198 Okatie Village Drive - Suite 105, Okatie, SC 29909 - 843-707-1750

10 Italian Food Practices That Are Not Actually Italian

Okatie SC italian Restaurant

10 Italian Food Practices That Are Not Actually Italian

By In Italian Food

Authentic Italian Restaurant in Bluffton, SC

Authentic Italian Restaurant in Bluffton SC

Italian cuisine has been so famously loved by the entire world that thousands and thousands of Italian restaurants are now scattered around the globe. Sadly, however, because of the many people from other countries that try to replicate these dishes and add their own twist, many practices and subcultures have developed that are actually not existing in Italy. In this article, we will discuss and debunk the top Italian food myths we commonly observe. 

Nonna Rosa is an award-winning Italian restaurant located in Okatie, SC. We serve delicious, authentic Italian cuisines, made with the finest ingredients and prepared by our acclaimed chef from Naples, Italy. Enjoy the best Italian experience in the Lowcountry with Nonna Rosa Italian Restaurant!

10 Things You Should Never Do With Italian Food

Most of us enjoy Italian food without actually knowing much of its culture and origin, and we pick up habits and practices while eating in an Italian restaurant that we don’t even realize are wrong. Here are some major no-nos when it comes to Italian food:

1. Cooking Pasta With Oil

One major wrong move when cooking pasta is to add olive oil into the water. Some people do this to prevent pasta from sticking together. However, this will make it hard for the sauce to stick to it. Rather than oil, add salt instead.

2. Putting Cheese With Seafood

Italians love their cheese, but they also know when to put cheese and when not to as well. Seafood is one example of the latter, with very, very few exemptions. According to authentic Italian chefs, grated cheese simply overpowers the flavor of seafood.

3. Drinking Cappuccino Anytime Other Than During Breakfast

This may come as a surprise to some, but in Italy, cappuccino is only exclusive for breakfast. This is because Italians believe that cappuccino is too heavy and full of milk that it is considered a meal in itself. This is also why breakfast in Italy is just a cup of cappuccino and a few biscuits.

4. Eating Spaghetti With Meatballs

Probably one of the most famous myths about Italian food is the creation of Spaghetti and meatballs. The dish just simply does not exist in Italy and will get you confused or disgusted faces if you try to order one. If anything, Italian restaurants serve pasta as a first course and meatballs as a second course, but never together.

5. Combining Pasta And Chicken

Ever ordered pasta with chicken in an Italian restaurant? Chances are, they are not as authentic as they claim. Italians aren’t inclined to chicken in general. To them, pasta and chicken are just too similar in texture that they just don’t go together.

6. Overdoing The Sauce

Italians are very particular with the amount of sauce that accompanies a pasta dish. They believe that there should be a balance between the two so you can appreciate the dish as a whole. Putting a bucket load of sauce is just ruining the dish by overpowering the pasta.

7. Eating Bread With Butter

This may be famous in other parts of the world, but this is mostly unheard of in Italy. Bread is put on the table to act as a Scarpetta or the little shoe, used to scoop up the remains of your dish. Additionally, don’t dip your bread in olive oil as well if you don’t want to receive weird looks.

8. Drinking Other Drinks During A Meal

The only acceptable thing to drink during a meal in an Italian restaurant is wine and sparkling or still water. The reason behind this is mostly because these two drinks complement the dishes very well. As for cocktails and liquor, they are served either before dinner or after to aid in digestion.

9. Putting Pineapple On Pizza

Certain daring combinations are perfect together, like blue cheese and peaches, for example. Unfortunately, pineapple on pizza is not one of them. You can find no pizzeria in Italy that serves such pizza, and ordering one will give quite a few horrified stares.

10. Pairing Spaghetti To All Sauces

Although they may not taste far from one another, different pasta sizes and shapes are there for a reason. Simply put, some kinds of pasta are just better to pair with other sauces in terms of how they absorb and incorporate the flavor of the sauce. 

People Also Ask

How can I determine if an Italian restaurant is authentic?

It’s best that before visiting an Italian restaurant, or any restaurant for that matter, you should first check out reviews and ratings about the place to make sure that they have what you want. 

Is fresh pasta better than dried ones?

There are many arguments on which kind of pasta is superior. However, in terms of usage, generally, fresh pasta is best with butter-based sauces, while dried ones are better paired with heavier and chunkier fillings.

What Italian food is best for delivery?

Although pizza and pasta are some of the most famous Italian take-out and delivery food, most restaurants also offer other dishes such as salads, soups, and many more. Check out the Nonna Rosa delivery menu here:  Nonna Rosa Delivery Menu

Awarded Best Italian Restaurant and Best Chef In Bluffton, SC

Italian Food Bluffton SC

Now that you know these bad practices and habits when eating and preparing Italian food, be sure to never do them again for the sake of protecting and respecting the Italian culture and cuisine, and so that you wouldn’t get weird or disgusted looks. 

We, at Nonna Rosa, aim to serve you only the best and most Authentic Italian Restaurant in Bluffton SC you can find in Bluffton and all over the Lowcountry. We bring you years of tradition; each recipe passed down from one generation to another, and each adding their own unique techniques and variations to make the dishes you know and love today.

Enjoy delicious Italian dishes with a welcoming atmosphere at Nonna Rosa!

Italian Food Cravings? Order Now!
Call Nonna Rosa At 843-707-1750 For Deliveries!

Nonna Rosa Italian Restaurant
198 Okatie Village Drive Suite 105 Okatie SC 29909
843-707-1750

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