In light of World Pasta Day this month, there is no time like the present to wrap your taste buds around these six mouthwatering pasta dishes from various regions around Italy.
1. Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
Region: Campania
Includes: Naples, Amalfi Coast
Popular tour: Globus Hidden Treasures of Southern Italy
Spaghetti alla Puttanesca is one of Naples’ most famous pasta dishes. What we love about it is that it’s one of those ‘throw together’ meals, featuring a combination of anchovies, olives, tomatoes, garlic and capers simmered together to create a real umami flavour bomb.
2. Cacio e Pepe
Region: Lazio
Includes: Rome, Castel Gandolfo
Popular tour: Choice Touring by Globus That’s Amore: Italy by Design
Literally translated to cheese and pepper, this is all that you could ever want (or need) in a pasta! By adding butter and a small amount of pasta, you have a mouthwatering Lazio specialty. Linguine, spaghetti and bucatini are common types of pasta used for cacio e pepe.
3. Tortelli di Zucca
Region: Lombardy
Includes: Milan, Como
Popular tour: Globus Northern Italy’s Highlights & Cinque Terre
Picture juicy pockets of tortelli, filled with a roasted pumpkin or butternut squash, giving them a vibrant orange colour when you take that first bite. Serve tortelli di zucca with a sage butter sauce and grana Padano cheese, and you have one of Lombardy’s finest dishes.
4. Ciceri a Tria
Region: Puglia
Includes: Bari, Alberobello, Lecce
Popular tour: Cosmos Apulia, the Heel of Italy
Utilising a different kind of protein to the norm, ciceri a tria features the humble chickpea with long strands of tagliatelle in a tomato and carrot-based sauce. Some of the tagliatelle is fried and used as a crispy garnish, completing a delightful vegetarian dish.
5. Pasta alla Norma
Region: Sicily
Includes: Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento
Popular tour: Globus Sicilian Escape
Sicily is well-known for their food and pasta alla norma is no exception. Tapping into its Mediterranean roots, fresh eggplants are roasted then simmered in a tomato and basil sauce. Traditionally served with rigatoni, we guarantee you’ll be coming back for seconds!
6. Pasta alla Norcina
Region: Umbria
Includes: Assisi, Orvieto
Popular tour: Cosmos The Splendors of Italy
Umbria is one of the top regions in Italy for truffles. Black or white truffle shavings adorn pasta alla norcina, made with penne or rigatoni coated in a decadent white cream sauce with sausages, pecorino cheese and onions.
Are you keen to live la dolce vita in Italy with us? Join us on a Globus or Cosmos tour through this delicious country.
