The Italian Language

Learn about the Italian language, grammar, vocabulary and culture

Updated 21 July 2008

Secondi Piatti e Contorni / Second Courses and Side Dishes

Italian	English
abbachio	pan-rosted baby lamb
al cartocio	baked in aluminium foil
al funghetto
alla diavola	very hot: with chilli
alla milanese	sautéed beef coated in egg and breadcrumbs
battuto	beaten, a cooking technique
bistecca alla fiorentina	grilled chianina (a Tuscan breed of cattle) t-bone steak
bollito misto	mixed boiled meat
cacciatora	sautéed with oil, onion, tomatoes, garlic and white wine
calzone	a type of pizza which, instead of being open, is folded, with topping becoming stuffing.
cannellini	a type of white bean
catechino	boiled sausage with lentils
fagioli all’ucceletto	beans cooked in a sauce including tomatoes
farsumaro	stuffed bracciole
frittedda	smothered artichokes, broad beans and peas, a dish from Palermo
gremolada	a flavouring for ossobuco
grigliata mista	assorted grilled meat cut into large strips
in bianco	without tomato
in umido	cooked in liquid in a covered pan
Insalata mista	mixed salad
insalatone	mixed cooked salad
insaporire	to flavour
messicani	stuffed meat rolls with ham and parmesan
panzanella	Tuscan bread salad
pasticcio	a type of salted pie
pinzimonio	olive oil, salt and black pepper dip for raw vegetables
pizza	a type of flat bread with several toppings
pizza margherita	pizza with tomatoes (red), Mozzarella (white) and basil (green) the colours of the Italian flag.
pizza rustica	pork and cheese pie, an Abruzzi dish
soffritto	sautéed, a cooking technique
stinco	braised veal shank
tagliata mista	assorted meat cut into broad strips
tegliata di biete	Swiss chard torte
timballo	a drum-like mould and any dish cooked in it
torta	an Italian-style pie
vitello tonato	veal with tuna