5 Things Tuesday — 5 Italian Foods You Love

Italian cuisine is very much a part of the food scene worldwide. Pizza has the same universal appeal as cola drinks. There are so many other Italian foods that we all love even if we’ve never set foot in Italy. Today I ask you to list five of your favourites.

Here are mine:

Pizza

Whether it is a simple margharita with just tomato paste and cheese or a gourmet entree with fancy ingredients, pizza is equally at home in casual and fine dining settings. It lends itself to a lot of fusion. In Pakistan, a favourite topping is chicken tikka. That is the appeal of pizza: you can have whatever topping you like. You can even do different toppings on the same pizza. So what’s not to love?

Lasagne

I love pasta, all kinds and all shapes. Combined with a rich and flavoursome sauce, it is the ultimate comfort food. If I am forced to name a particular fave pasta dish, like Garfield I would name lasagne. Layers of pasta alternating with white sauce, marinara sauce and mince, the whole topped and interspersed with generous amounts of cheese. It’s hungry work just writing about it.

Minestrone soup

This soup is one of the heartiest ever. Full of colour and flavour, it is a meal in a bowl. The sliced vegetables and the pasta suspended in a lovely tomato flavoured broth taste and smell heavenly. You can give me some with garlic bread and I won’t ask for anything else.

Bruschetta

Made with toasted sliced baguette topped with a tomato salsa , bruschetta makes a great snack or a yummy accompaniment to a meal. Oregano and basil give it a lovely aroma. If you pack the bread and salsa separately and assemble the bruschetta at the venue, it is very portable for picnics.

Granita

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This is fruit sorbet carried to the next level. Resembling grains of frozen sand, the granita is a wonderful experience of texture and taste. I used to be a great fan of gelato but that pales in comparison to the granita.

I could go on and on about Italian food but I must limit myself to five.

What are your favourites ? I would love to know.

Images courtesy unsplash