Let’s face it, most people go to Italy to try the famous Italian pizza and pasta. Little do they know, that they should be trying Italian street food as well! Different street food originated from different regions around Italy. However, now most of them are spreading to other regions in Italy and one can even find some street food in other countries. Let’s have a look at some of the most popular street food one is most likely to find in Italy.
1.) Pesce Fritto al Cono – Ice cream is not the only food served in a cone! These delicious cones are filled with deep fried seafood and they are served in many port towns in Italy. This is because the seafood they serve is usually freshly delivered straight from fishing boats each morning. They are then tossed into batter, deep fried, and voila! You have a mixture of seafood to eat whilst you’re wandering around.
2.) Arancini – Originating on the island of Sicily, arancini are golden deep-fried rice balls filled with various different savoury ingredients. However, they are most commonly filled with meat ragu, melted cheese and peas. These golden balls have the shape, and sometimes even the colour, of little oranges. Hence, the Italian term, arancini.
3.) Piadina – This dish is typical of Emilia-Romagna, but it can now be found all over Italy and in other countries in the world. A piadina is a flatbread made of flour, olive oil, salt and water and it an be either served on its own or stuffed with any ingredient your heart desires. Thus, it can easily be made vegetarian. The simpler the fillings, the more you can taste the scrumptious piadina!
4.) Olive All’Ascolana – These lightly breaded olives are filled with ground meat, coated with bread crumbs and then fried. This is surely a unique must-try street food, especially if one is wandering around the region of Le Marche, where they originated. These olives are typically served at different wine bars and trattorie. However, these green olives are a special variation which are only grown in this region.
5.) Panzerotti – With its origins in Puglia and often compared to calzone, this half moon-shaped pastry is usually made of soft dough and is filled with a mix of cheeses and tomatoes. This pastry is then fried until it becomes crispy and a bit flaky on the outside, but soft and with melted cheese on the inside, like hot pockets. Although originating as a type of street food, Panzerotti are also served in restaurants nowadays.
Well, the Italians do love their carbs! The good thing about Italian street food is that if you’re out and about and looking for a quick, cheap and filling snack, this food is the right way to go!
References
Conde Nast Traveler. (2014). The Best Street Food in Italy – https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2014-09-17/the-best-street-food-in-italy
Finedining Lovers, Traditional Italian Food (2013) – https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/italian-stuffed-olives-allascolana
