Eating Italian

Here’s a typical Italian menu. The biggest issues at Italian restaurants are confirming that everything that you will eat is vegetarian, especially the renet in the cheese. You can ask the waiter and if he’s not 100% sure, have him ask the chef. Be aware that many people mistakenly think that cheese with animal renet is still vegetarian, so be specific.
Once you confirm it’s all vegetarian, you can have pizzas, pastas, caprese salad (my favorite), and many antipastas and desserts.
I will go through this menu that I downloaded to give you an item by item review. The goal is to learn it, so you do it on your own.

ANTIPASTI

• INSALATA DELLA CASACHOPPED MIXED GREENS WITH ASPARAGUS, TOMATO, CUCUMBER, FENNEL AND SHAVED RICOTTA CHEESE IN AN ITALIAN DRESSING$9.00

This is a chopped salad. Make sure it’s vegetarian and if you’re in a classy restaurant, you won’t have a problem with the lettuce.

• CALAMARI FRITTICRISPY FRIED CALAMARI AND  MIXED CHERRY PEPPERS SERVED  WITH A SPICY TOMATO  SAUCE$16.00

Obviously no good!

• INSALATA CESAREROMAINE, SHAVED PARMESAN, HOUSE CAESAR DRESSING (ADD CHICKEN $6, SHRIMP $8)$11.00

get vegetarian. No shrimp or chicken. Lol

• CAPRESEHOMEMADE MOZZARELLA, STEAK TOMOATO, BASIL, ROASTED PEPPERS$14.00
  Yum!!! There’s no steak. It’s a type of tomato.

• INSALATA DI CALAMARICALAMARI, VEGETABLES, CANNELLINI BEANS, ORANGE VINAIGRETTE$16.00
  obviously not good
• FUNGHI RIPIENIVEAL FILLED MUSHROOMS, VEGETABLES IN MARINARA SAUCE$14.00
• im assuming that’s meat. No good.

• INSALATA DI GAMBERETTISHRIMP, CELERY, ROASTED BEETS, POTATOES N LEMON MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE$18.00
  Shrimp. No good.

• PROSCIUTTO E MELONEHONEYDEW MELON & PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA$12.00
  Prosciutto is not kosher. Lol.

• PANELLA TARTUFATASICILIAN FRITTER MADE WITH ROASTED CHICKPEAS, ARUGULA ENDIVE, PEAR TOMATOES, AVOCADO SALAD, TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE$13.00

Panelle (or panella di ceci) are Sicilianfritters made from chickpea flour and other ingredients. They are a popular street food in Palermo and are often eaten between slices of bread or on a roll, like a sandwich. Panelle are believed to be of Arab origin.

Confirm vegetarian and it’s fine.

• ROLLATINI DI MELANZANEEGGPLANT SLICES FILLED WITH RICOTTA, SPINACH IN TOMATO SAUCE TOPPED WITH MOZZARELLA$15.00

confirm vegetarian and you’re good.

ZUPPA

• MINESTRONE ALLA GENOVESEMIXED VEGETABLE   SOUP WITH ORGANIC BARLEY AND PESTO$12.00
  confirm vegetarian and it’s good
• PASTA FAGIOLIMIXED PASTA WITH CANNELLINI BEANS$12.00
• confirm vegetarian and it’s good

• STRACIATELLE ALLA ROMANASPINACH, EGG DROP, CHICKEN BROTH, PARMESAN$12.00
• no good. Chicken.
  
