Meal Structure
Traditionally, meals in Italy usually contain 3 or 4 courses. Meals are seen as a time to spend with family and friends instead of immediate sustenance; thus, daily meals can be longer than in other cultures. During holidays, family feasts can last for hours.
Today, the traditional Italian menu is kept mainly for special events (such as weddings) while an everyday menu includes only the first and second course, the side dish and coffee. A notable aspect of Italian meals is that the primo or first course, is usually a more filling dish such as risotto or pasta. Italian cuisine also includes single courses (all-in-one courses), providing carbohydrates and proteins at the same time (e.g. pasta and legumes).
| Meal stage | Composition |
|---|---|
| Aperitivo | apéritif usually enjoyed as an appetizer before a large meal, may be: Campari, Cinzano, Prosecco, Aperol, Spritz, Vermouth. |
| Antipasto | literally "before (the) meal", hot or cold appetizers |
| Primo | "first course", usually consists of a hot dish like pasta, risotto, gnocchi, or soup. |
| Secondo | "second course", the main dish, usually fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are most commonly used, at least in the North, though beef has become more popular since World War II and wild game is found, particularly in Tuscany. Fish are generally caught locally. |
| Contorno | "side dish", may be a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu features salad along with the main course. |
| Formaggio e frutta | "cheese and fruits", the first dessert. Local cheeses may be part of the Antipasto or Contorno as well. |
| Dolce | "sweet", such as cakes (like Tiramisu) and cookies |
| Caffè | coffee |
| Digestivo | "digestives", liquors/liqueurs (grappa, amaro, limoncello, sambuca, nocino, sometimes referred to as ammazzacaffè, "coffee killer") |
Note: On restaurant menus, these terms may be referred to as Primi, Secondi, Contorni, and Digestivi.
Read more about this topic: Italian Cuisine
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