versions of Sanguinaccio don’t include blood. They’re made with chocolate, milk, sugar, and flavorings, keeping the rich and spicy taste of the original recipe.

Traditionally, sweet Sanguinaccio is served cold, often accompanied by “chiacchiere,” another typical Carnival treat made of fried dough strips dusted with powdered sugar.

Spuma di Mortadella (Mortadella Mousse)

Spuma di mortadella is a delicious and creamy appetizer typical of Emilia-Romagna, a region famous for its rich culinary tradition. This dish highlights mortadella from Bologna, one of the most celebrated products of the region’s cuisine.

It’s made using high-quality mortadella, ricotta or fresh cream, and often a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano for added flavor. The ingredients are blended until they reach a soft and creamy consistency. Some versions might include a dash of pepper or pistachios to enhance the taste. This mousse is usually served as an appetizer, spread on crostini, breadsticks, or focaccia, making it a perfect start to a meal with a touch of Emilia-Romagna tradition.

Spuma di mortadella is a prime example of how simple, quality ingredients can be transformed into refined and elegant creations while maintaining the region’s authentic flavors.

Vinschger Paarl

Vinschger Paarl is a traditional bread from Alto Adige region, known for its unique shape of two loaves attached together, hence the name (in German, “paar” means “pair”). This bread reflects the Tyrolean baking tradition and is made with a mix of flours, often whole grain, and can include fennel seeds, caraway, and other spices, giving it an aromatic and distinctive flavor.

The dough is kneaded to achieve a dense and compact texture, perfect for pairing with the region’s typical cured meats and cheeses or alongside traditional Tyrolean dishes.

This bread is an example of the rich culinary tradition of Trentino-Alto Adige, combining Italian and Austrian influences to create unique Italian dishes that are both delicious and distinctive.