There are many people who simply don't like pasta. That often will create a problem if someone invites them out to an Italian restaurant. There is a common idea that most of the dishes that you will find at an Italian restaurant will be pasta based. So, if you are someone who doesn't happen to enjoy eating pasta, you might be a bit hesitant to go to dinner. However, that doesn't have to be the case. There are plenty of nice dishes that are not pasta based that you can enjoy. Italian cooking is really much more complicated and varied than simply eating pasta. The following three dishes are all very popular, and you will find them at most Italian restaurants.
Risotto With Mushrooms
Risotto is a classic rice dish that you will find in most Italian restaurants. Risotto is a creamy rice, a bit different than the rice dishes that you find in Asian, Mexican, and Indian cuisine. The rice is very starchy and is cooked in a broth with grated cheese added at the end. Some places make a plain risotto, but you should also be on the lookout for a dish that incorporates another ingredient, such as mushrooms or even pumpkin.
Beef Braciole
If you are someone who likes to eat meat dishes, then this one is for you. It's a classic Italian dish that uses steak that is sliced really thin and then rolled up with a savory cheese. The dish is then cooked with a tomato sauce. It's somewhat similar to an eggplant dish called eggplant rollatini. The cheese mixture is normally a combination of a soft cheese, such as ricotta, as well as some shredded hard cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano for instance) which will give it it's unique flavor.
Osso Buco
If you like meat but are not a particular fan of cheese, then you can see if they serve osso buco. This is a famous Italian dish that consists of marinated veal that is slow cooked with vegetables and wine. This is a very savory dish with the marrow from the veal shanks flavoring the broth. It's often served either with polenta (a cornmeal-based dish) or else with risotto with saffron (which is commonly referred to as risotto alla Milanese as it's the preparation that originated in the area of Italy known as Milan). This dish goes perfect with red wine.
Next time you're considering going to an Italian restaurant, consider getting one of these dishes if you don't like pasta or even if you do like pasta.
Share28 June 2019
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