Among the things that make Italians famous there is certainly the relationship with food.

It's a powerful connection that arises from the act of passing down traditional recipes, preserving the past, and sharing mealtimes.

For an Italian, eating entails much more than simply consuming food to satisfy hunger. It involves seeking out flavours, high-quality products, and raw resources that may nourish both the body and the soul. Food is a true joy, and Italian cuisine, even the most basic dishes, delights all palates.

One of the best ways to really get to know and appreciate Italy and its culture is to change the way how you cook and eat. You can always go out for lunch or dinner, but the moments of sharing and socialising that are created by staying at home and having a "dinner party" with your roommates will never be the same.

Consider this scenario: a downtown apartment with a group of friends sharing their flat, an evening music, glasses of wine, and laughs. It begins with a toast and a little apéritif in typical Italian manner while waiting for the guests who have still to arrive.

The only thing you need to end the evening is to figure out what to cook for dinner. Nothing complex, just a simple recipe to prepare while chatting and laughing.

In this post, we'll show you how to make several pasta meals, which are one of Italy's most popular foods. They're easy to make and inexpensive, and they have an unmistakable flavour.

Pasta first dishes

Pasta is a constant on Italian tables from north to south throughout the peninsula, to the point where it is considered the truly typical Italian meal. It is the food that has contributed to the success of the Mediterranean diet in all of its forms, whether fresh or dried, long, or short, with "all'uovo" or stuffed.

Let us now look at some of the most popular and prepared Italian recipes.

Pasta with tomato sauce

Pasta with tomato sauce is a simple gesture that has become synonymous of Italian food. By adding green basil and a sprinkle of white Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano to the red tomato, the dish will have the colours of the national flag.

Aside from the type of long or short pasta, the kind of tomato to use in the sauce is the most important decision. It's a basic recipe, but it calls for a few strategies to get a great finish. For example, to assure a more flavourful tomato, cook it for a long time.

Furthermore, if the sauce is lighter, a white and fresh wine, such as Gavi, Pinot Grigio, Soave, Malvasia, is recommended; if the sauce is thicker, a more intense red wine, such as Primitivo di Manduria, Merlot, Barbera, is preferred.

Spaghetti with Carbonara sauce

A traditional Roman dish that is popular around the country is: Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Egg yolk, bacon, pecorino romano, and a sprinkle of black pepper are the components. The ideal way to cook this meal is to brown the bacon thoroughly, without burning it, while ensuring that it remains crunchy.

Furthermore, the egg yolks must be whisked and combined with the pecorino romano before being placed into a skillet with the drained pasta. A little tip, you can achieve a creamier pasta by adding a drop of pasta boiling water at this point and continuing to mix.

Add the crispy bacon last and serve right away!

What do you drink with Carbonara? Because this is a flavourful cuisine, it's best to pair it with a fresh white wine that complements the meal without masking the flavour.

Cacio e Pepe Pasta

Let's stay in Lazio and make a delicious dish of Cacio e Pepe pasta.

Tradition dictates that spaghetti or vermicelli be used, but rigatoni, a short pasta, has become increasingly popular in recent years.

The ingredients are simple, consisting only of pasta, pecorino romano, and black peppercorns, but you must know how to properly measure them to get a balanced flavour.

The pepper should be toasted in a pan and then blended with a couple of ladles of pasta cooking water, according to the recipe. You must then make a cream from the grated pecorino, melting and mixing it with the cooking water.

The idea is to use the cooking water to make the sauce even creamier and lump-free.

Both white and red wines go well with this dish; the key is to pick the right ones. A light red wine, such as a Rosso di Montalcino or a Morellino di Scansano, is recommended.

Trofie with Pesto

Let's shift regions of Italy and visit Liguria, where we'll locate Trofie al Pesto.

Trofie are a sort of short pasta with a curled, elongated appearance. When we say pesto, we're talking about the classic Genoese pesto, which is made with basil, Parmigiano Reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts. It can also be made without garlic, although this is plainly a different pesto.

Pesto can be prepared at home following the recipe or purchased ready-made at the supermarket. Obviously, in the second situation, the pleasure of cooking is lost, therefore our recommendation is to roll up your sleeves and put your culinary skills to the test.

The pesto is really easy to make and does not require any cooking. There is a technique here as well: make the pesto the day before or a few hours ahead of time. The longer it sits, the more flavourful it becomes.

Pasta with pesto is ideally served with a white wine, even better if it’s Ligurian, such as the Pigato Riviera Ligure di Ponente or a Trentino Muller Thurgau.

Lasagne Bolognese

Lasagne Bolognese is a must-try on our short but opulent list of pasta recipes. It's an Emilian classic, perfect for dinner parties, family gatherings, or Sunday lunch. This takes a little more time to prepare, but the end product is guaranteed success.

Fresh egg pasta is usually used, although for convenience, dry lasagna can be purchased at the supermarket, preferably rough because it holds the sauce better.

The ingredients of the Bolognese sauce are: mixed minced meat, bacon, tomato sauce, Parmigiano Reggiano and béchamel

The idea here is to make the ragù the day before or in the morning for the evening since this allows all the flavours to blend effectively and become even stronger.

When the sauce is finished, simply alternate layers of lasagna with layers of spice until the pan is completely filled, then bake. Small tip: if your oven allows it, turn on the grill feature for a few minutes before removing it from the oven to make a delicious crust on the top.

And to drink? Only one answer is possible: red wine. Lambrusco di Sorbara or Sangiovese are good regional pairings, although Barbera d'Alba and Valpolicella are also excellent.

Your evening is almost complete; select a menu, a location, and a group of friends with whom to prepare and enjoy dinner. You will understand the pleasure of flavours and the sociability of the table by preparing a traditional Italian pasta meal.