• ZUPPA DEL GIORNOSOUP OF THE DAY$12.00

PRIMI

PASTA FATTA IN CASA

any pasta confirm vegetarian and it’s good

• PENNE ALLA VODKAPENNE RIGATE IN PINK CREAMY VODKA SAUCE (ADD CHICKEN $6, SHRIMP $8)$18.00
• ORECCHIETE ALLE CIME DI RAPAEAR-SHAPED PASTA WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE, BROCCOLI RAPE, ROASTED GARLIC & EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL$19.00
• RIGATONI ALL’AMATRICIANAPANCETTA, TOMATO SAUCE, PARMIGIANO REGGIANO$19.00
• SPAGHETTI AI FRUTTI DI MARE”FRUIT OF THE SEA”. SHRIMP, MUSSELS, CALAMARI, SCALLOPS IN LIGHT TOMATO SAUCE$27.00
• PENNE PRIMAVERAMIXED VEGETABLES IN PESTO SAUCE$18.00
• SPAGHETTI AL POMODOROFRESH TOMATO SAUCE & BASIL$17.00
• PENNE ALL’ARRABBIATAEXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, CRUSHED RED PEPPER IN ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE$18.00
• FETTUCCINE ALLA CARBONARAITALIAN PANCETTA TOSSED WITH WHITE WINE, FRESH BLACK PEPPER, EGG YOLKS, PERCORINO ROMANO$19.00
• FETTUCCINE AL SALMONEASPARAGUS SPEARS, SMOKED SALMON, CREAMY ROSE SAUCE$21.00
• LINGUINE ALLA PUTTANESCAROASTED GARLIC, ANCHOVIES, CALAMARI, CAPERS, FRESH TOMATOES & MIXED OLIVES$21.00
• TAGLIATELLE ALLA PAPALINAPROSCIUTTO COTTO, PEAS, MUSHROOMS IN WHITE CREAMY SAUCE$21.00
• RAVIOLI ALLA FIORENTINAHOMEMADE SPINACH RAVIOLI IN BOLOGNESE SAUCE & DRY RICOTTA$22.00
• RISOTTO PRIMAVERACREAMY RISOTTO WITH VEGETABLES & PARMIGIANO REGGIANO$24.00
• RISOTTO AL FUNGHIRISOTTO WITH MIXED WILD MUSHROOMS IN RICH TRUFFLE SAUCE$24.00

SECONDI

ignore this section, except for the salmon and sole, or any other kosher fish. confirm vegetarian besides the fish and it’s good

• POLLO ALLA CACCIATORABONELESS CHICKEN WITH ROASTED PEPPERS, ONIONS, MUSHROOMS IN LIGHT FRESH TOMATO SAUCE$22.00
• POLLO AL MARSALACHICKEN BREAST SAUTEED WITH MUSHROOMS IN MARSALA SAUCE$22.00
• POLLO ALLO SCARPARIELLOCHICKEN BREAST WITH ROSEMARY, GARLIC, & BALSAMIC REDUCTION$22.00
• POLLO ALLA PARMIGIANACRUMBED CHICKEN BREAST IN MARINARA SAUCE, FRESH MOZZARELLA SERVED WITH PASTA$24.00
• POLLO ALLA FRANCESEPARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN IN LEMON BUTTER BEURRE BLANC$22.00
• SCALOPPINE DI VITELLO AL MODO MIOVEAL SCALOPPINE WITH YOUR CHOICE OF ARTICHOKE OR MARSALA MUSHROOM SAUCE$26.00
• SCALOPPINE DI VITELLO ALLA TOSCANACRUMBED VEAL SCALOPPINE TOPPED WITH ARUGULA, CHERRY TOMATO, FRESH MOZZARELLA, AVOCADO SALAD IN LEMON VINAIGRETTE$26.00
• SALMONE AL FORNOOVEN-ROASTED SALMON SERVED WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES$26.00
• SCAMPI AL LIMONELARGE JUMBO SHRIMP IN WHITE WINE, GARLIC, LEMON SAUCE OVER RISOTTO ALLA MILANESE$28.00
• SOGLIOLA ALLA MUGNAIAFILET OF SOLE, WHITE WINE, CAPERS IN BUTTERY LEMON SAUCE$24.00
• PESCE DEL GIORNOFISH OF THE DAYMP
• BISTECA FIORENTINARIB EYE STEAK SERVED WITH FRENCH FRIES$36.00

SIDES

confirm vegetarian and it’s good

• GRILLED ASPARAGUS SPEARS$9.00
• MIXED WILD MUSHROOMS$9.00
• SAUTEED SPINACH$9.00
• ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES$9.00
• TRUFFLE FRIES$9.00
• BROCCOLI DI RAPE$9.00

italian restaurants are the best for eating out. One of the big helps is the fact that there’s hardly a bishul Akum (cooking of non-Jew) issue. Avoid rice and cooked or mashed potatoes. Pastas, pizzas, breads, are all Pat Paltar which is allowed. Cakes, cookies, and desserts are usually fine. Ask. Italians are proud of their olive oil and almost never use animal fat.
enjoy.