Does the bevy of vowels on a standard Italian menu confound you when it comes time to order? Don’t let a glut of As, Es, Is and Os intimidate you into making a bad selection. This glossary of common Italian restaurant fare should help you order with ease. Buon appetito!
Aglio e olio
— Garlic and oil, often served over pasta.
Roberta cut back on the aglio e olio after a startling cholesterol reading.
Al dente
— Pasta that’s not fully cooked.
This al dente spaghetti is not too soft or too crunchy — it’s just right!
Antipasti
— An assortment of hot and cold appetizers.
I don’t see buffalo wings listed on this antipasti menu.
Baccala
— Dried salt cod; usually served on holiday eves.
Vinnie remembers the days when his grandmother served baccala on Christmas Eve.
Bruschetta
— Bread toasted with garlic and olive oil.
Bruschetta is a tasty antipasti.
Calamari
— Squid. It’s often served fried as an appetizer.
Fried calamari is a tasty antipasti, too.
Cannelloni
— Lasagna noodles rolled up around ricotta cheese, meat and other goodies, and baked in a tomato or cream sauce.
This cannelloni contains everything but the kitchen sink.
Escarole
— A variety of endive resembling spinach.
Momma says eat all your escarole.
Focaccia
— Flat, salted potato bread made with olive oil.
We like sandwiches served on focaccia bread.
Formaggio
— Cheese.
Smile and say formaggio!
Gelato
— A creamier, richer version of ice cream.
Have you tried this new cherry-flavored gelato?
Parmigiana
— Made with Parmesan cheese.
I like my salad to be parmigiana.
Pasta fagioli
— Thick, souplike mixture of macaroni and white cannelloni beans with a thin tomato sauce.
Pasta fagioli is a comforting treat on a cold winter day.
Pizzaiola — Spicy tomato garlic and oregano sauce, usually used on meats. The linguine pizzaiola is a house specialty.
Polenta — Hot Italian corn meal. Gigi was full so she skipped the polenta.
Prosciutto — Italian spicy ham. Tommy likes prosciutto and provolone sandwiches.
Saltimbocca — Thin slices of veal rolled up with ham, cheese and sage. Maria prefers saltimbocca to parmigiana.
Vitello – Veal. I’ll have the vitello parmigiano.
