I remember years ago when one of my cousins was surprised when I told her that I didn’t like Italian food. She told me that the day I travel to Italy I would love the authentic Italian Food. She was absolutely right.

When I finally went to Italy, I knew I had to try the dishes I had been used to in the States like pasta, pizza, gelato, etc. I needed to taste as many savory dishes in order to make a final decision on whether or not I liked Italian Food. At the end of the day, I really didn’t want to discard Italian Food based on my food experience in the Italian restaurants of the United States.

There is a big difference between authentic Italian Food and the American version. Italian Food in the U.S. is extremely heavy on the sauce and the dough feels and tastes thicker. While in Italy, they go easy on the sauce and the dough is thinner. The pasta is at the forefront in taste while the sauce is an accessory to the pasta.

Also, I saw that many of the pasta dishes have more olive oil, salt, and pepper than actual sauce. For example, in the picture below, the ravioli is served with no sauce making it simple yet extremely  flavorful.

Pizza is done in a similar way as the pasta in the sense that the crust is thin or light and the toppings are the stars of the pizza. The pizza has very little to no sauce on the pizza. I love that their toppings are very different and unique.

One of the pizzas we ordered had boiled eggs, mushrooms, and cheese. I know that these toppings are weird and it probably doesn’t look appetizing but it was tasty. On my next visit to Italy, I would definitely re-order it.

Now, I’m sure you have heard the famous expression of “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” So how can you go to Italy and not experience gelato? I certainly couldn’t leave Italy without having this experience. Gelato is not disappointing at all. I think I had one every day I was there.

The authentic gelato is creamy and rich in taste. There was an explosion of flavors in my mouth. Fruit flavors like strawberries for example, were scrumptious. Even my least favorite flavor, coconut was amazing!

My Italian food adventure was exciting and memorable. I created a video on Authentic Italian Food. Check out my new video below on “What I ate in Italy” and view some of the exquisite Italian dishes. Enjoy my Italian food experience!  

…and if you’re wondering..,I love Authentic Italian Food!