When it comes to Italy, we imagine beautiful beaches, stone streets shining in the light of the setting sun, and of course – amazing food. Italian coastal cuisine is not only a wonderful amalgamation of taste, but it is also a living embodiment of the culture, lifestyle and traditions of the place. In this article, we will take you on a delicious journey, where we will introduce you to the unique varieties of pizza, seafood and desserts that have become the identity of the coastal areas of Italy.
Pizza – The Soul of Italy
The wood-fired aromatic smell
When people mention the name of Italy the first dish which comes to mind is pizza. There is no doubt that wood-fired pizzas have their own taste especially those that are prepared in the coastal regions. A thin and crispy base is covered with fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and finely chopped basil leaves that altogether are an explosion of the taste.
Taste of the Sea to Classic Margherita
Pizza in coastal Italy is not just about tomatoes and cheese. Chefs here love to make seafood pizzas — including prawns, mussels, squid and sometimes even octopus. These marine ingredients cook in the wood-fired oven and their aroma makes the whole atmosphere delicious.
Seafood – Gift of the Sea
Prawn Linguine An elegant dish with a low-fat, high-flavour content
Prawn linguine is a special item in the Italian coastal food. This dish is made by mixing long, flat pasta noodles in a sauce of fresh prawns, garlic, olive oil and wine. It is light, nutritious and extremely delicious.
Kingfish Salad – A refreshing experience
In case you prefer to eat something airy and healthy, then Kingfish Salad must surely be tried by you. This salad is ready using freshly cut pieces of kingfish, lemon juice, tomatoes, olives and herbs of the season. This salad is the first choice in coastal restaurants in Italy during summer.
Grilled Octopus and Mussels – the cuisine for daring foodies
There are also some outstanding dishes that you will find around most of the restaurants in Italy and they include grilled octopus, mussels with wine sauce, and pasta with squid ink. Not only they are different in taste, but also provide a new experience to your taste-senses.
Italy’s platter full of sweetness
Tiramisu – Heart-touching sweetness
Tiramisu is the most popular dessert of Italy. It is a layered dessert with ladyfingers dipped in coffee, mascarpone cheese, cocoa powder and rich texture made of eggs. The satisfaction you get after eating it is hardly found in any other dessert.
Gelato – The Perfect Balance of Taste and Coolness
Italian ice cream is gelato and it is very thick and creamy compared to ordinary ice cream. A popular flavour that is favourable includes pistachio, chocolate hazelnut, strawberry and mango. There are also innovative tastes in the coastal areas such as coconut and sea salt.
Semifreddo – Half frozen, full flavour
Semifreddo means ‘half frozen’, and this dessert is exactly that. This dessert is somewhere between ice cream and cake, often with biscuit layers, fruits and crunchy nuts. It is a perfect dessert on a hot summer afternoon.
The view is also special along with the food
The cuisine of the coastal regions of Italy is as good as the ambience there. When the sea waves sound, the sunset colors and the lit up surroundings are joined, the food stops being a way to fill the stomach but turns into an experience.
Pair with wine – double the taste
Every Italian thali is incomplete without wine. The local NSW wine such as Pinot Grigio or Chianti will suit the seafood preparation and the red wine best suits Duck Ragu pasta. Having desserts with a slightly sweet wine such as Moscato is a complete experience.
Where to eat – At places like il Passaggio
Apart from Italy, if you are in a beautiful coastal city of Australia, then definitely try restaurants like il Passaggio. This place is considered to be unmatched in terms of both taste and view. Here traditional Italian dishes are served with a modern twist.
Conclusion
Italian coast food is a culture, a tale and an emotion not only the food. The history lies in the layers of pizza, the newness in the smell of the sea in the sea food and the miss in the sweetness of desserts. It might be your trip to Italy or it may be that you are at an Italian restaurant in one of the coastal towns, one thing is definite here and that is that Italian coastal cuisine will not fail to win your heart..